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Tlic hisfiirx (if (I iiatidii is bcs/ fold in the liz'irs of 
its people." — Macau LAV. 



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PREFACE 



The present age is happih' awake to the duty of writing its own records, 
setting down what is best wortli remembering in the ii\es of the busy toilers of 
today, noting, nut in vain gl<iry. l)ut with an honest pride and a sense of fitness, 
things wortli}- of emulation, that thus the gi»id men dn ma_\' hve after them. 
']"he accounts here rendered are n^t l)uricd talents, but of used al:>iht\- and o])- 
portunit}'. The ciin(|uests recited are ol mind oxer matter, of cheerful labor 
directed l:>y thought, of honest, earnest endea\-or which subdues the earth in the 
divinely appointed way. "The great lesson of biography," it is said, "is to slmw 
what man can be and do at his best." .V noble life ])ut fairlv on record, acts like an 
inspiration, and no more interesting or instructi\e matter could be presented to an 
intelligent public. 

In this \olume will be foiuid tlie record of man)- whose lives are wortln- the 
imitation of coming generations. It telN how some, commencing life in |)o\-ertv, 
by industry and eccMiomv ha\-e accunuilatcd wealth. It tells how others with 
limited advantages for securing an education, ha\-e becon-ie learned i-nen and 
w-on-ien, with rm influence e.xtendeil throughout the length and lireadtb of the land. 
It tells of men \vh(} have risen from the lower walks of life to eminence as states- 
n-ien, and wdiose nan-ies ha\-e become famous. It tells of those in every 
walk of life who have strixen to succeed, and tells how success has usually 
crowned then" efforts. It tells also of those who. not seeking the applau.se of the 
world, have pursued the even tenor of their way. content to ha\-e it said of then-i, 
as Christ said of a woman performing a deed of merc\-, "The\- baxe done what 
they could." It tells how many, in the pride and strength of voung manhood, 
left all, and at their country's call weiU forth xaliantly "to do or to die," and how- 
through their efforts the Union was restored and peace once more reigneil in the 
land. 

Coming generations will appreciate this \-oIume. and ])reser\-e it as a sacred 
treasure, from the fact that it contains so much that would never find its wav into 
public record, and which would otherwise be inaccessil)le. (Ireat care has been 
taken in the compilation of the work, and e\-er\- opportunit\- i^ossible gi\en to 
those represented to insure correctness in what has lieen written; and the ])ul)- 
lishers flatter themselves that the\- gi\-e to their readers a work with few- errors 
of consequence. 

\'oin's I\es])ectfullv, 

HOB.\RT PCBLISHIXG COAIP.WV. 

Jaiiiitirx. TQoj. 



".-/ pciipJc thill takr iid priilc in the iu>hh' achu-vc incuts of ri-inolL 

anccslurs -tcill no! (icliirrc (inxthiiii:; iv'iirtlty fn be rciiiciiibcrcd 

■leiih pndc b\ remote gcncratiDnx." — Macal'lav. 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



OF 



HANCOCK COUNTY 



CHARLES HAY, M. D. 

For forty-three years Dr. Charles Hay 
was a resident of lUinois and though 
more than two decades have l)een added 
to the cycle of the centuries since he 
passed awa}', his name is re\'ereil and his 
memory cherished hy all who knew him. 
It was not alone his skill in his profes- 
sion, although he was an ahle medical 
practitioner of his day, his scholarly at- 
tainments nor the success he achieved, 
which gained for him the place which he 
occupied in the regard of his friends, hut 
rather his sterling traits of character, his 
kindly spirit, his deference f(ir the opinion 
of others, his loyalty to all that was right 
and just in man's relations with his fel- 
lowmen and his fidelity to high ideals. 

The life record of Dr. Hay began on 
the 7th of February, 1801. in Fayette 
county, Kentucky. In the paternal line 
the family is of Scotch lineage, the ances- 
try being traced back to John Hay. who 
with his four sons emigrated from the 
Rhenish Palatinate to America about the 
middle of the eighteenth century. This 
John Hav was the son of a Scotish soldier 



who left his own country about fifty years 
before and attached himself to the army 
of the elector Palatine. Following the 
arri\-al in the new world the brothers sep- 
arated and John Hay, the eldest, became 
a resident of York, Pennsylvania, where, 
prospering in business affairs, he accumu- 
lated considerable property'. He was also 
influential in public life and served as 
one of the magistrates of Pennsylvania 
during colonial days. Interested in the 
grave questions which elicited public at- 
tention prior to the Revolutionary war 
and advocating the cause of liberty, he 
filled several important offices in the or- 
ganization of the patriot forces prepara- 
tory to the Revolution anfl when war 
was inaugurated he joined the military 
forces and won promotion to the rank 
of colonel. Following the establishment 
of the republic he represented York 
county in the assembly. Another brother, 
Adam Hay, who, like his brother John, 
had received military training in Europe. 
became a resident of Berkeley county, Vir- 
ginia, and also served with some distinc- 
tion in the Revolutionary war. He was 
a friend and associate of \\'ashington and 



niOGRAI'HIC.lL KEl 7/il/' 



one of tlie earliest recollections of his son. 
the late John Hay of Sprin.<;liel(l. lllinnis. 
was of nieelini;" (leneral \\ ashinj^t' in <in 
a country ruail and hcarin,^' him ^reet 
Adam Hay as an old comrade. ,it the 
same time l)esto\vin<i' a friendl\" pat on 
the head of the yonni^;" l;id. 

It was this John ll,'i\- w Im Ijccame the 
father of Dr. ('harles lla_\- >){ Warsaw. 
His hirth occnri'ed i''el)rnar\- 13. I77<.). 
His youtli was ])assed in his parents" 
home, hut the (lisci])line i>f the hDuselmlcl 
was somewhat stern and arhitrarw nwins.; 
perhaps to the militarx' trainint;'. as a 
German soldier, of the father. .\s he 
approached maniiood John Ha\- was un- 
willing to endure the inflexiljle rnle> laid 
down In- the father and resolved to estab- 
lish a home rmd seek a fortune fur him- 
self elsewhere. This plan he .announced 
to his father and ;dthough there w.as a 
lack of sympathy to some extent between 
them, that there was no ])ositi\e breach 
is indicated In* the i'act that he was pm- 
vided with money sufficient to enable him 
to take up a good piece of land in Fayette 
county. Kentucky, to which place he made 
his way. In early manhood he married 
Jemima Coulter and they became the 
parents of fourteen children, all of wlmm 
reached maturity. Three nf the suns. 
Charles. Joseph and Theodore Hav. l)e- 
came physicians, while another son. Mil- 
ton Hay, for many years occupied a most 
distingui-shed jiosition at the Illinois b.ar. 
In his business afl'airs in Fayette countv. 
John Hay. the father, met with gratify- 
ing success and for thirty years continued 
a resident of that locality, but feeling that 
the influence of slavery was detrimcnt.al 
he determined to take his familv tn a 



region which was free from that ol)jec- 
tidU and when fifty-fise years of age re- 
niiiNc-d to .Sangamon county. Illinois, ac- 
companied by all his children sa\'e liis 
eldest son. Dr. Charles Hay, who had 
already begun the practice of medicine in 
Indiana. 

It was the intention of John Hay to 
engage in the manufacture of cntlon 
goods in Illinois and he brought with him 
froiu Kentucky the machinery and appli- 
ances necessary for the conduct of such 
an industrx'. Ijut the business proved un- 
profitable and he soon concentrated his 
efi:'in-ts upon other interests. He dealt to 
a greater or less extent in land and his 
s]ieculations and investments in this re- 
gard brought to him a good financial re- 
turn, lie was the first man to sign a 
in the public S(|uare of Springfield. In 
|)r(imissory note to the state bank which 
sectu'ed the erection of the old state house 
matters relating to the general welfare 
he was deeply interested and his co-opera- 
tinn couI(.l be counted upon to further 
plans and measures for the public gond. 
His name became a synonjan for integrity 
and h<iniir in business affairs as well as 
in i)ri\ate life and his record was at all 
times in harmonv with his professions as 
a member of the Baptist church, in the 
Work (if which he tiK>k an active and help- 
ful part. The contemporary biographer 
has said, "FTis limg \vhite hair, his com- 
pact and powerful form, were for m:ni\' 
\ears a noticeable sight in the streets of 
the town. He was a devoted friend of 
Lincoln and the death of the president 
afifectetl him jirofoundly. He was then 
in failing health and for se\'eral days 
after the assassination he could not dis- 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



13 



miss the subject from his thi)ug;hts. He 
fiirgot his ninety years and often said, 
'If I had Ijeen in the liox with him, th.at 
should not ha\e happened" He sat at 
the window to watch the funeral cortege 
which bore the mart}red ruler to his 
gra\'e and then went to his own rest. Mav 
20. 1865. in the ninetv-hrst \ear of his 
age." 

Dr. Charles Hay, the eldest son of John 
Hay, spent his childhood and }i)uth in 
Kentucky upon the old plantation which 
his father there developed. He was pro- 
vided with the best educational privileges 
that the state afforded and his aptitude in 
his studies was ever a mar\ el to his teach- 
ers, who it is said could hardly he con- 
vinced that he was not jjlaying a practical 
joke upon them when they saw him learn- 
ing his alphaljet one dav and reading 
with facility a fortnight later. \it (|uick- 
!}■ mastered the Ijranches of learning 
taught in the common schools, after 
which he continued his studies in a clas- 
sical school at Lexington, wliere he made 
the same easy progress in Latin and 
Greek. He never allowed his l<nowledge 
of those tongues to lapse with the jjassing 
of the years and the assistance which he 
rendered to his children in the reading of 
Homer and \'irgil later made for them 
an intellectual pastime of what otherwise 
w(_iuld perhaps have been a dreaded 
school task. He was always a man of 
scholarly tastes and habits, his reading 
covering a wide range and his assimila- 
tion of knowledge being such as to render 
him a pleasing and entertaining com- 
panion of men of widest thought and 
culture. His choice of the practice of 
medicine as a life work was folh.iwed 



1)\- jireliminar}- reading under the direc- 
tion of Dr. William H. Richardson and 
later of Dr. Dudlev and others who were 
prominent in the medical fraternitv in 
Kentuck}- at that day. His collegiate 
training was received in the medical de- 
partment of Transylvania I'niversity. the 
most important institution of learning in 
the west and when his graduation won 
him the degree of IM. D. he located for 
practice in Salem. Imliana, where for ten 
years he followed his profession with uni- 
form success. 

It was during his residence in Salem 
that Dr. Ha\' was married in October, 
I S3 1 to ]Miss Helen Leiinard. .She was a 
daughter of the Rew David A. Leonard, 
of Bristol, Rhode Island, whose erudition 
and oratorical power won him wide fame 
at the beginning of the nineteenth cen- 
tury. He was a graduate of Brown I'ni- 
\ersity of the class of 1793 and was class 
poet. Entering upon the active work of 
the ministrv, he liecame pastor of the 
I'irst Baptist church in ( iold street in 
Xew ^'ork city and in 1817 remo\-ed to 
the west, purchasing a large tract of land 
on the Ohio river. His death occurred 
two }ears later. He had wedded Mary 
Pierce and to them had been fiorn thirteen 
children. Among this number was a 
daughter. Evelyn, wln.i became the wife 
of John Hay Farnham. wdiose accjuaint- 
ance Dr. Hay formed during his resi- 
dence in Salem and this brought to him 
the acc|uaintance of Helen T.eon.ard. 
whom he afterward made his wife. 
Other members of the Leonard family 
were: Charlotte, who married ^^'illiam 
P. Thomasson. wdio represented the 
L<niis\'ille district of Kentuckv in con- 



14 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



gress; Sarah, the wife of Governor David 
Meriwether, who was a prominent rival 
of Mr. Thomasson as leaders in the whig 
and democratic parties of Kentucky ; and 
Cornelia, the wife of William N. Grover, 
afterward Ignited States district attorney 
for Missouri. 

Following their marriage Dr. and Mrs. 
Hav established their Imme in Salem, 
Indiana, and the young physician soon 
won a large practice, his position in pub- 
lic regard being fully established through 
the energy and devotion with which he 
combatted an epidemic of cholera in 1833, 
which carried off- both Mr. and Mrs. 
Farnham. For weeks together Dr. Hay, 
took little time for either sleep or food, 
but gave his attention untiringly to the 
work of checking the ravages of the dreatl 
disease. From that time forward he en- 
joyed a large and lucrative practice in 
Salem and became recognized more(iver 
as one of the local leaders in the whig 
party and was induced to become the 
editor of a weekly whig paper in Salem, 
which he conducted for several years, 
making it one of the strongest organs 
of that political organization in Indiana. 
His kindness of heart brought him into 
financial ruin through securities which 
he signed for friends and with the hope 
of retrieving his lost possessions he re- 
moved from Salem to Warsaw, Illinois, 
in 1 841. Until death claimed him he 
continued an honored resident of this 
city, his life being actuated by honorable 
and benevolent principles and filled with 
good deeds. His professional capability 
was soon recognized and brought him a 
large and important practice. Warsaw 
at that time was situated in what was 



largely a pioneer district and the practice 
of a physician was in consecjuence fraught 
with many hardships incident to the long 
rides which it was necessary to take 
through the hot summer sun or the win- 
ter's cold in order to administer to the 
needs of patients far removed from his 
home. He was engaged in practice here 
during one of the most notable epochs in 
the history of this city. From the east had 
come a colony of people known as Mor- 
mons. Their belief in and practice of po- 
lygamy was so distasteful to the residents 
of Hancock county that they arose in their 
wrath to drive the new sect out of the dis- 
trict and a bitter warfare arose between 
the Mormon people and their opponents. 
The roads were infested with bands of 
lawless persons on both sides, a large 
numl:)er of houses were burned and many 
persons shot from the ambush of the 
woods. Dr. Hay's friends, fearing for 
his life, urged him to give up his country 
practice, but this he refused to do, merely 
purchasing, a faster horse and continuing 
his work on either side of the hostile 
lines. He was often stopped but never 
otherwise molested, although he was 
known to be inflexibly opposed to the 
Mormon people and practices. However, 
he stood for justice and right and was 
ever found on the side of law and order 
and protested vigorously but ineffectually 
against the march to Nauvoo which re- 
sulted in the death of Joseph and Hiram 
Smith, brothers, who were prophet lead- 
ers among the Mormons. 

In his practice Dr. Hay met with suc- 
cess. He was a student of any subject 
or theory which seemed to bear upon his 
professional work and eagerly embraced 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



13 



every advanced idea that he 1)ehe\ed 
would promote his efficiency and enal>Ie 
him to give more capahle service t(j his 
fellowmen in checking the ravages of 
disease and restoring health. A broad 
humanitarian spirit was ever the basis of 
his professional work and yet he was not 
without that laudable ambitinn fur achiev- 
ing success, that he might pro\ide well 
for his family, and as his financial re- 
sources increased he from time to time 
made judicious investments in real estate 
which added to his prosperity. His farms, 
however, did not bring him the jimfit 
which would have accrued to manv men 
whi.i look upon the proposition onl}- from 
the business standpoint. It is said that 
Dr. Hay regarded his tenants somewhat 
as if they were his children or his wards 
and he looked first to their interests rather 
than to the financial benefits that he 
might receixe from their labors. How- 
ever, the normal man always has appre- 
ciation for nature and Dr. Hay great!}- 
enjo_\-ed riding out to his farms and 
watching the growth of the crops. His 
was a well-rounded nature. He never 
concentrated his energies and efforts so 
closely upon one line of thought or ac- 
tion as to. become abnormally developed. 
The study of nature, his professional ser- 
vice, his deep interest in his fellowmen. 
shared with his books in his attention. 
He passed many of his most pleasant 
hours in communion with the strong and 
cultured minds of the past, the essay, his- 
tory and natural science being the prin- 
cipal themes which claimed his attention. 
The welfare and progress of his adopted 
city was ever a matter of deep and intense 
interest to him and he was particularly 



helpful along lines of intellectual prog- 
ress and advancement. The public- 
school system received his most earnest 
endorsement and he co-operated to the 
full extent of his powers in the work of 
upholding the standard of education and 
introducing improved methods of instruc- 
tion. The school teachers recognized 
that they had no stancher friend in all 
Warsaw than Dr. Hay and a word of en- 
couragement and appreciation was to 
them often an inspiration that enabled 
them to put forth further effective effort 
for the public schools. He was instru- 
mental in establishing a free public library 
in \\'arsaw and was for many years pres- 
ident of the library board. He held a 
prominent place in all the associations for 
the improvement of agriculture, horticul- 
ture and other important interests of the 
county and in local religious and chari- 
table organizations. His endorsement of 
such movements was not that of words 
alone, for he was an active co-operant in 
all plans for public progress and im- 
pro\'ement and considered no task too 
unimportant to claim his best efforts if it 
proved a factor in the result for which 
they were stri\ing. 

As the years passed there were added 
to the family of Dr. and Mrs. Hay six 
children, of whom the eldest, Edward 
Leonard, died in infancy. Leonard Au- 
gustus Hay, the second son. retired anny 
ofificer, died in Warsaw, November 12, 
1904. Mary Pierce is the widow of 
Major Austin Coleman Woolfolk, A. Q. 
]\L. L'nited States army and afterward 
a circuit judge in Minnesota. John Hay 
rose to national prominence, his last pub- 
lic work being as secretarv of state under 



i6 BIOCRArillCAL REnilW 

President Ivniscvelt. C'liarlt's I^dward. Oct()1)er. 1881, havino; terminated fifty 

captain nf the Third Cavah-y, L'nited years of a marriage relation wliicli in 

States army, and afterward twice elected every respect reached the ideal. It was 

mayor of Sprin,<jfield. Illinois, it the only not long- after this that Dr. Hay recog- 

sur\i\ing son. Helen became the wife nized that because of heart disease his 

of llarwood ()tis Whitney and died in own end was near. He never spoke of 

i87_^. The death of this danghter came the matter except to his ])hysician. Hr. 

to Dr. and Mrs. llav as their greatest Miint. and he charged him strictly never 

bereavement. "Iler bright, snnny tem- to mention it. for he did not wish to bring 

l)er. her witt\ and original con\ creation. > ine feeling of alaian or danger to his 

her dev<ition tii those she loved and her wife, his children or his grandchildren, 

ab.solute un.selfishness, — (ptalities which in whom his life was wrapped up. He 

.she .seemed to derive with her iiame from ])as.sed peacefully away September 18, 

her mother, — made her the idol c,f her 1884. "1 le walked serenely down to the 

home." The lives of Dr. and Mrs. Hay gates of death with nothing n\ the in- 

were bound up in their children and :i^ difference of the stoic but with the cheer- 

1 )r. llav e-\])ressed it. no personal dis- fnl resignation of a ])hiloso])her and the 

tinction for himself could bring him the loving self-sacrifice of a Christian hus- 

jo\- that could come tn him through the band and father bearing the burdens of 

intelligence, honor and thrift of his chib nthers." lie had attained the age of 

dren. No ])ers(inal sacrifice on the part eighty-three }-ears. Uesolutions ot re- 

of the ])arents was considered too great spect were passed b} the libr.ar)- board 

if it wonlil iirouiote the welfare of their ;md liy the cemetery bnard. of both of 

sons and daughters. Thev I'elt that no which he was a member ,and perhaps no 

economy must be ])racticed fi n- their edu- better estimate of his life work and of 

cation and there wms al\\a\s means of his character can lie gi\-en than 1)\' <|uoting 

providing teachers and books of the best frotn thelocal ])apers of Warsaw, for in that 

within reach. They lived to see them ;it- city where he had so long made his home 

tain iiositions of Iiomir and distinction his life record was as an open book. "He 

and the sons attributed to their early soon ac(|uired a com])eteticy by judicious 

|),arental training tunch of their success investments and l)y his practice, from 

in later life. In the spring of 1879, Airs. which he retired se\'eral years ago. to 

lla\- met with a serious accident, so th.at enjo\- the leisure he had so well earned, 

for m.ain- weeks it was thought that she I-^ven in his peaceful and honored age, 

could not recover and she was unable to bowcxer, he was tm idler. He preser\-ed 

w.alk ;ifterw;ird. Ditring these da\s df to his latest (la\'S the studious and schol- 

trial 1 )r. llax' waited upon her with un- arl\- habits of his _\-<iuth. He reacl with 

tiring patience and heroic endm'.-ince an<l axidity e\er)'thin,g ot interest which a]3- 

following her convalescence became more peared, especiall\' in the line of science 

than ever her inseparable com])anion. and history. He took the greatest in- 

The\- celebrated their golden wedding in terest in state and municipal affairs, and 



HAXCOCK COCXTY. ILLIXOIS. 



was active in every enterprise which 
promised to ad\"ance the cause of educa- 
tion and enhghtenment. As in his early 
manhood he was never too busy to help 
his own children in their Greek and Latin 
lessons. 5<3 in his latest days he was never 
so indolent as to refuse his assistance to 
any scheme to extend to the people those 
benefits of sound leaming which had been 
of so much ad\"aniag'e and pleasure to 
himself." Another publication said. 
"The Doctor was of the highest stamp of 
.manhood — upright in all his dealings : un- 
swer^-ing in the discharge of what he be- 
lieved to be his dut\- ; kind, generous, and 
charitable with all men: a lover of man- 
kind, and ever thoughtful of their wel- 
fare: strong in his convictions of tlie 
right, and true to their teachings. He 
was a nobleman in the true sense of the 
word." "In his chosen profession of 
medicine he was an acknowledged mas- 
ter: and in his devotion to his profession 
he had but few equals. He was courte- 
ous, kind, and considerate in his inter- 
course with those of like profession. In 
his friendship he was ardent and faith- 
ful. So long as a man was worthy, he 
remained his friend. " The funeral ser- 
\-ices were conducted at his home by the 
Rev. John G. Rankin, who in his remarks 
saii "There has been much, especially 
in his latter years, to make life desirable 
Ha^-ing. by his diligence and frugality 
in the noonday of life, acquired a com- 
petency, which enabled him to free his 
mind from all anxier>: living among 
friends and neighbors with whom he had 
been associated for more than fort}." years ; 
honored and loved by the entire cotnmu- 
nit}- in which he had so long lived (for 



Dr, Hay liad no enemies i : permined to 
see all his children -xxnipying honoretl 
and useful positions in life: and. perhaps, 
above all. recei\"ing from his children, in 
their frequent visits to the home of their 
childhood, such love and honor and 
thoughtnil and tender care as but too few 
parents receive : surely there was much in 
such surroundings to make life desirable, 
yet. as he expressed it to a friend, he had 
been living for ^ears as a "minute man." 
He had done life's work day by day. as 
it was presented to his hand, and he 
stood ready to answer the Masters call 
anv minute." A minute analization of 
the life of Dr. Hay. however, would cer- 
tainly bring forth the ^ct that with all 
his love of learning, with all of his de- 
votion to the public welfare, with all of 
his scientific knowledge and medical skill, 
his deepest interest centered in his family. 
The ties of home were to him sacred. 
He found his greatest happiness in the 
companionship of his wife, who survived 
him until the i8th of Fd)ruar\-. 1803. 



CHARLES SA\"AGE SHIPMAX. 

Charles Sa\-age Shipman. assistant 
cashier of the First National Bank at 
Dallas Cit\-. and well known in financial 
circles in this part of the county, was bom 
August II. 1845, in YcHikers, Xew York. 
His parents were Ralph and Manila 
( Wells) Shipman. both natives of Xew^ 
Britain. Connection:. Colonel Lee. the 



t8 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIE]V 



great-grandfather of Mr. Shipman, was a 
soldier of the Revolutionar}- war, and 
the family was represented by several sol- 
diers in the Civil war, so that the military 
record is a most creditable one. While 
living in Connecticut Mr. Shipman was 
owner of a l)rass foundry, and following 
his removal to Yonkers, New York, he 
there engaged in the conduct o{ a paper 
box factoiy. Both he and his wife were 
members of the Presbyterian church, and 
he served as one of its deacons from early 
manhood up to the time of his death. He 
died in December, 1876, while his wife 
passed away in 1879, and both were laid 
to rest in the cemetery in Yonkers, New 
York. In their family were five children, 
of whom two died in early childhood. 
Julius married Miss Mary Clark, made 
his home in Yonkers, -New York, and 
(lied in 1875. His widow is still living 
at the very venerable age of ninety years. 
He was twenty years older than the sub- 
ject of this review. He left four children : 
Mrs. Fannie Wilson, of Brooklyn, New 
York; Mrs. Isabella Williams, of Yonk- 
ers, New York; and Walter and Albert 
Shipman. Ann and Jane Shipman. 
daughters of ]\Ir. and Airs. Ralph Ship 
man, died in childhood. Aima E., the 
only surviving daughter of the family, 
makes her home in New Britain, Connec- 
icut. 

Charles S. Shipman, the only surviv 
ing son, was educated in the public and 
high schools of his native city and in a 
military academy at Yonkers, New York. 
His .school life being over he assisted 
his father in the box factory in that city 
until his removal to the west in 1871, in 
wliich vear he arrived in Hancock countv. 



Illinois. He spent the succeeding two 
years upon a farm, and in 1873 returned 
to New York, where he conducted his fa- 
ther's business until 1882, when he re- 
moved to Dallas City, Illinois. Here he 
became a clerk and a salesman in the lum- 
beryard of his father-in-law. H. F. Black, 
with whom he continued for five years, 
when he emljarked in business on his own 
account, and was numbered among the 
successful dry goods merchants of Dallas 
City for eight years. In 1902 he became 
bookkeeper and assistant cashier in the 
First National Bank of Dallas City, and 
is still acting in that capacity, being well 
known in financial circles here, while 
throughout the years of his residence here 
he has made a most creditable reciird as 
an enterprising business man. 

On the 29th of June, 1876, Mr. Ship- 
man was married to Miss Catherine Farn- 
waldt Black, a daughter of Henry Farn- 
waldt Black, who for many years was a 
prominent lumber merchant of Dallas 
City but is now deceased. Mrs. Shipman 
was born June 14, 1857, in Grand Rapids, 
Wisconsin, was educated in Rockford 
Seminary, at Rockford, Illinois, and was 
married in Dallas City on the 29th of 
June, 1S76. By this union there have 
been born three children. Ralph Wells, 
born August 18, 1878, attended the pub- 
lic schools of Dallas City, was graduated 
from the high school and pursued a course 
of study at Fort Madison, Iowa. He mar- 
ried Miss Letitia Nelson, of Nauvoo, Illi- 
nois, and now lives at Media, Illinois, 
where he is superintendent of a lumber- 
yard for the firm of Black and Loomis. 
Mary Black Shipman, bom August 2, 
1884, is a senior in Hardin College, in 



JIJX'COCK couxrv. illixois. 



19 



Mexico, Missouri, and was graduated 
from tlie musical conservatory in connec- 
tion with that school in April, 1906. 
Anna Celia, bom October 15, 1887, at- 
tended the same school with her sister fur 
three years, when she became ill with 
typhoid fever. Her sister then brought 
her home and she died in Fort Madison 
Hospital, in December, 1905. She was 
buried the same day as her uncle, B. F. 
Black, from his late home, ami was laid 
to rest in Dallas City cemetery. Slie was 
a beautiful, amiable and accomplished 
young lady and was greatly beloved b\" 
all. She held membership in the Congre- 
gational church and took an active part 
ill church and Sunday-school work. 

Mr. and Mrs. Shipman reside in the 
old Black home at the comer of Fourth 
and Oak streets, which was built by her 
father forty-eight years ago, and Mr. 
Shipman also has a farm at Pontoosuc, 
Illinois, and pasture lands in Henderson 
county, together with a house which he 
rents in Dallas City. His political sup- 
port is given to the republican party and 
he is recognized as a prominent factor in 
local political circles. In t8S6 he was 
elected mayor of Dallas City and is now 
sen-ing as alderman from the second 
ward. He is a prominent and valued 
member of the Masonic fraternity and of 
the Woodman camp, and he and his wife 
are devoted members of the Congrega- 
toinal church, in which he is serving as 
deacon, while since 1889 he has been su- 
perintendent of the Sunday-school. His 
wife has been president of the Ladies So- 
ciety of the church and was organist and 
choir leader for years but has recently 
retired from this work. She belongs to 



a chapter of the Daughters of the Amer- 
ican Revolution, and is an intelligent, cul- 
tured lady. Mr. Shipman is a capable 
business man and a respected citizen, of 
genial disposition and a fund of wit and 
humor, and the home of this couple is 
the center of many delightful social 
gatherings. 



PROF. WILLIAM K. HILL, .\. .M. 

William K. Hill, professor of chemis- 
tr}- and biology at Carthage College, was 
born in Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, 
December 11. 1857, and is descended from 
an ancestry that was established in east- 
ern Pennsylvania at an early epoch in its 
development, the progenitor of the fam- 
ily in America having come from Eng- 
land. John Hill, the grandfather, re- 
moved to Armstrong county. Pennsylva- 
nia, and built the first scln^ol-house in the 
south half of the county. He employed 
a man to teach his children and invited 
the neighbors to send their children and 
enjoy the benefits of instruction. In the 
midst of the wildemess he canned out a 
home and his labors were of a character 
that contributed in marked degree to the 
material improvement of the community 
He also built the first grist mill in his 
part of the county and he co-operated 
in many movements for the general wel- 
fare. He married a Miss Ament and their 
son, Salem Hill, father of our subject, 
was born in Armstrong county, where 
he was reared and educated. He followed 
both milling and farming and spent his 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI'IFAr 



entire life in that locality. In early man- 
hood lie wedded Aliss Esther Kuims. also 
a native of Armstrong county, where they 
continued to reside until called to their 
final rest. In their family were seven 
children. The ixirents were devoted and 
active memhers of the Lutheran church, 
in whicli Mr. Hill served as an officer. 
His wife was a o-randdaughter of Father 
Michael Steck. the first Lutheran minis- 
ter in Westmoreland county, Pennsyl- 
vania, at which time the county boundaries 
comprised nearly the entire western por- 
tion of the state. His daughter Esther 
married Daviil Kuhns and they became 
the parents of Mrs. Hill. Salem Hill de- 
parted this life about ten years ago, but 
Mrs. Hill is still living upon the old 
hiomestead. 

William K. Hill is the second in order 
of birth in the family. After attending 
the district schools he continued his stud- 
ies in Pennsylvania College, at Gettys- 
burg, and was there graduated in the class 
of 1879 with the degree of Bachelor of 
Arts, while later the Master of Arts de- 
gree was conferred upon him \)\ bis alma 
mater. Following bis graduation be en- 
tered upon a course of study in Gettys- 
burg Theological Seminary of the Lu- 
theran church, of which be is an alumnus 
of the class of 18S4. 

In the fall of that year Professor Hill 
came to Carthage to accept the chair of 
science at Carthage College, with which 
be was continuously identified until 1893, 
when he resigned bis position and for eight 
years thereafter was superintendent of the 
public .schools of the city of Carthage. 
During that period the work of the schools 
were rapidly develoi)ed and improved. 



Professor Hill maintaining a high stand- 
ard of proficiency in all his work and in- 
spiring his teachers and the pupils with 
much of his own zeal and interest in the 
work. The attendance at the high school 
increased threefold during that period and 
there was a marked improvement mani- 
fested in all departments of public educa- 
tion in this city. In iqoi Professor Hill 
was re-elected to his old position in the 
college and since that time has filled the 
chair of chemistry and biology. His spe- 
cial work has been along the line of and 
study of liiology of fresh water algae but 
his life work has been that of teaching. 
.\s an educator he has won high rank, im- 
liarting knowledge in clear, concise man- 
ner, which fails not to make a strong im- 
pression upon the minds of his pupils. He 
has also become known in business cir- 
cles in Carthage, where for a number of 
vears he has been director of the National 
Bank. 

Professor Hill was married December 
21, 1887, to Miss Kate Griffith, a daugh- 
ter of Dr. A. J. Griffith and a graduate of 
Carthage College. To them have been 
born ten children, nine of whom are yet 
living, namely: Esther Margaret. Wil- 
liam Griffith, Katharine, Robert Mc- 
Claugbrv, Lewis Rowland, Ralph March- 
and, Constance, Edward Llewellyn and 
Imogen. Professor and i\Irs. Hill are 
members of the Lutheran church, in the 
work of wbicli they take a very active 
and helpful part. Professor Hill has 
served as elder for many years and has 
done all in his power to advance the 
work of the church and extend its in- 
fluence. His political views are in ac- 
cord with the republican principles but 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



he has ne\'er I)een an aspirant for office. 
He has a beautiful home on \\'abash ave- 
nue, where his well filled library and 
other attracti\"e furnishings indicate the 
wealth of refinement and culture to be 
found there. Throughout his entire pro- 
fessional career he has remained in Car- 
thage and his strong intellectuality and 
broad, scholarly attainments have made 
him a leader in its educational progress. 



GEORGE WALKER BARR. 

George Walker Barr. a retired farmer 
of Dallas Cit}-. is one of the few residents 
of America who can claim the distinction 
of being the grandson of a Revolution- 
ary hero. The ancestry of the family 
can be traced back to the year 1607, when 
a representative of the name settled at 
Jamestown. Virginia, among the first per- 
manent residents of the new world. 
Adam Barr. grandfather of our subject, 
was a native of the Old Dominion and 
served throughout the Revolutionary war 
as a teamster. He was with the immedi- 
ate command of General \\'ashington for 
seven years and underwent the various 
hardships and privations which were he- 
roically borne by the soldiers who fought 
for independence, marching at various 
times when his footprints were marked 
by blood. George W. Barr of this review 
can well remember when at the age of 
ten years he dropped corn after his grand- 
father Barr. who was then ninety-five 
vears of age. Adam Barr was married 



in Baltimore, Maryland, and subse(|uent- 
ly removed to Kentucky, where he li\'ed 
for many years. In his familv were thir- 
teen children, of whom four sons fought 
in the famous battle of Xew Orleans un- 
der the command of General Andrew 
Jackson and two of the number never re- 
turned, giving their lives in defense of 
their country in the second war with Eng- 
land. 

Elias Barr, son of Adam Barr. was 
born in Breckinridge count\". Kentuckv. 
December 8, 1807, and after arri\-ing at 
years of maturity was married to Sallie 
A. Beauchamp. whose l)irth occurred in 
Hardin county. Kentucky December 4, 
1808. She was a daughter of Jerry B. 
Beauchamp, who was descended from the 
French nobility. His parents went to 
England at the time of rhe emigration of 
the Huguenots because of the religious 
persecution in their own country and 
Jerry Beauchamp and his two brothers 
were born in England. He was a lawyer, 
scholar, statesman and aristocrat — one of 
the most distinguished residents of Ken- 
tuck}' at an early da}'. He ser\ed for 
eigliteen years in the Kentuck\- senate. 
lea\ing the impress of his indixiduality 
upon the laws which were enacted at that 
early i)eriod and aiding in shaping the pol- 
icy of the state. He was a typical Ken- 
tucky gentlemen, a man of fine presence, 
standing six feet, four inches, in height. 
At one time he owned over ten thousand 
acres of land in Kentuck}". He ke])t open 
house and delighted in the sports which 
were always enjoyed by the southern gen- 
tlemen. He kept fine racing horses and 
a pack of greyhounds and ]iarticipated in 
manv of the big hunts of the time. He 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



also owned a large number of slaves and 
on one day before the war he liberated 
sixty-three of his bondspeople. Some- 
thing of the prodigality of the hospitality 
of his home may be indicated by the fact 
that a whole ox was roasted at the wed- 
ding (if his daughter Sallie to Elias Barr. 
He lived to a very advanced age and when 
he passed away Kentucky lost one nf its 
distinguished, representative and typical 
citizens— a man of the old regime wlm 
represented the aristocracy of th.e south. 
The year 1859 witnessed the removal 
of Mr. and Mrs. Elias Barr from Kentucy 
to Hancock county, Illinois. The father 
engaged in farming and stock raising on 
section one. Rock Creek township, owning 
over four hundreil acres in Hancock 
countv, and there carried on general agri- 
cultural pursuits up to the time of his 
death, whicli occurred in 1875. He was a 
democrat in his political views and both 
he and his wife held membership in the 
Methodist Episcopal church, in which he 
also served as class leader. When he came 
to Illinois he owned over one thousand 
acres of good Kentucky land and also 
some of the finest horses in the United 
States. He was a man of enterprise, suc- 
cessful in his undertakings, and his wife 
was of great assistance to him, being 
trained to the work of the household as 
was the custom in those days. She spun 
and wove and capably managed the house- 
hold affairs and there are several pieces 
of table linen in the family of George W. 
Barr which were woven by her. Elias Barr 
passed away on the 18th of July, 1875, 
his wife surviving for a number of years, 
or until the ist of May, 1892, when she 
also departed this life. In their family 



were twelve children : Daniel Thomas, 
who was born in 1831 and died in 1846: 
Newell Robinson, who was born in 1834 
and died in 1892; Elmira A., who was 
born in 1836 and is the wife of John Hur- 
dle, living near Disco, Illinois; Mary E., 
who was born in 1838 and is the widow 
of Thomas L. Ray, of Dallas township; 
Bluford B., who was born in 1840 and 
died in 1898; Kitty Ann, who was born 
March 5, 1842, married Sylvester T, Tur- 
ney, and died in 1886; George Walker, of 
this review; Sarah E,, who was born in 
1846 and is the widow of David Wright, 
her home being near Disco ; John Adam, 
who was born in 1848 and is a successful 
physician of Fountain Green, Illinois ; 
Martha Jane, who was born in 1850 and 
is the wife of M. Bross, of Prescott, Iowa; 
Franklin P., who was born in 1852 and 
is living in Clarinda, Iowa; and Amanda 
M., who was born in 1856 and is the 
wife of Daniel Showers, of Fresno, Cali- 
fornia. 

George ^^^ Barr was bom in Breckin- 
ridge county, Kentucky, February 25, 
1844, ^rid in his boyhood days accom- 
panied his parents on their removal to 
Hancock county. He pursued his edu- 
cation in the district schools of this county 
and in Mount Vernon, Illinois, and re- 
mained with his father until twenty-five 
years of age, assisting in the cultivation 
and im])rovement of the home farm. Am- 
bitious to have a farm of his own and 
enter upon an independent business ca- 
reer, in 1868 he purchased one hundred 
and sixty acres of land in Dallas town- 
ship. To this he afterward added as his 
financial resources increased until he 
owned two hundred and twenty-five acres 



HAXCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



23 



of good land in that township, on which 
he made many modern improvements, 
converting- the place into a splendidly im- 
proved property. There he lived for a 
third of a century, or until lyOJ, when he 
retired from fanning and purchased a 
beautiful home and two lots on Third 
street in Dallas City, where he is now li\-- 
ing, surrounded by many of life's com- 
forts. 

On the 20th of April, 1869, was cele- 
brated the marriage of Mr. Barr and Miss 
Mary E. Dean, who was born in Clinton 
comity, Ohio, October 3, 1848, a daugh- 
ter of William B. and IMargaret A. (Ran- 
kin) Dean. The mother was burn in 
Brown county. Ohio, in 1807 and the 
father's birth occurred in Ireland in 1806. 
Crossing the Atlantic, he arrived at Xew 
York at the age of fifteen years after a 
voyage of three months. He traveled for 
some time and afterward became a farmer 
of Henderson countv. Illinois, where he 
settled in 1833. In his familv were seven 
children: Bartle}- R.. who died in Ar- 
kansas in 1906: \\'illiam L'.. living near 
Disco, Illinois; Albert and Alfred, twins, 
the fonner a resident of Chico, Califor- 
nia, and the latter of Eldon, Iowa: Mar\' 
E.. now ]\Irs. Barr; Arthur, of Dallas 
City: and Charles Edward Franklin, who 
died in May, 1869. The father was reared 
in the Roman Catholic church and the 
mother died in the same faith. Mrs. Barr 
was educated in the South Hill school in 
Burlington, Iowa. By her marriage she 
became the mother of three children ; Ettie 
E., born January 25, 1870, was married 
May 12, 1897, to Elmer V. Royse, of 
Aledo, and they have two children, George 
Frederick and Cleo Ray; Robert A., a 



sketch of whom appears on another page 
of this book, is the second of the family ; 
and Alary Ottilia, bom August 4, 1885, 
is a graduate of the Dallas City high 
school in the class of 1905. In 190 1-2 
she attended St. Mary's Academy at 
Xauvoo, Illinois, and is a skilled musician, 
now at home with her parents. 

Mr. Barr is a democrat in his political 
faith, \'oting for the state and national 
candidates of the party, but at local elec- 
tions casts an independent ballot. He has 
held some touaiship offices, including that 
of road commissioner, and he has been 
school dii'ector, while his wife has also 
acted in that capacity for three years. 
They attend the services of the Christian 
church, of which Mrs. Barr is a member. 
She is a lady of very genial and cheerful 
disposition and their friends in the com- 
munity are almost co-extensive with the 
circle of their acquaintances. ]\Ir. Barr 
is a man wdiose success is attributable to 
his industry and business integrity and 
through careful management in an active 
career, througii diligence and persever- 
ance he has acquired a handsome compe- 
tence that now enables him to enjov life 
without recourse to further labor. His 
son is operating tlie home farm and the 
family is one of which the parents have 
every reason to be proud. 



FRAXKLIX C. LITTLE. 

Franklin C. Little, starting out in life 
with forty acres of land, is now the owner 
of a valuable farming property of four 



24 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



liuiulred acres and the increase in his 
realty possessions is an indication of the 
industry and enterprise whicii lia\e char- 
acterized his life and made him one of 
t1ie men of affluence in Pontoosuc town- 
ship. His success enables him to enjoy 
the comforts and some of the luxuries of 
life in the evening of his days — for Mr. 
Little is now seventy-seven years of age. 
He was bom in Green county, Ohio, De- 
cember 12. 1829. He had an uncle, Da- 
vid Little, who served in the war of 1812. 
sei-ving as a guard at Sacketts Harbor. 
His parents. Martin and Sarah (Ritnour) 
Little, were both born in the vicinity o{ 
Winchester, Virginia, the former in 1794 
and the latter in 1796. After some years' 
residence in Ohio they came to Hancock 
county, arriving on the 25th of April, 
1847. They settled in Appanoose town- 
ship but after a l)rief sojourn there the 
father purchased land in Pontoosuc town- 
ship from a Mormon elder of the name 
of Fullmer and lived in a little log cabin 
for a few years, when he made better im- 
pro\-ements, owning four hundred acres, 
having paid high for those times, paying 
as high as $5.25 per acre, in order to get 
good title. He aided in the pioneer de- 
velopment and upbuilding of the county 
and was identified with its farming inter- 
ests until his death in 1854. His wife 
long surxdved him and in 1882 was laid 
by his side in Pontoosuc cemetery. They 
had seven children : Lorenzo, who lives 
in Ponto(.«uc township; D. A., of the 
same township ; Catherine, the widow of 
Archibald Jackson, of Nauvoo ; Sarah, the 
wife of Charles Rogers, of Nebraska ; Mil- 
lie, deceased : F. C. ; and Jane, the wife 
of Adam Coffman, of Pontoosuc. 



Franklin C. Little largely acquired his 
education in Ohio and for one term at- 
tended school in this state, whither he 
came with his parents when a youth of 
seventeen. At the age of nineteen, in 
1849, he was married to Miss Nancy Mc- 
Cauley, who was born in New York state 
in 1829, a daughter of Major and Polly 
McCauley, both New York people but 
formerly of Ireland. Her father was 
a distant relative of MacCauley, the Eng- 
lish historian. Mr. and Mrs. McCauley 
came to Illinois at a very early day, set- 
tling in Hancock county in 1832, and he 
participated in the Mormon war of 1844, 
while with many other events of the 
early days, which have become historic, 
he was also associated. Of his family 
of ten children six are now living : Elea- 
nor, the wife of Isaac London, of Pay- 
son, Illinois; Lydia, the widow of Je- 
rome Langdon, and a resident. of Payson; 
Henry and Robert, both of Kansas; Su- 
san, wife of John Schwartz, of Nebraska : 
and John, also of Nebraska. Three sons. 
William, Henry and Robert, all served 
for three years in the Union army in 
the Civil war. 

At the time of his marriage Mr. Lit- 
tle's father gave him forty acres of prai- 
rie land in Pontoosuc township and. lo- 
cating thereon in, 1849. he built a house 
and has made all the improvements of 
every kind upon the fami, the boundary 
of which he has also extended from time 
to time. He owns altogether four hun- 
dred acres in Pontoosuc township and 
although well advanced in years is still 
actively engaged in general farming and 
stock raising. This has been his life 
work. Ambitious to succeed he has put 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



2.S 



forth earnest, unremitting effort, guided 
by sound judgment, and his prosperity 
lias resulted. 

In 1877 Mr. Little lost his wife, who 
died on the 14th of June of that year and 
was laid to rest in Pontoosuc cemetery. 
She was a ilevoted member of the Meth- 
odist church and a consistent Christian 
woman. Of their ten children, six are 
living: Martin, a resident of Pontoosuc 
township, has four sons. INIuriel, Franklin. 
Lee and Harry; ]\Ielissa. the wife of 
James Lamb, of Pontoosuc township, by 
whom she has seven children — Edith, 
Delmer, George, John, Daisy, ]\Iillie and 
\^"illiam; Arthur, a resident farmer of 
Pontoosuc township, who married Lizzie 
Avis and has three children — Jessie, Leola 
and Gladys ; Mary, wife of Hiram Long- 
shie. of Pontoosuc township, and the 
motlier of two children, Edward and Min- 
nie; Samuel, of the same township, who 
married Emma Cress and has three chil- 
dren — Claude, Nora and Nellie; Anna, 
the wife of Henry Byler, of Durham 
township, has one child and by a former 
marriage has three children, Mabel, Otis 
and L-ene Hamilton (all Hamiltons) ; 
Flora, wife of Robert Alston, of Hamil- 
ton, Illinois, by whom she has three chil- 
dren — Flossie, Frankie and Grace; and 
Frank G.. who married Grace Mitchell, of 
Dallas City, and has one child. D(jnald 
Ray. 

On the 23d of January. 1884. ^Ir. Lit- 
tle was again married, his secontl unimi 
being with Miss Emma A. North, who 
was born in Springfield, Illinois, in 1853. 
a daughter of Alfred A. and America A. 
(Miner) North, both coming from Ohio 
and settling in Sangamon count\', this 



state, when the eldest sister of Mrs. Lit- 
tle was only two years old. Mr. North 
served for three years in the Civil war 
as a member of Company A, Tenth Illi- 
nois Cavalrj', and was mustered out as 
brevet major. Of his five children four 
are living; Kate, the widow of Samuel 
Lamb, of Pontoosuc township; Mrs. Lit- 
tle; Milfred, of Galveston. Texas; and 
Alfred A., living in Springfield. 

]\Ir. Little is a stalwart republican who 
has given unswerving support to the party 
since its organization and has served as 
supervisor, school director and assessor. 
He belongs to the United Brethren church 
and is a man worthy of the respect so 
uniformly accorded him wherever he is 
known. He has lived in this county for 
almost sixty years and events which to 
others are matters of history are to him 
matters of personal observation and ex- 
perience. Pioneer life in Hancock county 
in all its phases was familiar to him and 
he has taken justifiable pride in what has 
been accomplished in the county in the 
passing years. 



JAMES BABCOCK. 

James Babcock. a leading business man 
of Durham township engaged in general 
farming and also representing the finan- 
cial interests of the community, as vice 
president of the Farmers Exchange Bank 
of Dallas City, was born Novmber 2, 
1849, in the township where he still makes 
his home. His father, Samuel Babcock, 



26 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



was a native of New York, born in 1810, 
and as a child of a few years he was taken 
with his parents who settled on the Miami 
Bottoms near Cincinnati anil there he 
grew to maturity being reared to the oc- 
cupation of farming. In 1835 he became 
a resident of Henderson county, Illinois. 
There he lived in a log house in true pio- 
neer style for a number of }ears, there 
being but few settlers there. He learned 
and followed the carpenter's trade and 
he also operated a water mill there until 
his removal to Hancock county, ha\ing 
purchased a farm in Durham township. 
He served as a soldier in the Mormon war 
and was identified with man^' e\ents 
which now find place upon the historic 
annals of this part of the state. He was 
married in Henderson county in early 
manhood to Miss Nancy Logan, a daugh- 
ter of Samuel Logan. She was l;)orn in 
Indiana in 1825, and as a child was 
brought here. For many years they 
traveled life's journey happily together. 
The death of the father occurred Octo- 
ber 7, 1886, while his wife survived until 
January 18. 1902, and both were laid to 
rest in a cemetery in Henderson county, 
Illinois. Of their family of ten children 
five are now living: Susan, the wife of 
Arthur Gates, of \\'elkin, Minnesota; 
Euphama,the wife of Lee Shaw, of Dallas 
City; James, of this review; Anna, the 
wife of Ami Huffman, of Clyde, AIi.s- 
souri; and Florence, the wife of James 
Farren, of Durham township, living on 
the old homestead of her parents. 

James Babcock is indebted to the dis- 
trict schools of Hancock county for the 
early education.al pri\ileges he enjo)'ed. 
He afterward sjient two winters ;is a 



student in Bryant & Stratton's Business 
College at Burlington, Iowa, and he re- 
mained upon the old homestead until 
twenty-eight years of age, assisting in 
the farm work in its various departments 
and thus gaining thorough familiarity 
with the best methods of cultivating the 
fields. 

On the iith of September, 1877, Mr. 
Babcock was united in marriage to Miss 
]\Iary Rice, who was born in Stark county. 
Ohio, May 12, 1855, a daughter of 
Henry and Elizabeth Rice, who are men- 
tioned on another page of this work. For 
three years following their marriage Mr. 
and Mrs. Babcock li\cd upon the present 
site of Stronghurst and subsequently 
sjient nine years upon the okl homestead 
farm r>f his father. In .March. i88g, he 
purchased one hundred and sixty acres 
of good land 'on section 11, Durham 
township, and in iSyf) he erected his 
present modern residence, which is one 
of the finest and most beautiful homes in 
the township. All other improvements 
upon the place are in keeping and alto- 
gether his is a model farm property, 
e(|uipped with the various conveniences 
and accessories that are known to modern 
farming in the twentieth century. His 
fields are under a high state of cultivation 
and annually return to him good crops 
•and he likewise owns twenty acres of 
timber land upon the old home place. On 
the 3th of ful\-. 1004. he was elected \ice 
president of the Farmers State Exchange 
Bank of Dallas City and has since been 
connected with the institution in that ca- 
])acit\-. He was one of the organizers of 
the bank and was elected one of the di- 
rectors at its first meeting, and has been 



HAXCOCK COUXTV, ILLIXOIS. 



27 



the onh' \'ice president whu has ser\'ed. 
His son Rolla lias been cashier from the 
first and in fact obtained the subscriptions 
for stock. 

The home of Mr. and Airs. Babcock 
has been blessed with three children: 
Frank, who was born in Stronghurst in 
1878. died at the age of five years. Rolla, 
born in this county in 1880, attended the 
Gem City Business College at Ouincy, 
Illinois, and is now cashier in the Farm- 
ers State Exchange Bank in Dallas City. 
He married Nellie Ouinton. Ina. born 
in Durham township February 9, 1S87, 
attended the Xauvoo Academy f(.)r two 
years and is now at home with her 
parents. 

Mr. Babcock votes with the democracy 
but has never been an aspirant for office, 
preferring to concentrate his energies 
upon his business affairs, which, capalily 
controlled, are bringing to him a gratify- 
ing meastu"e of success, and in\'estigation 
into his history shows that the metlnids 
he has ever followed are in strict con- 
formity to a high standard of business 
ethics. 



DAXIEL T. RAY 



Daniel T. Ray, living near Colusa, is 
an extensive land owner and enterpris- 
ing citizen and as one of the representa- 
tive men of Hancock countv well deserves 
mention in this volume. He was born in 
Breckinridge county, Kentucky, in 185Q, 
a son of Thomas L. and !\Iar^• (Barr) 



Rav. J(jhn Barr. an uncle of Mrs. Jilary 
(Barr) Ray and her grandfather in the 
maternal line were soldiers of the Revolu- 
tionary war. 

Thomas L. Ray was born in Breckin- 
ridge county, Kentucky, in 1827 and was 
a farmer by occupation. He was mar- 
ried in his native state to Miss Mary Barr, 
whose birth occurred in Breckinridge 
county in 1838, They came to Hancock 
count}-, Illinois, in 1865 and settled near 
Dallas Cit}-, while subsequently they re- 
moved to Pilot Grove township. In 1880 
thev ti)ok up their abode in Dallas town- 
ship, where Mr. Ray purchased eighty 
acres of land on section 36. This farm 
was improved and as time passed he ex- 
tended its boundaries and added other im- 
provements, making this a well developed 
property which returned to him a good 
income for the care and lalior which he 
bestowed upon it. His stud)- of the po- 
litical issues and questions of the day led 
him to give his support to the democracy 
and his fellow townsmen, recognizing his 
worth and ability, called him to various 
liical offices. He held membership in the 
Baptist church, to which his widow also 
belongs, and his life was characterized 
by his religious faith. In the family were 
six children, of whom four are now liv- 
ing: Daniel T. ; Sarah E., who is at 
home with her mother: Emma E., the 
wife of George Boyer, of Fort Madison, 
Iowa; and George W'., also at home. 
One daughter, JNIary J., died at the age 
of two rears: and Anna E., the youngest 
of the family, died in July, 1890, at the 
age of fourteen years while visiting her 
sister in Fort Madison. Iowa. That was 
the vear of the father's death. He was 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



well ad\-aiicecl in _\-ears and snffered from 
])aral_\'sis. Init the daughter was carricil 
awa_\- in the bloom of ymith and (Hed 
when absent from her mother's home. 
Her death came as an ahiiost unbearable 
blow to the family, who in one year were 
bereft of husljand and father, dauj^hter 
and sister. 

Daniel Ray, whose name introduces 
this record, was educated in the district 
schools of Dallas township and to some 
extent in Pilot Gro\e township. He re- 
mained with his father iipon the home 
farm until the latter's death and then took 
charge of the property for bis mother. 
He is still manager of the farm, which is 
carefully conducted by him. bis business 
aljility and enterprise enabling him to 
make it a source of profit. In his }outh 
be became thoroughly familiar with the 
l)est metlnjds of carrying on farm work 
and in later years he has not only superin- 
tended his agricultural interests but has 
also made judicious in\-estments in land 
and is now the owner of considerable 
valuable farm propert}'. owning one hun- 
dred and sixty acres in North Dakota. 
He has followed in his father's political 
footsteps and votes with the democrac}-. 
He has sensed as road commissioner and 
as a member of the school l)oard and be 
witbolds his support from no movement 
or measure that is calculated to pro\-e 
of general good, [n his s(icial relations 
be is a Woodman. Almost his entire 
life has been passed in this countw for in 
early boyhood he was brought to Illinois 
by his parents and in the intervening years 
be has made a record wdiich is most com- 
mendable both in his business relations 
and private life. He is an honest, up- 



right, energetic man. who stands high 
in the community and in his business life 
he is making a creditable record and is 
highly respected by all. 



A. W. O'HARRA. 



Apollos W. O'Harra needs no intro- 
duction to the reailers of this volume, for 
few men have a wider acquaintance in 
Hancock county, by reason of bis pro- 
fessional and business connections and his 
activity in support of many plans and 
movements for the public good. Wliile 
undoubtedly be is not without that honor- 
able aml)ition which is so powerful and 
useful an incentive to activity in public 
affairs he has ever regarded the pursuits 
of private life as being in themselves 
abundantly worthy of his best 'efiforts and 
by the faithful and conscientious per- 
formance of each day's duty as it has 
come to him he has found inspiration and 
encouragement for the labors of the suc- 
ceeding day. He has thus won public 
confidence and his ability in the line of his 
chosen profession has given him pres- 
tige at a bar which has claimed many 
notable members. 

Air. O'Harra was born on a farm near 
Camp Point in Adams county. Illinois. 
February 22, 1857, his parents being Jef- 
ferson and Pauline (Robertson) O'Harra. 
The father was a native of Indiana, born 
June 4. 1833. and the mother's birth oc- 
curred in Adams county, Illinois, May 9, 
1838. Jefiferson O'Harra devoted his at- 




^^^JJ^V-^^£..^y^i.^iA)TO'Msux^i^^^ 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



29 



teiition to general agTicultiiral pursuits 
until J 866 and at the age of fifteen years 
he went to Adams county. Illinois. In 
i860 he removed to Hancock county, 
where he engaged in the tilling of the soil 
until 1866, when he moved to Bentley 
and became proprietor of a general store 
which he conducted for thirty-two years. 
In 1899 he removed to Carthage, thinking 
to retire from active business life, but 
indolence and idleness are utterly foreign 
to his nature and he could not content 
himself without some occupation, so that 
for the past five years he has acted as 
manager of the mortgage department in 
the office of his son, A. W. O'Harra. He 
votes with the democracy and has served 
as township supervisor and as a member 
of the school board, but is without polit- 
ical ambitions. A member of the Odd 
Fellows Society, he has passed all of the 
chairs in the local lodge and has several 
times been representative to the grand 
lodge. Both he and his wife are mem- 
bers of the Methodist church and he has 
held most of the church ofifices. They re- 
side in Carthage and are greatly esteemed 
in the city which is their horne. Unto 
them were born five sons and four daugh- 
ters, of whom six are now living, namely : 
A. \\'., of this review: Dr. William G. 
O'Harra, a practicing physician of Chi- 
cago; Mary E., the wife of George E. 
Burner, a farmer residing in Rock Creek 
township ; Professor C. C. O'Harra, pro- 
fessor of geology and mineralogy in the 
state school of mines at Rapid City, South 
Dakota; Rev. M. L. O'Harra. a Methodist 
minister, who is now pastor of the Col- 
lege church at Abingdon, Illinois ; and 
Ira J., a successful lawyer at Macomb. 



A. W. O'Harra was a student in Car- 
thage College and afterward engaged in 
teaching for four years in the public 
schools of Bentley, Illinois. He took up 
the study of law in the oiilice under the 
direction of the firm of Draper & Sco- 
field in Carthage and was admitted to the 
bar January 5, 1880. He began the prac- 
tice of law alone with an office on the 
west side of the public square and after 
two years admitted Frank H. Graves, now 
a leading attorney of Spokane. Wash- 
ington, to a partnership. They were as- 
sociated for two years, or until Mr. 
Graves' removal from the city, when Mr. 
O'Harra entered into partnership with C. 
J. and T. J. Scofield, brothers, a rela- 
tionship which was maintained for a few 
months, when the former was elected cir- 
cuit judge. T. J. Scofield and Mr 
O'Harra continued in practice together 
for seventeen years, the firm originally be- 
ing Scofield, O'Harra & Scofield and later 
O'Harra & Scofield. In 1891 they ad- 
mitted William H. Hartzell to a partner- 
ship and he continued with the firm until 
1896. In 1890 O'Harra & Scofield 
opened a law office in Ouincy, Illinois, the 
latter removing to that city to look after 
the business there and after a year Colonel 
W. W. Berry became a member of the 
firm, the partnership thus continuing un- 
til the death of Colonel Berry. All this 
time Mr. O'Harra continued his residence 
in Carthage, having charge of the office 
here. On the ist of Januaiy, 1897, W. 
H. Hartzell retired from the firm in this 
city and during the fall of the same year 
Judge C. J. Scofield, having retired from 
the bench, again became a partner and 
the old firm stvle of Scofield, O'Harra & 



30 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



Scofield was resumed, llie connection be- 
ing continued until the ist of March, 
1899, when it was dissolved. Judge Sco- 
field still practices in Carthage, while T. 
J. Scofield is one of the prominent law- 
yers of Chicago. .Mr. ( )'llarra practices 
in all of the courts and is nnw located in 
an (jffice on Main sti'cct. where he has one 
of the finest law libraries of the city. It 
is the theory of the law th;it the cuiunsel 
whij practice are tn aid the court in the 
administration of justice and this Mr. 
O'Harra has endeaN'ored to do. He is 
careful to conform his practice to a high 
standard of professional ethics and never 
seeks tr^ lead the court astrav in a mat- 
ter of fact or law. nor does he endeavor 
to withhold from it a knowledge of any 
fact appearing ni the record. Pie treats 
the Court with the studied courtesy whic'i 
is its due and indulges in no malicious 
criticism because it arrives at a conclu- 
sion, in the decision of a case, different 
from that which he Imijed to hear. Calm 
dignified, self-controlled, free from pas- 
sion or prejudice, he gives to liis client 
the ser\'ice of great talent, unwearied in- 
dustrv and broad learning, but he never 
forgets that there are certain things due 
to the court, to his own self-respect and 
abo\e all to justice and a righteous ad- 
ministration of the law which neither the 
zeal of an advocate nor the pleasure of 
success permits him to disregard. He has 
achieved distinction as an able lawyer 
of his district ami he deserves it. 

In connection with his law office Mr. 
O'Harra maintains a money loaning de- 
partment, making loans on farms and 
thus placing about five hundrecl thousand 
dollars per year. He is moreover a di- 



rector in the Hancock County National 
Bank, a director in the State Bank f)f Au- 
gusta, and has been a director of the Car- 
thage Building & Loan Association since 
its organization in May, 1885. He is 
likewise a director in the Carthage Elec- 
tric Light & Power Com]xin\' and a di- 
rector in the Plumb Brothers Brick & Tile 
Compan\- and several other industrial cor- 
por.'itions. He has made judicions in\'est- 
nieuts m real estate, owning some unim- 
proved property in Carthage together with 
the Shoreham Hotel and his own resi- 
dence. He likewise has farms in Hancock 
county and has thus placed his money in 
the safest of all investments — real estate. 
His strict integrity, business conservatism 
and judgment have alwa\s been so uui- 
\'ersally recognized that he has enjoyed 
public confidence to an enviable degree 
and naturally this has brought him a lu- 
crati\'e clientage. 

Aside from what he has done for the 
city through the line of his business and 
professional activity Mr. O'Harra has 
given many hours to public service and 
Carthage has benefited by his efiforts in 
her behalf. He has always been a stanch 
democrat and for four \'ears, from 1886 
until 1890, served as mayor of the city, 
giving a public spirited .and businesslike 
administration. He was also president of 
the school board for a number of years 
and for fifteen years has been. a member 
of the Ijoard of trustees of Carthage Col- 
lege. His co-operation can be counted 
upon for every measure and mo\'ement 
that promises to advance the general wel- 
fare and while working toward high 
ide.als he uses practical methods. 

On the 14th of October, 1880, Mr. 



HANCOCK COi'XT)'. ILIJXOIS. 



31 



O'Harra was married to Miss Eliza J. 
Burner, who w'as h>vn in Hancock county, 
October 25. 1856, and is a daugliter of 
Isaac S. and Jane A. ( Lionberger ) Bur- 
ner, both of whom were natives of Page 
county, Virginia, the foniier bom March 
21, 1 81 7, and the latter April 21, 1820. 
Mr. Burner was a farmer by occupation 
and in 1837 came to Hancock county, 
traveling all the way on hcirseljack. lie 
settled in Harmoin- township and rented 
a Idg cabin, in which he lived f(jr a few 
years, when he purchased land and built 
a log cal)in, li\-ing in true pioneer style 
upon the frontier of the ever receding 
west and aiding in changing its pioneer 
conditions into those of an advanced and 
enlightened civilization. He voted with 
the democracy and held several local of- 
fices and was recognized as a local party 
leader, his influence carrying weight in 
the councils of the party. Both he and 
his wife were consistent members of the 
Baptist church, in which he served as dea- 
con. He lived upon farms in Flarmony 
township for fiftv years and died sudden- 
ly November 3, 1886, at the liome of Dr. 
Carlton, to whom he had gone for med- 
ical attendance. He was invited by Dr. 
Carlton, an old-time friend, to remain to 
dinner and passed away at the table. His 
wife survived until October 31, 1890. 
and both lie liuried in Harmony ceme- 
terv. In their familv were ten children, 
of whom seven are yet living, as fol- 
lows: Amanda E., the widow of Samuel 
F. Ramsey, of Harmony township : Am- 
brose C, and George S., of the same 
township: Fannie A., the wife of Henry 
Harter, of Sabetha. Kansas: Alice B., the 
wife of Philip L. Dailey, living on the 



(.)ld home place in Harmon\- township; 
Eliza ].. now Mrs. O'Harra: and Olive, 
who resides with her sister, Mrs. O'Harra. 
I nti.i ]\Ir. and Mrs. O'Harra have been 
l)orn live children, all born in Carthage, 
l)ut the eldest died in infancy. Clifton 
Junius, bom May 23, 1884, was gradu- 
ated from the high school of Carthage in 
1902. completed the course in Carthage 
College in 1906 and intends to become a 
memljer of the bar. Edith May, born 
;Ma\- 22. 1886, is a graduate of the acad- 
eni}-, a preparatory department of Car- 
thage College, and is now a senior in 
the more advanced institution. Gladvs 
June. Ijorn June 8, 1890, is a junior in 
the high school. Roswell Burner, born 
March 30, 1892, is a student in tlie Car- 
thage High Schools. In 1892, Mr. 
O'Harra built an elegant residence at the 
corner of Main and Washington streets. 
He is a man of domestic tastes, devoted to 
his family and finding his greatest hap- 
piness at his own fireside. He has, more- 
o\-er, great reverence for aged people and 
tlie most thorough respect for all things 
whicli tend to uplift mankind and (le\'elo]) 
an upright character. His home is noted 
for its gracious and almost limitless hos- 
pitaltiy, Mrs. O'Harra taking great pleas- 
ure with him in the entertainment of their 
many friends. Mr. O'Harra is an Odd 
Felkiw. has passed all of tlie chairs in 
the local lodge and has several times 
been representative to the grand lodge. 
His wife has also filled all of the oftices 
in tlie Rebekah k^dge and has for several 
_\'ears been its representatix'e to the Re- 
bekah assembly. She is treasurer of the 
Woman's Club of Carthage, president of 
the Public Librarv Association and for 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJIEW 



several years was president of the Floral 
Guild. Air. O'Harra started in life with 
limited means, teaching school in order 
to pro\-ide tlie funds necessaiy to enable . 
him to study law and at the time of their 
marriage he and his wife had Ijut very 
limited possessions. He purchased his 
first law library with liorrowcd mimey and 
he has inherited nothing, but hris accu- 
mulated all by his industry, supplemented 
by ambition and the development of his 
native powers and talents. It is true that 
his chief life work has been that of a 
remarkal)l\' successful lawyer Ijut the 
range of liis activities and the scope oi 
his influence have reached far beyond this 
special field. He belongs to that class 
of men who wield a power which is all 
the more potent from the fact that it is 
moral rather than political and is exer- 
cised for the pul)lic weal rather than for 
personal ends. 



EDWAI^D CHERRILL. 

Edward Cherrill, president of the Ex- 
change Bank at Carthage, was born in 
London, England, June \~. 183S. a smi 
of Adolphus and Elizabeth (WoihI) 
Cherrill, whd were likewise natives of 
London, horn in 180S and 1813 respect- 
ivelv. The father came to America in 
1838. bringing with him his wife and 
two children, first locating in Jackson- 
ville, Illinois. They had spent six weeks 
on the water as passengers on an old-time 
sailing vessel. He had been brought up 



in a silk warehouse, where were employed 
fifty-two young men known as Bradbury's 
Pack, and while living in England ac- 
quired a classical education as a prepara- 
tion for a profession. He moreover pos- 
sessed considerable artistic skill and when 
a young man and even later in life did 
creditable work painting in water colors. 
He was always a great reader and a man 
of scholarly attainments, and he likewise 
enjoyed outdoor life. He was married on 
the 15th of December, 1835, in St. 
(ieorge's church, in Hanover Scjuare, 
London, to Miss Elizabeth Wood, who 
hatl spent her girlhood days in that city, 
had acquired her education in the schools 
there, and had been received into the 
Episcopal church at an early age. Two 
children were born unto them ere they 
emigrated to America. On coming to 
Hancock county in 1842 they built a house 
on a farm near Augusta, where they lived 
for several years in true pioneer style. 
In 1847, they removed to Carthage, 
Mr. Cherrill turning his attention to mer- 
chandising, which he followed in partner- 
ship with Mr. Sholl for many years. 
He was thus closely associated with the 
business development of the city. With 
events that marked the history of the 
citv and county he was closely associated, 
taking an active part in the Mormon war 
and in other incidents of those early 
times. His political allegiance was given 
to the democracy and he served one term 
as county treasurer of Hancock county. 
His life was made up of good deeds and 
he left to his family a record of which 
his children and grandchildrn have every 
reason to be proud. His character was 
such as commanded the respect of the 



HAXCOCK COUXTV. ILLIXO/S. 



33 



entire community. He recognized and 
called forth the good in others and in his 
own life displayed those sterling traits 
which work for good citizenship. He 
passed away in 1877, and was laid to rest 
in tiie Carthage cemetery. Mrs. Cherrill 
is still living in Carthage, at the advanced 
age of ninety-two and possesses her men- 
tal and physical facnlties to a remarkahle 
degree and has looked after her own 
household and (ither atTairs until the past 
}ear. W hile dex'oted to her family she 
has always found time to perform many 
acts of kindness and charfty and is great- 
ly belo\-ed by her own children and the 
entire community. She is a most enter- 
taining and companionable lady, relating 
many interesting reminiscences of pioneer 
life and of the early da_\-s in Hancock 
county. 

Mr. and Mrs. Cherrill were the ])arents 
r)f six children. Emih- liecame the wife 
of Francis M. Corby, and for some time 
they liyed in Chicago but both are now 
deceased. At one time Mr. Corby was 
count}' clerk of Hancock county. Ed- 
ward is the second of the family. Mary 
became the wife of Dr. J. K. Bonde, of 
Carthage, but Ijuth are now deceased, the 
Doctor haying passed awa}- in Washing- 
ton, D. C. Rose C. is the deceased wife 
of H. E. Griswold, of Atlantic, Iowa, 
Ellen married Colonel James B. Cahill, 
who was lieutenant colonel of the Six- 
teenth Blinois Infantry. 'rhe\' were at 
one time residents of Carthage but both 
are now deceased. The Colonel was in- 
ternal revenue collector at Warsaw and 
Ouincy, acting as collector for the district 
in the latter place. A. X. Cherrill makes 
his home in Carthage. Grace .Amelia 



died when a .}"oung lady, of malarial fever 
which she contracted on a camping trip 
in Missouri. 

Edward Cherrill was educated in the 
subscription schools of Hancock county. 
He lived in Carthage but owing to the 
pioneer condition of the country and the 
fact that the public-school system had 
not _\et been organized, he was sent to a 
countr}- school called Hickory Flat, 
where, howe\'er, he was under the in- 
struction of a \'ery competent teacher. 
Soon after leaving school he received the 
appointment as deput)' county clerk under 
Claiborne \\'inston. and subsequently he 
attended Illinois College and the State 
University of Indiana. After leaving- 
college he went to St. Louis. Missouri, 
where he was employed in the counting" 
house of Doan, Iving & Company and 
afterwards with J. W. Booth & Sons 
until 1864, wdien he returned to Carthage. 
Here he liecame identified with banking- 
interests of the city as cashier of the 
Hancock National Bank, which position 
he occupied for ten years. The bank 
w-as originally established by his brother- 
in-law, Mr. Corby and Mr. Ferris. At 
a later date Mr. Cherrill was cashier of 
the Union Bank in Ouincy for three 
}-ears but in 1876 returned to Carthage, 
where, in connection with his father-in- 
law, Jacob Sholl. he established the bank- 
ing hou.se of Cherrill, Sholl & Company, 
know-n as the Exchange Bank of Carth- 
age. The house remains virtually the 
same although Mr. Sholl is now de- 
ceased. A. N, Cherrill. a brother of our 
subject, entered the institution soon after 
it was established and is still connected 
with it. Edw-ard Cherrill being now presi- 



34 



BIOGRAPHICAL REniUV 



dent of tlie institutiun. .Throughout 
jjcriotls of general tinancial stress or gen- 
eral prosperity this Ijank has continued 
on the even tenor of its \\a\' with an un- 
assailable reputation, following a safe, 
conservati\'e policy which has inspired 
public conlidence aiul secured a liberal 
patronage. 

On the [Oth of June, 1869, Mr. Cherrill 
was married to i\liss Susan Agnes Sholl. 
who was Ijorn in \\ inchester, Ohio. Her 
father. Jacol) Sholl, was a native of Penn- 
sylvania, and her mother. Airs. Alaria 
Sholl. of Ohio. In the year 1854 he 
came to Carthage and was engaged in 
merchandising" before he became identi- 
fied with the banking interests. His po- 
litical allegiance was gi\-en to the repub- 
lican party but he was without as])iration 
for office. In the family were four chil- 
dren, three of whom are now li\ing: 
Alexander, wdio was a captain in the ( )ne 
Hundred and Eighteenth Illinois Regi- 
ment in the Civil war and is now residing 
in Quincy. Illinois: Jacob Mack, of Carth- 
age, who is a National bank examiner : 
Mrs. Cherrill. ( )ne hmther. David 
Sholl. who was the third of the family, 
was killed in a skirmish at Thompson's 
Hill during the Civil war. P.oth Mr. 
and Mrs. Sholl ha\e passed awav and 
their gra\-es were made in IMoss Ridge 
cemeterv. 

In 1882 Mr. Cherrill laiilt a prettv 
home on Aladison street and he also owns 
other property in the city. L'nto him 
and his wife ha\e been born six children. 
Lawrence C. the eldest, is a resident iif 
Chicago. Ellen Maria is the wife of 
Charles C. JMerrill. formerly of Carthage, 
who is now passenger agent of the Xew 



York Central Lines, with headquarters 
at Kansas City. ^Missouri. Edward K., 
living in New York city, is assistant cash- 
ier of the Merchants Exchange National 
Bank. He was graduated from the high 
school and Carthage College, and during 
the ])eriods of \-acation spent much of his 
time in his father's bank, wdiere he gained 
the ground w<irk of the business. Lucy 
Sholl is the wife of Dr. Marsh, of War- 
.saw, and has two children. John and 
Susan. Katherine has attended the pub- 
lic schools of Carthage and also Carthage 
College, and is now at Ikjuic with her 
parents. Elizabeth C. is yet in school. 
The daughters of Air. Cherrill are con- 
nected with the Daughters of the Ameri- 
can Revolution, through William Alack, 
great-grandfather of Airs. Cherrill. De- 
void of ostentation or displav in his home 
life or business affairs. Air. Cherrill has 
won his wa}' to a position of prominence 
in financial circles in this part of the state. 
In politics a demctcrat he has never sought 
pulilic office but is content to remain a 
private citizen. 



FRANCIS ORREN PERSHING. Al. D. 

Although Dr. Pershing has resided in 
Dallas City for only about a year he was 
not a stranger in the tow'u wdien he lo- 
cateil here, and he has already made a 
creditable place for himself in profes- 
sional circles. Pie was born in Durham 
township, Hancock county, N^o\-ember 3. 
t8()-, his parents lieing \\'eslev K. and 



HAXCOCK COl'XT)'. ILLIXOIS. 



35 



Ruth A. (Cather) Pershing. Both par- 
ents were nati\es ut I'ennsyhania. tlie 
father having been born in Westmore- 
land county, and the mother in Greene 
county. The paternal and maternal 
grandparents of our subject settled in 
Hancock county in the early '40s, and 
were identified with the pioneer develop- 
ment and progress of this part of the 
state. W esley Iv. Pershing is a farmer 
by occupatiijn. and for over a half cen- 
tury lived in this count}-. He purchased 
government land, cleared a portion of it 
and Ijuilt therein a log caljin. As the 
years advanced he continued the work of 
progress and improvement, his labors be- 
ing interrupted, however, by the Ci\il 
war, for at the time of the inauguration 
of hostilities between the north and the 
south he espoused the Union cause and 
became a member of Company I, Six- 
teenth Plinois infantry. He served for 
four years, participated in the seige of 
Vicksburg, went with Sherman on his 
memorable march to the sea and also 
took part in the grand review in Wash- 
ington at the close of the war. \\'hile in 
Georgia he was wounded, being shot 
through the throat and for a time was 
in the hospital. His political allegiance 
has ever been gi\en to the republican 
part}' and its principles, and both he and 
his wife are members of the Methodist 
Episcopal church. He served for man)- 
years as superintendent in different Sun- 
day-schools in various parts of the county, 
filling that position for a period in Burn- 
side. Both he and his wife now- reside 
in Oklahoma. In their family were four 
children, three of whom are iiuw living: 
Dr. Pershing, of this review: Royal S., 



a dentist practicing in Canada; and Stella 
R., who has been ;i teticher of Marshall 
countv, Illinois, and is nrnv with her par- 
ents in Oklahoma, being engaged as a 
teacher in an Oklahoma seminary. 

Dr. Pershing attended the schools of 
Durham township, of Dallas City and of 
Burnside, and later pursued a business 
course in Hedding College, at Abingdon, 
Illinois, from which institution he was 
graduated. He prepared for his profes- 
sion as a student in Keokuk Medical 
College, from which he was graduated in 
the class ijf 1S03. and he later took post- 
graduate work in the Chicago Polyclinic 
College, in 1902. Im-oui 1893 until 1896 
inclusive he practiced medicine at Hamill. 
Iowa, and then located for practice in 
Burnside, where he remained for a year. 
On the e.xpiration of that period he re- 
moved to Whitefield, Illinois, w-here he 
continued for si.x }-ears and later spent 
three years in acti\e practice at Tiskilwa. 
In lanuarv. 1906, he located in Dallas 
Citv. and now has a nice suite of rooms 
on Oak and Fifth streets, supplied with 
all niodern appliances that are of aid to 
the physician in his effort to diagnose a 
case, check the ravages of disease and re- 
store health. He is a physician and sur- 
geon in general practice and yet makes 
.somewhat of a specialty of diseases of the 
nose and throat. He has all the latest im- 
proved instruments needed in his profes- 
sion and his well e(|uipped office shows 
that he is thoroughly familiar with 
modern methods of practice. 

On the 29th of ]\Iarch, 1893. Dr. Per- 
shing was married to Miss Winifred L. 
Bra^-. of La Harpe. who was born and 
reared in that place, and is a daughter of 



36 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IFjr 



Thomas and Emma (Leavitt) Bray. 
Her father came from Wales and settled 
first in Ohio but at an early day they re- 
moved to La Harpe, where he located in 
the '40s. His wife is a i)ati\-e of Maine, 
and her [leniile arri\ed in Hancock county 
before the Bra_\' family was established 
here. Mr. Bray was a tinner and hard- 
ware merchant for some years but at the 
time of his death, in 1894. was engaged 
in the undertaking business. He served 
as a soldier of the Ci\il war for two 
years. His widow still sur\-i\es and 
makes her home in La Harpe. She be- 
longs to the Congregational church, 
while Mr. Bray held nieniliership in the 
Episcopal church. They were the par- 
ents of a son and two daughters : Edwin 
M. Bray, proprietor of a general store 
at Towne. Texas, a suburb of El Paso, 
where he makes his home; Anna, the wife 
of J- V. Place, of La Harpe ; and 
Mrs. Pershing. John and Joseph Bray, 
two of the brothers of Thomas Bray, 
were killed in the Civil war and some of 
Mrs. Pershing's relatives on the Leavitt 
side were in the fiex-olutionar)- war. so 
that she is eligible to membership with 
the Daughters of the American l\e\-olu- 
tion. 

L'nto Dr. and Mrs. Pershing has been 
l)orn one son, Francis Orville, who was 
born in PLunill, Lee Count}-. Iowa. Ma\- 
14, 1895, and is attending the public 
school of Dallas Cit\-. d'liey are tem- 
porarily living on Oak street but Dr. Per- 
shing expects soon to build or buy a resi- 
dence here. He belongs to Dallas City 
Lodge A. F. & A. M. No. 145 and Odd 
Fellows lodges and to the Modern Wood- 
men camp as well as the Knights of Pyth- 



ias and he votes with the republican party 
but does not care for office, preferring to 
give his time and energies to his ])rofes- 
sional duties, and in the line of his chosen 
calling he has won a reputation which 
many an older i)ractitioner might well 
envy. 

Dr. Pershing is a member of the Han- 
cock County Medical Society, the Illinois 
State Medical Society and the American 
Medical Association. 



JOHN L HEISLER. 

John I. Heisler, ex-postmaster of Dal- 
las and now in general business, was 
born in Hancock county. May 28, 1853, 
a son of George and Mary (Housewert) 
Heisler. The father was born in Ohio 
in 1814, while the mother's birth' occurred 
in Pennsylvania in 1823. He was a farm- 
er by occupation and in 1835 came to 
Hancock county, settling in Dallas. His 
brother. William Heisler, had come to 
the county in 1832 — the year of the Black 
Hawk war. George Heisler was suc- 
cessfully engaged in farming until his 
death, clearing aw-a}- the timber in or- 
der to build a log cabin, in which he li\'ed 
in true pioneer style until he was able 
to make modern improvements. He 
sen'ed -in the war against the Mormons 
at Nauvoo in 1844, carrying the flag, and 
was associated with other early historic 
events. He now lies buried in a ceme- 
tery in Durham township. His widow 
still survives and is a member of the Chris- 



HANCOCK COUXTV. ILLINOIS. 



37 



tian churcli. In tlieir family were seven 
children, of whom three are living; John 
I.; George F.. of Dallas City; and Me- 
lissa, the wife of Edward Avis, living 
near Colusa, Illinois. 

John I. Heisler largely acquired his 
education in the district schools but also 
spent two years as a student in Carthage 
College. He remained with his mother 
upon the home farm until he had attained 
his majority and then jnirchased land 
in Dallas township upon which he en- 
gaged in general farming and stock-rais- 
ing for fifteen years, meeting with suc- 
cess in his undertakings. He thfen de- 
voted ten years to the poultry business, 
being one of the early fanciers of the 
county, introducing the first thorough- 
bred fowls of different varieties and win- 
ning over 5,000 prizes at various fairs 
during the time he was in the business. 
He was then appointed by President Mc- 
Kinley to the ])osition of postmaster at 
Dallas and alter serving for three years 
was reappointed, his incumbency in the 
ofifice covering altogether seven years and 
three months and giving general satisfac- 
tion to the public by reason of the prompt 
and efficient manner in which he dis- 
charged his duties. During this time the 
first rural route was inaugurated and the 
office became a presidential ofTice. He 
was city alderman for four years, tax 
collector of Dallas township for two years 
and township supervisor for two years, 
and as a public official he bears an unas- 
sailable record. 

On Christmas day of 1876 Mr. Heisler 
was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca 
Salsbury, a native of Kirksville, Missouri, 
and a daughter of Christopher and Eliz- 



abeth Salsbury. Mrs. Heisler was born 
in Missouri and died in this county No- 
vember ]f). Kjoi, her remains being in- 
terred in Durham township. .She was .i 
member of ihe Christian church, was a 
good wife, kind mother and friend to 
all, and her many e.Kcellent traits of char- 
acter won her the esteem of those with 
whom she came in contact. She left one 
daughter, Malinda, now the wife of Fred 
y. Dickson, of Dallas City, by whom she 
has two children, Leo and laiiel. On the 
24th of January, 1906, Mr. Heisler was 
married to Mrs. Ellen Elizabeth (Toof) 
Dean, who was born in Durham town- 
ship, Flancock county, July 9, 1852, a 
daughter of 1!. 1.. and Mary A. (Athcr- 
ton) Toof. Fler maternal grandfather 
built the first log cabin in Dallas and it 
is now a part of the residence of the late 
B. F. Black on Oak and Front streets. 
This place was his fann and there were 
then still many Indians in the locality, 
while wild deer and other kinds of wild 
game could be had in abundance. In the 
log house which he erected Mr. .\therton 
died. 

B. L. Toof, father of Mrs. Heisler, was 
l)orn in Vx^rmont. February 29, 1820, and 
died March 27, 1885. His wife, who 
was born in Ohio, July 24, 1823, died 
September 7, 1877, and both lie buried 
in Dallas cemetery. He came to Hancock 
county when a small boy and to Dallas 
in 1850 and followed farming until his 
death. He voted with the republican 
partv and held various township offices. 
He was a charter member of the Masonic 
fraternity, in which he passed all the 
chairs, and he and his wife were mem- 
bers of the Congregational church at Dal- 



3« 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



Lis. 'I'hev had seven children, all liv- 
ing- : Henn- .\., who was born Septem- 
ber 15, i<>4,v and was a soldier of the 
Civil war, is now li\-ing- in Aurora. Ne- 
braska; Daniel L., born March 22. 1850, 
in Iowa, also resides in Aurora, Ne- 
braska: Ella F... bom July c), 1S5J, is now 
Mrs. Heisler: John Wilson, born Decem- 
ber 15, 1854. is a resident of Santa Cruz 
county, California: ]\'I. Jane, Ijoru in Dal- 
las City, October 20, 1S59, is the wife of 
William Ramsay: Mary Catherine, born 
February 15. 1863, is the wife of William 
Phipps, of Braham, Oklahoma. 

By her former marriage Mrs. Heisler 
had three children. William B. Dean, 
born in Henderson county, November 24, 
1869, when seventeen years of age be- 
came connected with the Sierra Lumber 
Company, of Chico, California, of which 
he is now the manager. He is one of the 
foremost business men of that place, well 
known from New York to California, and 
his weekly payroll amounts to two tlnni- 
sand dollars. He married Miss Lulu Wa- 
dams, of Chico, who died when her sec- 
ond child. Vera A., was fourteen days 
old, also leaving another daughter, Lcjlita 
R. Mrs. Dean was buried in Chico cem- 
etery and after living a widower for nine 
years with his mother, who care>l for his 
two children, William B. Dean was mar- 
ried, in June, 1903, to Bertha Fish, a 
prominent teacher of California. Nellie 
Dean, born in Durham township. April 
25, 1873, is the wife of Harry ]\Ioir, as- 
sistant cashier and head bookkeeper in 
the Butte County Bank at Chico, Cali- 
fornia, Dr. J. Wilson Dean, born in Dur- 
ham township, Hancock county. May 10, 
1875, was graduated from the St. Louis 



Medical Ccjllege and began practice when 
twenty-one years of age. Ife is a suc- 
cessful physician and surgeon now of 
Pond, Missouri, frequently called in con- 
sultation on important cases, and he makes 
a specialty of diseases of the eye and ear. 
He married Miss Viola Huttenman, who 
was born August 7, 1879, and they live 
in Pond, Missouri. 

Both Mr. and Mrs. Heisler are descend- 
ed from highly respected pioneer families 
of Hancock county. They played togethe'" 
when little cliildren and later attended the 
same school and social gatherings and 
then each married. Miss Toof becoming 
Mrs. Dean and later spending much time 
in California. On a visit to her old home 
and friends in Hancock county in 1905 
she again renewed the acf|uaintance and 
friendshi]) with her former playmate and 
in course of time they were married at the 
home of lier son in Pond, ]Missouri. It 
was with delight that ]\Trs. Fleisler's old 
friends, neighbors and relatives of this 
county welcomed her back. She is a 
member of the Eastern Star, in which she 
has been warden and chaplain and she 
also belongs to the Woman's Relief Corps 
and for many years was a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal church but is now a 
member of the Christian church with her 
husband. 

Mr. Heisler Iiuilt a pretty home in Dal- 
las in 1906 and he also owns eighty acres 
of im|)ro\-ed land in Dallas township, 
where he is again devoting considerable 
time and energy to the poultry business, 
in which he is well versed. He is mana- 
ger and secretaiy of the Dallas Creamery 
Company and is president of the Hancock 
Countv Poultrv Association. Outside of 



HAXCOCK COUNT]-, ILUXO/S. 



39 



the eighty acres of hind which he inherit- 
ed from his father, lie is entirely a self- 
made man. and his energy and honesty 
constitute the basis of his success. He 
stands high in the community, respected 
by all, and both Mr. and Mrs. Heisler 
number their friends by the score. 



LUKE M. VAUGHN. 

Luke M. Vaughn, who follows the oc- 
cupation of farming in Durham township, 
was born in Carman, Illinois, October 15, 
1870. a son of Mathew and Mary (Mars- 
den) Vaughn, who were natives of Eng- 
land and came to America in early life. 
Mr. Vaughn first resided in Oliio and 
subsequently removed to Henderson coun- 
ty, Illinois, where he purchased a farm, 
while his last years were spent as a re- 
tired agriculturist in Burlington, Iowa, 
where he died on the 22d of February, 
1905. Mrs. Vaughn had departed this 
life twenty-eight years before. They were 
the parents of eleven children, of whom 
nine are living, namely: Catherine, the 
wife of Thomas Dickson, of Henderson 
county, Illinois ; George, who is living in 
Carman, this state ; Arthur, who is located 
near Lomax; Alice, the wife of John 
Johnson, of Osceola, Nebraska ; Miles, liv- 
ing in Nebraska City ; James, of Lomax ; 
Mark, of Lomax; Luke,, of this review, 
who is a twin brother of Mark; and 
Manford, who is living in Carman. 

In taking up the personal history of 
Luke Vaughn we present to our readers 
3 



the record of one who is widely and fa- 
\orably known in Durham township. He 
was educated in the public schools and 
was reared to agricultural life, remaining 
upon his father's fann to the age of 
twenty-four years, when he was married 
and started out in life on his own ac- 
count. It was on the 5th of December, 
1894, that he wedded Miss Leona Git- 
tings, who was born near Disco, Illinois, 
in 1876, a daughter of Austin and Ellen 
(Inghram) Gittings, the former a native 
of Texas and the latter of Pennsylvania. 
Mr. Gittings was brought to Hancock 
county by his parents when only six 
years of age and is now a farmer of Mis- 
souri. In his family were fifteen chil- 
dren, namely : A. J. and Emmet, both 
residents of Disco ; Minnie, the wife of 
Wesley Scott, of Dallas City ; Clyde, who 
is living near Carman; Mrs. Vaughn; 
Ena, the wife of Oi^ville Pence, living near 
Dallas; Hettie, the wife of Archibald 
Vaughan, of Carman ; Weaver, of Disco ; 
Robert, of Lomax ; Edward, also of 
Disco ; Annie, deceased ; Luella, the wife 
of John Hayden, of Disco ; Bertha, Ollie 
and Jessie, at home; and one died in in- 
fancy. 

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn 
has been blessed with three children : 
Clarence L., born in Henderson county, 
Illinois, in 1895; Ferril! L., born March 
3, 1897; and Floyd V., November 16, 
1900. Following their marriage the par- 
ents lived upon a farm near Lomax for 
two years and subsequently spent three 
years near Dallas. In '1900 Mr. Vaughn 
purchased one hundred and ten acres of 
land in Durham township, upon which he 
has erected a beautiful residence, com- 



40 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IliW 



niddiiius l)anis and ntlier nuthuilding-s and 
lias im])r()ved here a splendid farm, 
e(|uii)ped witli all modern accessories and 
conxeniences. lie also owns eighty acres 
of good land in Dnrham township below 
his home place. He carries on general 
agricultural pursmls and in the cultixa- 
tion of his helds employs ])ractical and 
progressi\-e methods, resulting in annual 
gatherings of good crops. He is a re- 
publican but without aspiration for of- 
fice. Fraternally he is connecied with 
the Woodmen, while his wife is a mem- 
ber of the Christian chnrch. He never 
received any assistance through inherit 
ance or aid of influential friends but has 
lived a life of industry and frugality and 
through the united efforts of himself and 
wife there are now many comforts to be 
enjoved in the Vaughn h(_ime. There hos- 
pitalitv also reigns supreme and the fani- 
ilv ha\-e manv friends in this community. 



GEORGE A[. CUAIMIXGS. 

George M. Cummings, a well-to-do 
farmer of Dallas township, was born in 
Blooming Grove, Lycoming county. 
Pennsylvania. September 8. 1853. a son 
of George and Elizabeth (Keyport) Cum- 
mings. The father's birtli occurred in 
Xew \'ork in 1S02. In early manhood he 
learned and followed the trade of a black- 
smith and tool maker. At the age of 
eighteen _\-ears he went to Pennsylvania 
and in that state was for a long period 
engaged in general farming. In iS/Cj he 



came to Hancock county, IllintMs, where 
he lived retired until his death, which oc- 
curred about a }'ear later. His wife had 
passed away in 1876. at the age of sixty- 
four years. She was bom near the cap- 
ital of Switzerland and came to America 
when onh' thi'ee _\ears of age with her 
|)arents. George Cummings. Sr.. was a 
re]>nblican in his political x'iews and his 
fellow townsmen, recogi-iizing his worth 
and ;il)ilit\', called him to fill \arious town- 
shi]i offices. In the fann'ly were ten chil- 
dren, of whom fi\e are now living: Har- 
riet C.. the widow of William G. Edwards 
and a resident of St. Louis. Missouri ; 
Mrs. Sarah Porter, a widow living in 
Erie. Pennsxh-ania : Louisa, the wife of 
Xi)rman Strieby. of Fiurlington. Kansas: 
George M.. of this review: and W. W,. 
who is living- in Los Angeles, California. 

George M. Cummings was educated in 
the public schools of his native county 
and ga\e assistance to his father in the 
farm work until twenty-three years of 
age. In the spring of 1878, when he came 
to Illinois, he began working as a farm 
h.and by the month and was employed by 
fohn Dietrick, of Pontoosuc township. 
The next summer he rented a fami in Se- 
nora townshi]) and started out in life on 
his own account. He has. always carried 
■ m general agricultural pursuits and for 
a number of years has been accounted one 
of the representatix'e agriculturists of Dal- 
las toxvnship. 

( )n the lotli of February, t88o, Mr. 
Cummings was united in marriage to 
Miss Ellen M. Dietrich, who was born 
in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, Jan- 
uary I, 1857, a daughter of Joseph F. and 
.Sarah ( Benner) Deitrich. The mother 



HAXCOCK COrXTY. ILLIXOIS. 



41 



(lied when Airs. L'uininin,t;s was a child 
two vears old. The father, who was a 
farmer h}- occupation, long sur\ived. He 
came to Hancock county in 1863 and 
passed away in Dallas township in 1901. 
Both he and his wife were natives of 
Pennsylvania and in this county they won 
many friends. The political allegiance of 
Air. Deitrich was gixen to the democracy 
and he held a number of important local 
olSces. Both he and his wife l:)elonged to 
the Lutheran church, in which he ser\-ed 
as a deacon. He was twice married and 
b}' his first wife had five children, of 
whom three are now li\ing: Mary, the 
wife of L. H. Foresman. of Dallas City: 
Mrs. Cummings : and Hetty, the wife of 
W. \\ . Cummings. of California. By his 
second marriage Mr. Deitrich had thir- 
teen children, of whom si.x are now liv- 
ing: Etta P., the wife of Jame^ Paulus 
and residing in Colusa. Illinois: Myra. 
the wife of Warren Jacolis, of Alissouri : 
William M., of Dallas townshi]): Su- 
sanna, who is li\-ing with her mother on 
the home ])Iace in Dallas township: and 
Grover C. and John ^^'esley, also with 
their mother. 

Following his marriage Mr. Cummings 
brought his young wife to a farm of 
eighty acres on section 14, Dallas town- 
ship, which she had inherited from her 
■ mother. There was a little old house 
u])on the |)lace and in this thev began their 
domestic life. From time to time as 
his financial resources have increased Mr. 
Cummings has added to the property- and 
now has a valuable tract of one hundred 
and sixty acres on sections 11 and 14. 
Dallas township. Here he has built a 
beautiful modern residence, also o-ood 



barns and other substantial outbuildings 
and added man}- modern equipments and 
improvements. The farm is altogether a 
valuable property and although he is now 
leaving' the more active \v(.irk to his sons 
he still gives supervision to his place. 

L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Cummings have 
been l)om nine children, all born on the 
farm where they now reside, and seven of 
the niunber are li\ing, as follows : Homer 
D., who is a locomoti\'e fireman and re- 
sides in Chicago: Joseph M.. at home: 
Mark T., who is in the Farmers .State 
E.xchange Bank at Dallas City, of which 
Mr. Cummings is a director, and was one 
of the original organizers of the bank, 
which is now doing a successful business : 
Laura, Clara. Kate and Charles, all under 
the parental roof. 

Mr. Cummings gi\'es his ].>olitical al- 
legiance to the republican part\- and has 
served as super\isor for two \ears, while 
for twenty consecuti\e years he has been 
a school director. Idie cause of educa- 
tion indeed finds in him a warm and help- 
ful friend, his lal)ors being \t\-\ effective 
in behalf of the schools. Fraternally he 
is a member of Dallas City L<_idge No. 
2T,^. A. F. & .\. M.. and has seryed as 
worshipful master of his lodge and has 
represented his. lodge in the grand lodge. 
He is also a member of Dallas chapter 
Xo. III. R. A. AT, and has filled the 
office of high priest ;md attended the 
grand cha])ter at a number of meetings, 
which fact indicates his high position 
in the regard of the brethren of the craft. 
He and his wife are members of the Chris- 
tian chirrch, in which he is an elder. His 
alMlit}', energy and econom\-, together 
with the assistance (jf liis estimable wife. 



4^ 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriEll' 



who has indeed been a helpmate to him. 
constitute the secret of his success. He 
now owns an excellent farm in Dallas 
township and enjoys the respect and es- 
teem of the entire community. 



D. H. MILLER. 



D. H. ]\Iiller, manager for the Alexan- 
der 'Lumber Company of Carthage, is a 
native son of Illinois, his birth having oc- 
curred in Adams county in 1856. his par- 
ents being Jacob and Nancy (Chandler) 
Miller. The father was born in Ger- 
many, October 12, 182S, and the mother 
in Adams county, Illinois. She died dur- 
ing the infancy of their son, D. H. Miller. 
The father was only thirteen months old 
when brought to the United States by his 
parents, who settled in Pennsylvania. The 
voyage was made in one of the old-time 
sailing vessels and they landed at New 
York. Jacob Miller was reared to the oc- 
cupation of farming, which he followed 
as a life work and in 1845 he took up his 
abode in Adams county, Illinois, where he 
resided until 1864, when he removed to 
Hancock county. Illinois, here carrying on 
general agricultural pursuits until his 
death, which occurred January 21, 1905. 
He had therefore long survived his wife. 
In their family were five children, of 
whom two (lied in infancy, the others be- 
ing: D. H., of this review; Melissa, the 
wife of J. Cook, of Oberlin, Decatur coun- 
ty, Kansas; and Alfred, who is living in 
Seattle. Washington. The mother. Mrs. 



Jacob Miller, had three brothers who were 
soldiers of the Civil war, John, William 
and George Chandler. The first named 
was killed in the service and William re- 
mained with the army for about four 
ye.'irs. The grandmother of our suljjcct 
in tlie maternal line was about ninety-two 
}'ears of age when she passed away and 
the grandmother in the paternal line was 
ninety-four years of age, while her hus- 
l)and reached the age of ninety-two years. 

D, H. Miller was educated at \\'est 
Point, Illinois, and is a graduate of the 
Gem City Business College at Ouincy. 
After leaving school he followed farming 
fi ir fixe or six }ears in Hancock county 
and for two years was engaged in teach- 
ing sclioijl in this county. Eventually he 
entered the employ of the firm of Dickin- 
son & Bartlett at Hamilton. Illinois, whom 
he represented as general manager for six 
\ears. For several years he did a general 
contracting business on his own account 
and in 1898 he assumed charge of the 
business of the Alexander Lumber Com- 
pany of Carthage, which responsible po- 
sition he yet occupies and under his guid- 
ance the business has developed and is 
being conducted along profitable lines. 

On the 1st of January. 1878. occurred 
the marriage of Mr. ]\Iiller and iliss Jane 
I. Hart, who was born in Adams county 
and is a daughter of William T. and Fan- 
nie ( \\'igle) Hart, who came to Illinois 
at an early day, the mother making her 
way to this state from Pennsylvania. She 
is now living at West Point, Illinois, 
where Mr. Hart passed away in 1896. In 
their family were eleven children, of 
whom nine are yet living: Isaac, who re- 
sides at Bowen, Illinois: Hattie H., who 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



43 



is tiie widow of Jake Shaffer and lives at 
West Point, Iowa : Margaret, the wife 
of G. \\\ Wolfe, of West Point ; Mark, 
residing at Ellensburg, W^ashington : 
Clarence, of West Point; Ollie. who is 
with her mother; Eva, the wife of ^Vil- 
liam Xutt, of West Point; May E., the 
widow of ]\Iathew Finley, of \\'est Point : 
and Arch, who is also living at that place. 
Mr. Hart, the father of this family, was 
originally a Dunkarcl but afterward be- 
came a member of the Christian clnuxh 
and at his death his remains were in- 
terred in the cemetery at West Point, Illi- 
nois. His widow is a devoted member of 
the Christian church. 

Airs. Miller and her daughter Ruby 
are eligible to membership in the societ}' 
of the Daughters of the American Revo- 
lution, as John ^^'igle, an uncle of her 
mother, fought in the Revolutinnary war. 
Her father's brother, John Hart, was a 
soldier of the Ci\'il war. Unto Air. and 
Mrs. Miller have been born three children : 
Roy G., the eldest, born in Hancock coun- 
ty, is a graduate of the Gem City Busi- 
ness College of Quincy, Illinois, and now 
lives in Oi-ville, Ohio, where he is em- 
ployed by the Robert Hixon Lumber 
Company. Ruby B. is attending the city 
schools of Carthage and is her father's 
assistant in bookkeeping in the office. 
Jake L. is employed in the office of the 
Alexander Lumber Company. In his 
fraternal relations Mr. Aliller is a Alason 
and also belongs to the Odd Fellows 
Society, in which he has passed all of 
the chairs. His political allegiance is 
given to the republican party, but he has 
never sought or desired office. Both he 
and his wife are faithful and ciinsistent 



members of the Christian church and they 
are now occupying a nice home on Cherry 
street in the western part of the city, 
which Mr. Miller erected in 1895. He 
holds a responsible position of trust and 
stands high in the community, in the 
lodge, in his church, in business circles 
and among his friends. He is a well in- 
formed man and a typical American citi- 
zen, rejoicing in the general progress and 
keeping in touch with the trend of mod- 
ern advancement and successful accom- 
plishment. 



JOHN S. SHIPTON. 

Xature seems to have intended that 
man in more advanced years should en- 
joy a season of rest. In youth he possess- 
es great zeal and energy which in manhood 
becomes tempered by judgment and deter- 
mination and if his qualities are well ex- 
ercised they bring him success, so that 
when evening of life comes he can put 
aside the more arduous duties and rest in 
enjoyment of the fruits of his former toil. 
Such has been the life of Mr. Shipton, 
who for manv vears was closelv associ- 
ated with agricultural interests in this 
part of the state but is now living re- 
tired in Carthage, occupying a pleasant 
and attractive home supplied with many 
of the comforts of life. 

"How blessed is he who crowns in shades 

like these 
A voutli of labor with an age of ease." 



44 



r.lOGRArillCAL REilLW 



Mr. Sliipton was Imni in Beavertown, 
Penn,s}-lvania, Auj^ust i6. 1831, his par- 
ents lieini; ji)lin and Elizahetli ( Swengel ) 
Sliiptcm. I lis paternal grandparents 
came fruin I'jigland tn America during" 
the jjeriod nf the keviilutionary war and, 
deserting tjie British army, tlie grandfa- 
ther hecame a defender of the cause of 
.\merican Hl)ert}'. ddie parents uf our 
suliject were horn in L'nion count}', now 
Snyder count)', I'ennsyh'ania, as were the 
grandmother's people in tlie maternal line, 
some of the Sweng-el farnily being vic- 
tims of the Wyoming' massacre of 1778. 
a luunument to the victims having recent- 
]}• been erected at W'ilkes-Barre, Pennsyl- 
vania. Thomas Shipton, the grandfather 
of our subject, was the first circuit judge 
of Xortlnimberland comity. Pennsylva- 
nia, which then cmliraced Union. Lycom- 
ing and other counties in that section of 
Pennsyh'ania. John Shipton. the father, 
learned the blacksmith's trade in the Key- 
stone state and during the latter part of 
the war of 18 12 he worked at the gun- 
smith's trade at C'arlysle Barracks. Penn- 
syh'ania, making guns and war accoutre- 
ments, but after the close of the war re- 
turned to his more peaceful occupation 
and afterward engaged in farming there 
to some extent. His last davs, however, 
were spent in honoralile retirement from 
labor and he died about thirt\'-four vears 
ago when seventy-nine years of age. while 
his wife passed away about ten years ago. 
He was independent in politics and was 
always on the winning side at presidential 
elections. ne\'er losing a vote by support- 
ing a candidate who was unsuccessful 
His wife held membership in the Lutheran 
church. In their f;uiiilv were ten chil- 



dren, of whom four are now living: Ma- 
ria, the widow of Daniel Trester, of Over- 
ton, Ohio; John S. ; Henry, of Delavan. 
Illiiiois; and Eliza, the wife of Charles 
Ivigle. residing at Beavertown. Pemis\'l- 
vania. The parents were both buried in 
the cemeter}' at Beavertown, the mother 
being eighty-eight years of age. 

John .S. Shipton was educated in the 
couinion schools of Pennsylvania but his 
attendance was of short duration. Schools 
at that time were largely conducted on 
the subscri])tion plan. He afterward 
learned the carpenter's trade in the Key- 
stone state and followed that pursuit and 
cabinet making until 1857. when he re- 
moved westward to Kansas, where he con- 
tinued in the same line of business until 
1861. He afterward devoted nineteen 
vears to farniing in Tazewell county. Pli- 
uois. and in the early spring of 1881 set- 
tled on a farm in Hancock county, where 
he carefully and successfully tilled the soil 
and harvested good crops until the ist 
of December, 1898, when he retired from 
the farni and took up his abode in Car- 
thage. He still owns the farm property. 
Consisting of two hundred and si.xty acres, 
together with a pretty residence on Adams' 
and Buchanan streets. Carthage, where 
he is now lix'ing. 

On the 9th of October. 1864. Mr. Ship- 
ton was married to Miss Elizabeth Jane 
Hurnmel, who was born in Miflin county. 
Pennsyh'ania. in 1838. a daughter of John 
and Hannah (Shawver) Hummel, also 
nati\'es of the Keystone state. Pier pa- 
ternal grandfather was a soldier of the 
war of 1812 and held official rank, carry- 
ing a sword wliich Mrs. Shipton has seen. 
Her brother. Georg-e Hummel, was a sol- 



i-L-lXCOCK cor XT)'. ILUXOfS. 



45 



(Her of tlie Civil war, enlisting from Illi- 
nois anil serving- for three years. John 
Hummel, father of Airs. Shiptun, was a 
farmer and in 1854 hecame a resident of 
Lewistown, Illinois, but was n(3t long per- 
mitted to enjo_\- his new home, his death 
occurring about a month later. His wife 
long survived him, passing avva}- in 
March, 1899. only lacking a few months 
of being one hundred years of age, her 
birth having occurred in 1799. She passed 
away in AA'ebster count}-, Iowa, but her 
grave was made in the cemetery at Lewis- 
town. Illinois, where her husband had 
been laid to rest many years before. They 
had eight children, of whom four are liv- 
ing ; Lydia, the eldest, is the wife of 
Thomas Ellsworth, of Table Grove. Illi- 
nois, who came to Carthage with a com- 
panv of volunteers from Fulton cijuntv, 
Illinois, during the \Iorn-ion troubles and 
camped near the citv, being in canip there 
when Joseph and Hiran-i Sn-iith. the Mor- 
mon prophets, were shot in the old jail. 
Catherine, the second member of the 
Humn-iel family, is the wife of D:ivid Dep- 
ler, of \\'el)ster count\-, Iowa. Ge<:)rge 
is living in Webster City, bnva. Mrs. 
Shipton 'is the \'oungest member of the 
family and Iw her marriage has becon-ie 
the n-iother of hve children, all of whon-i 
were bom in Tazewell countv, Illinois, 
while four are yet li\'ing. Luther H., the 
eldest, educated in the public schools of 
Carthage, in early manhood purchased a 
grocery stock and is engaged in business 
at the corner of Jackson and Alain streets 
as a dealer in staple and fancy groceries 
and queensware. His father is interested 
with him in the ownership of the store, 
w-hich is on a most adxantaeeous corner 



of the business center of the city and their 
trade is extensive and profitable. Luther 
Shipton belongs to the Knights of Pythias 
fraternity and is a republican, while his 
religious faith is indicated b}- his n-ieni- 
bership in the Methodist church. He was 
married February i, 1893, to Miss Sadie 
Deitrick. a native of Pennsylvania and 
a daughter of John and Harriet { Kime) 
Deitrick, who were also natives of the 
Keystone state, whence they renioved to 
a farm in Illinois. Both are deceased and 
were laid to rest in a cen-ietery of Dal- 
las City. Their daughter. Sadie, became 
Mrs. Luther Shipton and passed away 
February 10, 1900, at the age of thirty- 
two vears, her remains being interred in 
Carthage cemetery. She was an estima-.. 
ble ladv, whose ileath was deeply deplored 
by her many friends. She left two chil- 
dren, Loveta and Lloyd, aged respect- 
i\-eK- ele\-en and eight Acars. They are 
now attending school and with their fa- 
ther they reside with his parents at the 
corner of .\dams and Buchanan streets. 
Aurelia. the second member of the family 
of Mr. and Mrs. John S. Shipton, is the 
wife of Jesse G. Waggoner, of Centralia, 
Alissouri, and the_\- have four children : 
George, Lizzie, Laone and Ida, all of 
whom are attending school, three being- 
students in Carthage College. Elizabeth 
Shipton is the wdfe of E. S. Martin, of 
Carthage, and has two children: Aurelia 
S. and John Robert Martin. Carrie is 
the wife of Samuel Wingert, of Prairie 
t(.jwnship, Hancock county, and has three 
children: Violet, John LeRoy and Sam- 
uel \\'ingert. 

Air. Shipton is numbered an-iong the 
men whon-i fortune has favored not from 



46 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriEJl' 



caprice but in reward for earnest, per- 
sistent and honorable labor. In early life 
he worked many days for sixty-two and 
a half cents per day, later was paid a dol- 
lar and a quarter. He paid a dollar and 
a half for his board per week and pro- 
vided for his other expenses. As the years 
advanced he saved from his earnings until 
he was enabled to purcliase a farm and 
he made all of the improvements upon 
his Tazewell county property and added 
many improvements to his farm in Han- 
cock county. He is still a strong', sturdy 
man, working in his garden and raising 
bees and though he is practically retired 
he yet manages to keep busy most of the 
time. During the summer of 1906 he 
made a beautifully carved and planned 
Hymn board for the Lutheran church, 
which contains upward of 150 different 
kinds of wood gathered by himself. His 
leisure is largely devoted to reading and 
he is well informed on all the questions 
and interests of the day. He has kept 
a diary of the weather and also the date 
of small fruit blossoming for many years 
and it is now a valuable record.' He pos- 
sesses a remarkable memory and in spirit 
and interest seems yet in his prime. Both 
he and his wife still enjoy good health 
and are among the most esteemed citizens 
of Carthage, having many friends here. 
His name is honored by reason of what 
he has accomplished and the methods 
which ha\e wrought his success. He is 
interested in all that ])ertains to the mate- 
rial, intellectual or moral progress of his 
communit}' and his supixirt nf Ijenehcial 
public measures is never n\ ;i lukewarm 
character, but is of tlie kind tliat is strong 
and steadfast. 



THOMAS I. WALKER. 

Thomas L Walker, a retired farmer 
who, left an orphan in his youth and thus 
early thrown upon his own resources, has 
gained the success which crowns persist- 
ent and well directed effort, was born in 
Todd county, Kentucky, August 20, 1843. 
In's parents being T. L and Eliza (Wag- 
goner) ^^'alker. The parents died when 
their son was but a young lad. They were 
natives of Kentucky and the father fol- 
lowed the occupation of farming. Li their 
famil}- were eight children, of whom five 
are now living : James, Garnett and Wil- 
liam, all of Kentucky: T. L. of this re- 
view : and Luda. the wife of W. O. Clark, 
of McDonough county, Illinois. Two of 
the brothers were soldiers of the Con- 
federate anny in the Civil war, St. Clair 
l:)eing killed in the first battle of Shiloh, 
while James, the eldest brother, served 
for four years with the southern troops. 

T. I. Walker was brought to Carthage 
when about four 3'ears of age and lived 
with relatives until nine years old, attend- 
ing the public schools during that period. 
He then went to live with his eldest sis- 
ter, who had been married in the mean- 
time and with her he remained until his 
own marriage. It was in 1867 that he 
wedded Miss Mary E. Atchison, who was 
born in this county October 3, 1845, a 
daughter of John and Margaret (Gallo- 
way) Atchison. The father was born in 
Ireland and came to America at an early 
day and was here married to Miss Gallo- 
way, whose birth occurred in Hancock 
county. He was a blacksmith by trade 
but followed farming in this state and 
both he and his wife passed away many 



MAX COCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



47 



years ago. Mr. Atchison was a member 
of the Christian church at the time of 
his death and was an exceedingly quiet 
man. of retiring nature, but he possessed 
a kindly and generous spirit and was re- 
spected by all. Unto him and his wife 
was born but one child. Mrs. Walker. 

At the time of their marriage Mr. and 
Mrs. Walker began their domestic life 
on a farm in Harmony township, where 
they lived for twi) years and then removed 
to another farm in St. Marys township, 
on which they resided for thirty-six years. 
Both places were improved and were 
brought under higher cultivation by the 
enterprise and labors of Mr. \\'alker. who 
for many years was accounted one of the 
leading, practical and progressive agricul- 
turists of this ]3art of the state. He care- 
fully tilled his fields and thereb}- annu- 
allv harvested good crops. He also raised 
good grades of stock and he placed sub- 
stantial buildings upon his farm, together 
with all of the modem improvements. He 
added to his farm from time to time until 
it now contains about four hundred acres. 
In July. 1905, he removed to Carthage, 
where he purchased a pretty new home on 
North Adams street. He still retains pos- 
session of his farm, however, and also 
owns other land in the county. 

At the time of the Civil war ]Mr. Wal- 
ker, responding to the call of the Union 
enlisted in the One Hundred and Forty- 
eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He 
was with his regiment for about a year 
and participated in a few light skirmishes. 
For many years he gave his political alle- 
giance to the republican party, but is now 
a strong prohibitionist. He has served as 
school director and path master, but has 



accepted no other offices, preferring to 
leave office holding to others. 

As the years passed by eight children 
were added to the family circle, all >et 
living and all natives of Hancock county. 
Homer, born June 22. 1868, and n()\\- re- 
siding on the farm on which his father 
settled at an early day. married Xellie 
White and has four children : ^larian. 
Wendell. James and Lucile. Stella, bom 
October 3. 1870. on the anniversary of 
her mother's birth, is now the wife of J. 
B. Joluison, a stock feeder residing in 
Carthage. Atcliison, born June 7. 1873. 
and living on a farm in Hancock county, 
married Alberta Cloud and has two chil- 
dren : Aurelia and Harold. Gerald, bom 
May 24. 1876. is in Montana. Geraldine. 
twin sister of Gerald, is the wife of J. F. 
Garnett, of Oklahoma and has two chil- 
dren, Pauline and Walker L. Maud, bom 
'Tanuarv 14. 1879. is the wife of Don 
Cloud, a famier of Nebraska and has one 
child, Don Cleophas. T. Orville, born 
May 24. 1882, married Josephine Engle 
and lives on a farm in Hancock county. 
Hilda, bom May 8. 1885. acts as her 
father's housekeeper and is attending 
Carthage College. The children have all 
been provided with excellent educational 
privileges and have attended various col- 
leges in the state of Illinois. 

In 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Walker attended 
the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. 
Louis, Missouri, and had a most pleasant 
trip there and in the winter of 1904-5. 
with their youngest daughter, they went 
to California and had just got comfort- 
ably settled there when Mrs. Walker be- 
came ill with a cancerous trouble which 
had never been manifest before. After a 



48 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJ TIAJ' 



\cr\' brief illness of tliree weeks she passed 
awa}- February i. 1905. She was a lov- 
ing wife, a fond mother, .a dutiful daugh- 
ter and a kind friend .and her many ex- 
cellent traits i)f character wim her the con- 
fidence and love nf all who knew her. 
Her remains were brought back t(j Han- 
cock count\' fi>r interment and she was 
laid to rest l-'cliruar}- 7. 1905. Many 
years will have passed, however, before 
she is forgotten or before her influence 
ceases to be felt by those who knew her. 
She was a devoted member of the Meth- 
odist church and her life exemplified her 
Christian faith. .Mr. Walker also beloiigs 
to the same church, in which he has held 
several offices. 

Early denied the parental care which 
most boys recei\'e with its attendant priv- 
ileges and careful guidance. Mr. AA'alker 
has, though dependent upon his own re- 
sources, not only worked his way upward 
to success but has also developed a char- 
acter which makes him one of the honored 
and respected citizens of Carthage and his 
example proves what may he accom- 
plished when one has determination and 
energy — qualities which may be cultivated 
bv all' 



ALEX.\NDER AA'ELLINGTON BAS- 
COW. 

.\. W. IJoscow, one of the oldest gro- 
cery merchants of Carthage whose busi- 
ness integrity and activity stand as un- 
questioned facts in his career and make 
him a citizen of worth who is accorded 



respect and honor, was born on the Isle 
of Man pfif the coast of England in 1840. 
His paternal grandfather, Nicholas Bos- 
C(_nv, served in the war against the French 
in the early part of the nineteenth cen- 
tury, being under command of the Duke 
of Wellington in the engagements against 
Xapoleon Bona])arte. The gun which he 
carried is now in possession of A. W. 
Boscow and is very highly prized. Nich- 
olas Boscow, Jr., father of our subject, 
was born in England and was there mar- 
ried to Miss Alice Newell, a native of the 
same country. He was a merchant and 
shipper of wheat, owning his own vessel 
which made trips between Peel anl Liver- 
])ool. He came to America by way of 
New Orleans in an old-time sailing vessel 
in 1842; being about three months and 
two weeks on the water. He bought land 
ne.ar W.arsaw. Illinois. ha\'ing made his 
\\a\' northward to Hancock county and 
after remaining there for a year or more 
went to Buffalo, New York, to investigate 
property interests and business prospects 
there. He soon became ill, however, and 
died in that citv. He hekl membersin']) 
in the Church of England, ti) which his 
wife also belonged. She continued to live 
for some \"ears on a farm with her chil- 
dren l)Ut spent her last (la}\s in the home 
of her S()n, A. W. Boscow, from whom 
she received a most devoted lilial care, 
attention an<l love. He also took great 
pride in his nii>ther, for she was a most 
remarkable old lady and she died at his 
home in the spring of 1894, her remains 
l)cing interred in Moss Ridge cemetery. 
She w as ninety-six years of age, her death 
occurring \-ery suddenly. .Only once did 
she complain of feeling a little dizzy. 



HJXCOCK COi'XrV. ILLIXOIS. 



49 



Early in the morning, however, she ex- 
pressed a desire to see the Rev. Hyde, a 
beloved preacher of Carthage, who came 
and offered up a touching and befitting 
prayer in behalf of this dear old lady and 
in closing said : "^lay this dear soul have 
an abundant and happy entrance into the 
joy of her Lord." and as he said .Vmen. 
the life of this good woman went out as 
though her soul were carried onward 
upon the spirit of prayer. She had been a 
faithful friend, a kind neighbor and a 
most devoted and loving mother and she 
was a general favorite among her many 
acquaintances. Her children who lived 
were five in number, seven having died 
before her death : George, a merchant liv- 
ing at Oakland, California; John H., a 
land dealer of Gamett, Kansas; Peter, a 
farmer of Hillsboro, Oregon; Mrs. Alice 
Deatley. living at Base Line, Missouri, 
and A. \V. of this review. The son John 
was drafted twice for service in the Civil 
war but both times sent substitutes, the 
first time paying seven hundred and fifty 
dollars and the last time nine hundred 
dollars. 

A. \\'. Boscow acquired his early edu- 
cation in Breckenridge, Illinois, and 
worked upon his mother's farm until he 
had attained his majority. He then went 
to the gold mines of California and Ore- 
gon, spending much of his time for four- 
teen years in the latter state in search of 
the precious metal. Following his return 
to Illinois he located in \\^arsaw, where he 
conducted a general grocen," store for sev- 
en years and in 1886 removed to Carth- 
age, where he was engaged in the grocery 
business on Main street for twenty years. 
He has a large trade and with one excep- 



tion is the oldest grocery merchant in the 
city in years of continuous connection 
with the trade. His Ijusiness methods are 
unassailable, being characterized by 
promptness and integrity and many of his 
early patrons have remained with him 
throughout the passing years, showing 
that he has their confidence and trust. 

In 1874 Mr. Boscow was married to 
Miss Clara Spillman, a native of Illinois 
and a daughter of Mr. and Airs. S. D. 
Spillman, natives of Virginia who came to 
Illinois at an early day. Her father was a 
carpenter and lived in Warsaw. Illinois, 
Hancock county, for a number of years 
btit both he and his wife are now deceased 
and their four children have now all 
passed away. Mrs. Boscow died in 1887 
and is buried in Moss Ridge cemetery. 
She was a devoted Christion woman and 
a member of the Episcopal church. By 
this marriage there were three children, 
but only one is now living, Anna R. Bos- 
cow, who is now the wife of Frederick 
Reynolds, of Seattle, \\'asbington. 

In 1890 A. A\'. Boscow was married to 
Miss Louisa Scott, of Carthage, who was 
born in Warsaw, Illinois, and was a 
daughter of Major John and Louisa 
(Frazier) Scott. Her father was born in 
North Carolina in 1801 and her mother 
in Kentucky, January 8, 18 16. Mr. 
Scott was a Mason and for some years 
meetings of the lodge were held in his 
home. For a long period he was a lead- 
ing merchant of Warsaw, conducting a 
successful business there until his death 
on the 30th of April, 1865. His wife long 
survived him, passing away in August, 
1900, when she was laid to rest by his 
side in A\'arsaw cemeterv. Only two of 



5° 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAIEIV 



their children are now living ; John F. 
Scott, who is assistant county treasurer 
and makes his home in Carthage; and 
Mary, the wife of George Rogers, of 
Warsaw. Illinois. Mrs. Louisa Boscow 
died in 1897 and was buried in Moss 
Ridge cemetcr}-. In 1898 Mr. Boscow 
was married to Mrs. Frances E. Dickey 
Cherry, the widow of Edward Cherry. 
She was Ixirn in Illinois and has one si.in 
by her fii'st marriage, Edward Cherry, 
who is now li\'ing in Pecos valley, Mex- 
ico. Mr. Boscow lives in a beautiful home 
in the east part of the city on Main street, 
having erected the residence about eight 
years ago. His wife also owns some 
propert}' here. His has been a creditable 
business record in whicli he has allowed 
no obstacle to deter him in his advance 
toward the goal of success. He has re- 
garded every difficult}' as a stimulus for 
renewed effort and closer application and 
in these ways he has achieved what he 
has undertaken and is now ime oi the 
leading merchants of the citv who. 
through his persistency and determina- 
tion, has secured many of the comforts 
of life. Matters of municipal and local 
pride are of deep interest to him and he 
co-operates in many measures which have 
direct bearing upon the upbuilding and 
welfare of the city. He is a man full 
worthy of the respect of those with wlmm 
he has ciime in contact and his friends 
are almost as numerically strong as his 
acquaintances. He and his wurtln- wife 
full well merit all the godd things ni this 
life and of the life to come, which should 
be the rew.nrd of ;dl those who li\'e an 
upright life. They are held in the highest 
esteem In- their manv friends. 



EZEKIEL RUCKER. 

Ezekiel Rucker is a retired farmer li\'- 
ing at the comer of Scofield and Locust 
streets in Carthage and although about 
eighty years of age he keeps his home 
place in a most neat and attractive condi- 
tion. He was born in Crittenden, Grant 
county, Kentucky, in 1827, his parents be- 
ing Morning and Julia (Reese) Rucker, 
both of whom were natives of Virginia. 
The father dealt extensively in horses, 
which he shipped to the New Orleans 
market. At an early day he removed to 
Kentucky, where he continued in active 
business but both he and his wife passed 
away many years ago, their remains being 
interred in an Illinois cemetery. Mr. 
Rucker was a democrat in his political 
views, and his wife was a member of the 
Methodist church. In their family were 
seven children. 

E. Rucker of this review is now the 
only surviving member of the family, and 
in the year 1837, when a youth of ten 
summers, he accompanied his parents on 
their remo\-al from Kentuckv to Sclnnder 
county, Illinois. There he acquired his 
education in one of the old-time subscrip- 
tion schools, the building being a little 
log structure with puncheon floor, slab 
seats and mud and stick chimne}'. There 
were no nails used in its construction, 
even in making the roof and the little 
room was poorly lighted. The methods 
of instruction were very primitive, too, 
but he succeeded in learning the common 
branches rif learning and afterward took 
up the cooper's trade in Schuyler county. 
Later he engaged in farming there on his 
own account until 1864. when he sold his 



MAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



property and removed to Hancock county- 
settling in Carthage township on a farm 
of two hundred and twenty acres of arable 
and productive land. He then carried on 
general fanning and stock-raising until 
1884, when he retired from active busi- 
ness life. Up to this time he had kept his 
fields under a very high state of cultiva- 
tion and added many modern improve- 
ments to his property and had carried on 
the work of development until his farm 
was one of the best in this part of the 
state. As the years passed, thn.iugh the 
sale of his crops he added annually to his 
income and possessing a comfortable com- 
petence, removed to the city of Carthage, 
building a dwelling at the corner of Sco- 
field and Locust streets. 

As a companion and helpmate for life's 
journey Mr. Rucker chose in early man- 
hood Miss Pauline De Lashmutt, to 
whom he was married February 29, 184C). 
She was born in North Carolina in 1826. 
a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John De 
Lashmutt, who located in Rushville. 
Schuyler county, Illinois, prior to 1837, 
being among the early settlers of that 
county, where the father followed farm- 
ing as a means of livelihood. When 
called to their final rest he and his wife 
were buried in Schuyler county. In their 
family were seven children, the suiwiving 
members being Ananias, Thomas, Wil- 
liam and Frank, all of whom are residents 
of Kansas ; and Mrs. Rucker. Thomas 
De Lashmutt was a soldier of the Si.x:- 
teenth Volunteer Infantry throughout the 
Civil war and was under command of 
General Sherman. Mr. and Mrs. Rucker 
have never had any children of their own 
but out of the goodness of their hearts 



have reared two, Adaline and Brown. The 
latter is the wife of George Elliott, a resi- 
dent of Missouri, and has seven children. 
The former became the wife of Thomas 
Metcalf and is now in California. She 
separated from her first husband and she 
has since married Mr. Burlell. She has 
three children, Willie, Arthur and Stella. 
]\Ir. Rucker is a democrat and has 
served as school director and as road su- 
pervisor but has never been very active in 
politics, preferring that others shall hold 
office. He was one of the early meml)ers 
of the Masonic lodge in Hancock county 
and at all times has been true to the teach- 
ings of the craft. Although nearly eighty 
years of age he is very active. He is a 
man of quiet disposition but has been a 
great reader and is an intelligent gentle- 
man, well informed on current events. 
His success has been acquired entirely 
through his own efforts and he is now 
in comfortable circumstances. He and his 
wife have been married for more than 
fifty-seven years — a remarkable fact — 
and they enjoy the respect of friends and 
neighbors in large measure. Mr. Rucker 
receives the veneration and esteem which 
should always be accorded one advanced 
in }'ears, whose life has been worthily 
spent. 



JAMES E. MORRISON. 

James E. Alorrison, engaged in general 
farming and stock-raising near Hamilton, 
has been assistant state veterinary sur- 
geon since 1890 and is widely known by 



BIOGRAPHICAL REnilir 



reason of his official ser\'ice and his ac- 
tivity in his private Ijusiness affairs. He 
was born in MacHson county. Ohio, j\Iarch 
31. 1844. and represents one of the old 
families nf 1 'ennsxKania, in which state 
his grandfather. Russ Morrison, was 
born. William 1\. Morrison, father of 
our subject, was likewise a nati\'e id' the 
Ke\stnne state and haxdng arrixed at 
years of maturit\- was married at Plains 
City, Union countw ()hi(i, to Miss Relief 
C. Hager, a native of Vermont and a 
daughter o\ Anios Hager, also of that 
state. .Mr. and Mrs. William R. Morri- 
son began their domestic life upon a farm 
near Plains City, Ohio, where they re- 
sided until October, 1S50, and then started 
for Illinois, making the journey by 
wagon. They were nearh- four \\eeks 
upon the road to llannlton and they spent 
the winter in a log cal)in about two and 
a half miles south of this city. In the 
spring of 1851 they removed to a rented 
place Hn Wythe township, where the_\- 
lived for four years, at the end of which 
time Mr. Morrison Ijought one hundred 
acres of land on section 34, ^hmteliello 
township. It was unim]iroved save that a 
small sh.'inty had been built thereon. It 
\vas not fenced, howe\er, and he fenced it, 
dug wells, built b.arns and generally ini- 
])roved the ])lace. making it a good farm, 
while the fields res])onded readily to the 
care and labor he bestowed u|)on them. 
Plis attention was de\. .led to general agri- 
cultural iiursuits U]) to the time of Ins 
death, which occurred in .Vugusl, |S,S(;. 
while his wife (Kissed away in 18(^9. In 
their family was a daughter, Mollie. who 
iv now the wife of John .\. Price. 

fames K. ?ylorrison, the elder of the two 



children of liis father's familv, was a little 
lad of si.\ >ummers when the trij) was 
made across the country from Ohio to 
Illinois. He attended the common 
schools of .Montebello township and in 
the summei' months worked in the fields, 
sharing in all of the labors that fall to the 
lot of the ;igricultin-ist. He was eighteen 
vears of age when on the i_'th of ,\u- 
gust, iN(i_'. he responded to his counti'}"-^ 
call for aid, enlisting as a member of 
Conipan\- C, One Hundred and I'aght- 
eenlh Illinois X'olunteer Infantr_\'. I he 
regiment was assigned to the Ami}- of 
the .Mississippi and he was in all of its 
i)attle^ with the exception of that of 
Thompson's Mill on the 1st of May, i8()3. 
He sustained sex'eral gun-shot wounds, 
but would remain in the hosi^ytal onl_\- 
long enough to ha\-e his wounds heal. 
( )n the _■ I St of .\ugust, 1865, he received 
;in honorable discharge and with a cred- 
itable militarx- record returned to his 
home. He then resumed farming upon 
his father's ])lace and having assisted the 
\eterinary surgeon of the army, he has 
since ])racticed the profession in connec- 
tion with the occupation of farming and 
since the \'ear ic)oo has been assistant 
state veterinary surgeon. In 1874 he 
bought fifty acres of the home farm, 
whereon he erected a house ami barn and 
lie b;is since added to the i)ro])erty until 
he now has one hundred acres, while his 
wife also owns one hundred acres. He 
carries on general farming and stock- 
raising, kee|)ing horses, cattle and hogs, 
and in the develo])ment of the fields he 
uses the latest improved machiner} and 
annu.all}- har\'ests good crops. 

On the 13th of ,\pril, T875, Mr. ^^lor- 



H.^.XCOCK COCXT)'. ILL/XOIS. 



53 



rison was married tn Aliss Lydia Dar- 
nell, who was l)(irn in \\'ai"saw, Illinnis. 
Febrnary 26, 185C), and attended the cuni- 
ni(in schoiils. Her parents were Caleb 
and AIar_\" (Tremble) Darnell, liotb oi 
whom were natives of Kentucky and at 
an early day became residents of Warsaw , 
Illinois. In the famih- were the fullowint;- 
children: Bertha, who died in infanc\"; 
Mamie: Xellie, the wife nf Harr}- Den- 
nis, of Hamilton and the mother of one 
daughter: Arthur, b'red. William. Ra}-. 
Elta and Gwendolyn, all at h(ime. 'Sir. 
^.lorrison casts his ballot for the men and 
measures nf the Re|)ul)lican party and has 
filled a numl)er t>r offices. ser\ing- twice 
as collector and alscj in the positions (if 
constable and school director. He has at- 
tained high rank in Masonry, belonging 
to the blue lodge, chapter, council and 
commandery. his affiliation being with 
the commandery at Keokuk. He is a 
member of the Christian church and the 
principles which have permeated his life 
are those which w^rk f(_ir gorid citizensiiip 
and for intellectual and moral prngress. 



HOX. O. F. BERin'. 

Hon. O. F. Berr}- was born at Table 
Grove, jMcDonough count v, Illinois, Feb- 
ruary t6. 1852. He is a son of Lee 
Berry, a natix'e nf X'irginia, who, com- 
ing to Illindis. settled upnn a farm in 
]\IcDonougli countw where he resideil un- 
til his death. B\ Ins first marriage he 
had two children, but the ynunger <if 
these. I(_)hn Berrw \v;is killed while serv- 



ing in the na\_\- in the Civil war. The 
elder, Charles L. Ilerr}-, wlm serx'ed in 
the One Hundred and Figliteenth Illi- 
nois Mounted Infantry until the clnse of 
the Ci\il war, is nnw a contractnr of 
Wichita. Kansas, .\fter losing his first 
wife he married Martha McCnnnell. a na- 
tive of Pennsylvania. O. 1". Berrv is the 
elder son of the second marriage and his 
brnther. M. P. Berry, is equally well 
known in Carthage as a lawyer and Itank- 
er. The father died in 1858 and the 
mother in i860, their remains being in- 
terred at Table Gro\'e, Illinois. 

O. F. Berr\- was educated in the com- 
mon schools in h'ountain Green town- 
ship. Hancock ccmnty. and in early life 
and until he was twenty-one years of age 
he worked by the month as a farm hand. 
.\fter his marriage he purchased a small 
farm and li\ed ui)on it one \ear. In 1875 
he crmie to Carthage and took up the 
stud}- of law in the oftice of Mack & 
Baird. attorneys of this citv. Following 
his admission to the bar he immediateK* 
formed a partnerslh]) with Judge T]iom:is 
C. Sharp, now deceased, and later the 
firm became Shar]) &• nerr\- I'.rothers. 
He has practiced continuous!}- in all the 
courts of Hancock count}- from that tin-ie 
to ilie present and has conducted impor- 
tant litigation in the federal and state 
courts with gratif}-ing- success, winning- 
well earned fame and distinction. He 
believes in the maxim. "There is no ex- 
cellence without labor." and follows it 
closely. About six \-ears ago his brother. 
M. P. Berr\-, retired fron-| the firm and O. 
F. Berr}' is practicing as the senior meni- 
ber of the firm of Berr\-. McCrar}- & 
Kellv. 



54 



lUO GRAPHIC A L REl IE W 



His attention, however, has not l)een 
confined exclusively to his legal interests, 
for in 1903 he joined his hrother. M. 1'. 
Berry, in establishing and opening the 
Dime Savings Bank, ui which he is presi- 
dent and M. P. Bery is cashier. He is also 
president and general manager of the 
Mississippi Valley Telephone Company 
and was a trustee and attorney for Car- 
thage College for fifteen or sixteen years. 

His political history has become a mat- 
ter of state record. He was chairman of 
the republican state convention in 180O 
and 1906. He was the first mayor uf 
Carthage, serving for three terms, from 
1888 until 1894, and is again the chief 
executive of the city at this writing, in 
1906. In 1888 he was elected to the 
state senate, wherein he served continu- 
ously until 1900 and then, after an in- 
terval of two years, was elected to fill a 
vacancy and re-elected in 1904. He is 
president pro tern, of the senate, was act- 
ing governor from August 27th to Sep- 
tetnber 4, 1906, and isone of the recog- 
nized political leaders of the state. It will 
Ije (iljserved that his turn of mind is emi- 
nently judicial and free from the bias of 
animosity. Strong and positive in his re- 
publicanism, his party fealty is not 
grounded on partisan prejudice and he 
enjoys the respect and confidence of all 
his associates, irrespective of party. Of 
the great issues which divide the two po- 
litical organizations, with their roots ex- 
tending down to the very bed rock of the 
foundations of the republic, he has the 
true statesman's grasp. Well grounded 
in the political maxims of the schools, he 
has also studied the lessons of actual life, 
arriving at his conclusions as a result of 



what may be called his post-graduate 
studies in the school of affairs. He was 
general attorney for the insurance de- 
partment of the state under Governor 
Tanner's administration. He was specird 
attorney, of the Lake Front cases in Chi- 
cago for Attorney General Hamlin and 
chairman of the special committee of the 
senate in 1897 to investigate Chicago po- 
lice management and justice courts. He 
was likewise chairman <.if the senate com- 
mittee to investigate the Globe Savings 
liank and the treasurer of the university 
school fund under Governor Altgeld's ad- 
ministration. At the present writing he 
is receiver of the Peoria National Bank. 

On the 5th of March. 1873, Senator 
Berry was married to jNIiss Anna R. Barr, 
of Fountain Green, who was bom in 
Pennsylvania in 1850, a daughter of Da- 
vid and Jane (Barr)- Barr. Her father 
was a mechanic, who prior to the Civil 
war removed to Iowa and about 1865 
came to Illinois. He enlisted in Iowa 
as a member of the Union army and 
served throughout the period of hostili- 
ties. He followed his trade in Illinois 
until his death in 1870 and his wife 
passed away in Carthage in 1902. They 
were faithful members of the United 
Presbyterian church. They had five chil- 
dren, of whom four daughters are living: 
Elizabeth, who is the widow of John S. 
Dufify and resides in Carthage: Mary A., 
who is the widow of William T. Camp- 
bell and lives in this city; Nannie J., of 
Carthage; and Laura, the wife of \\\\- 
liqm T. Duflfy, of Waverly, Kansas. 

Mr. and Mrs. Berry became the par- 
ents of five children, one born in Fountain 
Green and four in Carthage. Of this 



H.^XCOCK COrXTV. ILLlXniS. 



number three dieil in infancw while two 
h\-ecl to Ije fourteen years of age and all 
are buried in Moss Ridge cemetery. They 
now have an adopted daughter, Lenore, 
who at the age of twelve years is attend- 
ing the high school of Carthage. In 1897 
Mr. Berry built his lieautiful modern res- 
idence on Walnut street. He also owns 
much other property in the city and 
county. He himself l)uilt elex'en of the 
new houses that were erected in Carthage 
in 1905 and he has built and sold alto- 
gether thirty homes. In connection with 
his other interests the tirm of which he 
is a member is conducting a real estate 
business. Mr. Berr\' is a Royal Arch 
Mason and is also connected with the 
Knights of Pythias, Woodmen and the 
Ancient Order of United Wdrknien. He 
and his wife are members (.>f the Presby- 
terian church antl he was chairman of 
the building committee at the time of the 
erection of the two new churches that 
have been built in the last five years, the 
former one having Ijeen destroyed by fire. 
He has been again and again chosen trus- 
tee of the church and has long sen'cd as 
superintednent of the Sunday-school. He 
takes a most active and helpful part in 
church work, contributing generously of 
his means to its support and giving free- 
ly of his time and attention to further its 
development and extend the scope of its 
activities. He is frequentlv called upon 
to make addresses to the Men's League 
and his labors have been of direct and im- 
mediate sen-iceableness in the church 
work. His wife has been treasurer of the 
missionars' societ}- for many years. She 
also belongs to the Woman's Club and 
to the society of the Daughters of the 
4 



American Rexolution. He has been pros- 
peri.ius in his business afifairs, yet there 
is no man in Carthage wdio respects 
wealth for wealth's sake as little as he 
does. His means, however, have enabled 
him to be a generous contrilnitor to man}- 
charities and good works and he never 
fails to lend a hel])ing hand when solic- 
ited to do so. He belongs to that public- 
spirited, useful and helpful type of men 
w'hose ambitions and desires are centered 
and directed in those channels through 
which flow the greatest ;md most perma- 
nent good t(.) the greatest number. He 
is naturally of a ijuiet and retiring dis- 
position and has not been an active seeker 
for the glamor of publicity, l)Ut his rare 
aptitude and ability in achieving results 
make him constantlv sought and often 
bring him into a prominence from which 
he would natural!)" shrink were less de- 
sirable ends in view. 



HENRY C. BYLER. 

Henry C, Byler, a representative 
farmer of Durham, his native township, 
was born August 30, 1855, his parents 
being David and Matilda Catherine (Cun- 
ningham) Byler. The father, a native of 
Tennessee, was a son of John and Sarah 
(Hay worth) Byler and was born Novem- 
ber 6, 18 19. His life record covered more 
than the psalmist's allotted span of three 
score years and ten, as he passed away 



5^> 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



(111 the _>il of April. iS()4, wlien in tlie sev- 
enty-fifth year of his age. lie hved a suc- 
cessful fanner in Adams county, Illinois, 
from iS_:;() until 183 1. In tlie spring of 
1S51 he purchased the homestead at Dur- 
ham (A'lUre now t)ccupied by his widow 
and removed to Hancock county, where 
he resided until his demise. The place 
comprises one hundred and sixty acres of 
land on section 9, Durham township. 
Prospering in his undertakings, so that 
his financial resoiuxes increased, he 
bought more land from time to time until 
he became the owner of twelve hundred 
acres of as fine land as can be found in 
Illinois. He thus won a place among the 
substantial residents of the state and his 
life record was indeed commendable, as 
his success came as the legitimate result 
of carefully directed effort and honorable 
dealing. For over thirty-one years he 
was a member in good standing of Dallas 
City lodge No. 235, A. F. & A. A1.. and 
filled nearly all of its of^ces. His early 
|)olitica1 support was given the republican 
party but he afterward joined tlie ranks' 
of the democracy. For more than a half 
century he was a member of the old school 
Baptist church, which he joined in Adams 
county in 1S40. He held all of the lead- 
ing offices in the church and he donated a 
part of his home farm as a church site and 
erected thereon a nice frame structure to 
be used as a house of worship Iiy the Bap- 
tist denomination. This was in 1881 and 
the building is still \>nt to its original use. 
He was \-cr\' liberal, the poor and needy 
finding in him a warm friend, while in 
many other ways he displayed his gen- 
erositv. His fellow townsmen gave evi- 
dence of tlicir appreciation of lu's worth 



and ability by electing him to many posi- 
tions of public trust. For over fourteen 
years he sei'ved as county supervisor. 
For the long period of thirty years he 
held the office of justice of the peace and 
for twenty-eight years was township 
treasurer. He was ever faithful to the 
trust reposed in him and his long contin- 
uance in office indicated the implicit con- 
fidence given him by those who knew him. 
He was a man honored and respected by 
all and was most highly esteemed where 
he was best known. His wife. Matilda C. 
Bvler, died .Vpril 12. 1857, and was 
buried in Din-ham cemetery, the subject 
of this review being at that time only two 
vears of age. She was his second wife and 
there were born to this union four chil- 
dren, of whom Henry C, is the youngest. 
The others are : Gracie Jane, who became 
the wife of Calvin Stiles and died in La 
Harpe in September, iBgg: and Joseph 
and George \\'.. both deceased. 

Henry C. Byler. the only surviving 
member of this family, was educated in 
the district schools of Durham township 
and remained at home until twenty-one 
years of age, after whicli he engaged in 
farming on liis own account on his 
father's land for nine years. He was mar- 
ried at the age of twenty-one to Miss Em- 
ma J. Toof, who was born in Durham 
township, October 20, 185Q, a daughter 
of Benjamin and Mary (Atherton) Toof. 
The father was born in Franklin county. 
Vermont. February 29. 1820, and the 
mother in Ohio, July 24, 1823. Her 
death occurred in 1877. At an earl}- day 
they became residents of Hancock county, 
settling on a farm, and in their family 
were seven children : Henry, living in Ne- 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



braska : Ella, tlie wife of John Heisler. 
who is represented elsewhere in this 
work: Daniel, of Nebraska; Emma J., 
now ^Irs. Ramsay, of Dallas City : John 
\\'., of California: Kate, the wife of Wil- 
liam Phipps, of Oklahoma ; and Clara, the 
wife of David Shain, of California. 

After living in Durham Centre on his 
father's farm for nine years Mr. Byler re- 
ceived as a gift from his father one hun- 
dred and sixty acres of good land on sec- 
tion 33, Durham township. There was a 
house upon this place, which he has since 
improved, making it a comfortable mod- 
ern residence. He has also added many 
other equipments anil improvements to 
the farm and he has? now a valuable prop- 
erty of one hundred and forty acres which 
is under a high state of cultivation. At 
one time, following his second marriage, 
he engaged in the hardware business in 
Dallas City for two years. 

On the 13th day of July, 1899, Mr. By- 
ler was married to Mrs. Anna E. Hamil- 
ton, who was born in Pontoosuc town- 
ship. June 16. 1867. and is a daughter of 
F. C. and Nancy (McAuley) Little, the 
former a native of Ohio and the latter of 
New York. Both came to Illinois in 1829 
and they were nineteen years of age at the 
time of their marriage. Mr. Little was a 
farmer by occupation, thus providing for 
the support of his family. In his political 
views he was an earnest republican and 
held a number of township ofifices. His 
wife died at the old home in Pontoosuc 
township in 1877 and the father is still 
hving upon that place. In their family 
were eleven children, of whom eight yet 
survice. namely: Melissa, the wife of J. 
A. Lamb, of Pontoosuc township: ^[artiii 



L.. living in the same township: Arthur 
and Samuel I., who are resident farmers 
of that township: Mary, the wife of H. 
H. Longshie, of Pontoosuc township: 
Mrs. Byler; Flora, the w-ife of Robert 
Alston, living near Hamilton, Illinois; 
and Frank G., of Dallas City. In early 
womanhood Anna h". Little gave her hand 
in marriage to Thomas B. Hamilton, who 
was born in McDonough county, Illinois, 
in 1864. a son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas 
Hamilton, of Blandinsville. both of whom 
are now deceased. Their only child was 
Thomas B. Hamilton, a most respected 
and worth}" citizen of Hancock county, 
who died in 1897 and was buried in Pon- 
toosuc township. He left three children 
who are now living- with Mr. and Mrs. 
Byler. namely: Mabel G., born July 18. 
1888; Otis F.. born August 16. 1890: 
and Anna Irene, March 7, 1894. Mr. antl 
Mrs. Byler are now the parents of one 
child. Velna G., born July 7, 1903. B}- 
his irrst marriage Mr. Byler had four 
children. Frank L.. the eldest, born Sep- 
tember 24. 1878. and now hving in Dur- 
ham township, married Miss Georgiana 
B. Lamb and they have three children. 
Vera. Naysee and an infant son. Ressa 
V. Byler. who attended the high school 
of Dallas City and is a graduate of the 
high school of Aurora. Nebraska, of the 
class of 1902, makes her home in Ne- 
braska but is now engaged in teaching in 
the high school of Dallas City. Joseph 
I., born September 30, 1887, died May 
4, 1891. Yersel, born July 5, 1894, is a 
student in Dallas City high school. Botli 
Mr. and Mrs. Byler hold membership in 
the Baptist church and he is a member of 
Burnside Lodge 385. A. F. & A. M. of 



.S''^ 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFA 7 FA I 



Buniside. He alsi) belongs to the Mod- 
ern \\'c)(j(lmen camp, wliile his pohtical 
allegiance is given to the tleniocracy. He 
has never been a politician in the sense of 
office seeking, preferring- to devote his 
time and energies to his business afifairs. 
He is recognized in the community as a 
good neighbor and as an enterprising in- 
dustrious man. who has made a creditable 
record in his business life and who en- 
joys the respect and esteem of many 
friends. 



JACOB REISELT. 



Jacob Reiselt. whose position in public 
regard and affection is indicated b\' the 
fact that to his many friends he is known 
as Uncle Jake, resides on a farm in Dur 
ham township near La Harpe and is 
classed with the prominent and repre- 
sentative residents of the community. He 
was bom in Germany. March i. 1829. 
His parents. Jacob and Anna (Sponer) 
Reiselt. were also natives of that coun- 
try and in the year 1842 came to America, 
landing at New- York, after a vo}-age of 
thirty-nine days made on the ship Oneida 
They settled in Franklin county. Ohio, 
near Culumbus, taking up their abode 
upon a farm there in the month of August. 
Six months later the father purchased a 
farm of forty-two acres in Hamilton 
township, Franklin county, where he car- 
ried on farming for many years or 
throughout his remaining days, his death 
occurring in October. 1885. His wife 
sunnved until 1S90 and was then laid to 



rest by his side in Walnut Hill church 
cemetery in Ohio. Mr. Reiselt had served 
for six years in the Gennan army in his 
native country. Emigrating to America 
he became a loyal son of his adopted coun- 
try and as the years passed by his care- 
fully conducted business interests brought 
to him a gratifying measure of success. 
Unto him and his wife were born seven 
sons and five daughters and of their fam- 
ily four .sons and three daughters are yet 
living, namely : Henry, living in Oakland, 
Ohio ; W'altham, of Columbus, Ohio ; 
Jacob, of this review ; Lewis, of Nebras- 
ka : Bina, the wife of Charles Kale, of 
Columbus, Ohio ; Elizabeth, the wife of 
John Gates, also of Columbus ; and Mary, 
the wife of John Claud, living near Ohio's 
capital city. 

Jacob Reiselt at the usual age entered 
the public schools nf his native country 
and there pursued his studies until four- 
teen years of age. when he accompanied 
his parents on their voyage to the new 
world. He remained at hcime until seven- 
teen years of age and then started out in 
life on his own account, working by the 
month as a farm hand for Jeremiah Clark, 
near Columbus. Ohio, with whom he re- 
mained for ten years — a' fact which is 
indicative of his capable service and the 
trust reposed in him by his employer. 
He was married December 18. 1852. to 
Miss Elizabeth Wetherington, wdio was 
born near Columbus, Ohio, in 1824, a 
daughter of William and Maggie (Hel- 
scher) Wetherington, natives of Virginia 
and Pennsylvania respectively. They 
went to Ohio at an early day and there 
Mr. W'etherington engaged in teaching 
school and in farming. He served as a 



H.^XCOCK COrXTV. ILUXOIS. 



59 



soldier of the war of iSrj, holding the 
rank nf captain, and in the community 
where he li\e(I was recognized as a prom- 
inent and influential citizen. In his fam- 
ily were ten children Ijut only two are 
now living: Rebecca, the wife i>f Lewis 
Hartzell. of La Harpe ; and Sarah, who 
resides with her sister. The parents died 
and were liuried in Ohio. 

Fnllowing his marriage Air. Reiselt 
purchased one humlred acres of good 
farm land in Ohii>. where he remained 
until after the close of the war and then 
came to Illinois, locating in Durham 
township on the 5th of March. 1866. He 
purchased one hundred and twenty acres 
of improved land on section 2t, and he 
has since carried un farm work. He has 
largelv remodeled and improved the 
house, has built fences, planted orchards 
and has from time to time added to liis 
place until he now has one hundred and 
sixty acres, one of the best farms in the 
township. He has carried on general ag- 
ricultural pursuits and in his business af- 
fairs has prospered owing to his capaljle 
management and well-directed energy. 

In 1899 Mr. Reiselt was called upon to 
mourn the loss of his wife, who passed 
away on the ist of May of that year at 
the age of sevent^•-four and was laid to 
rest in La Harpe cemeterx-. Both Air. 
and Mrs. Reiselt as well as their parents 
were reared in the faith of the Lutheran 
church, to which the)- always adhered. 
AL-s. Reiselt was a devoted wife and 
mother and kind neighbor and possessed 
many excellent traits of heart and mind 
which endeared her to all with whom she 
was associated. She left fi\-e children, 
two sons and three daughters, all liorn 



in b'ranklin count}', Ohii>. Henry, the 
eldest, Iiorn in 1853. married Rose Ketch- 
am. of Elvaston, Hancock county. Illi- 
nois, and they have seven children: Mel- 
vin. Ivy. Sherman. Mabel. Myrtle. Hazel. 
and an infant son. William, born in 
1855. mai'i'ied Arrissa Smith and lives 
near La Crosse. Efifje. born in 1857. is 
at home with her father. Mary. b<jrn in 
1861, is the wife of .Sherman Broadfield. 
of Durham township, and has two chil- 
dren. Bonneth and Ogle. Alargrettie. 
Ixirn in 1865. is at home. 

Mr. Reiselt has lived a life of tliligence 
and industrv and has now a valuable farm 
property as the result of bis well-directed 
labor. He has a natural spring upon his 
farm Ijetter than an_\' windmill, over 
which he has Ijuilt his milk house, and he 
keeps from thirty to thirty-five good 
milch Cows, thus conducting quite an ex- 
tensi\-e dairy business. In. Ohio his home 
was a log cabin and for fiirt_\'-two vears 
he has resided continuoush' u])on his pres- 
ent farm in Hancock count}'. Every- 
thing about the place is kept in good con- 
dition and indicates his careful super- 
\isioii and capable management. In pol- 
itics he is a democrat and has held a 
nuiiiber of townshii) I'lffices. the tluties of 
which he ever discharged with pnimpt- 
ness and fidelity. He was road super- 
visor for six years, school trustee for 
twenty-se\en years and path master for 
twelve years. Although he has now 
passed the seventy-seventh milestone on 
life's journe}' he is still very active and 
possesses a wonderful memory, while in 
the community no man stands higher in 
the .general regard than does L'ncle Jake 
Reiselt. 



6o 



BIOGRAI'HICAL RH\ -IliW 



LKWIS MARTI X .MVERS. 

Lewis M. Myers is a general stockman, 
feeding and raising high bred horses and 
cattle u])i>n a farm in Pontoosuc township 
and his business qualifications and un- 
abating energy argue well for a success- 
ful future. He was born in the township 
where he still resides. May i6, 1872, and 
is the ninth in order of birth in a family 
of fifteen children whose parents are 
Charles H. and Anna (Dustman) Myers, 
l)oth ("if whom are natives of Germany, 
the father having been bom July 2, 1836, 
and the mother in October, 1844. C. H. 
;\Iyers was a lad of seven years when 
brought to the United States and for 
forty-two years has lived in Hancock- 
county, his home being continuously in or 
near Pontoosuc township. He married 
Anna Dustman near Burlington, Iowa, 
whowas a maiden of eleven summers when 
she crossed the Atlantic. She is a daugh- 
ter of Henry Dustman, who for many 
years lived near Burlington as a farmer 
and later in life was a fruit grower and 
gardener south of the city. She is a sister 
of Heni-y Dustman, whose family history 
is in the Biographical Review of Des 
Moines County, Iowa. Their children are: 
Maiy, the wife of J. S. Massie, of Pon- 
toosuc tmvnslu'p: Harman, living at West 
Point, Iowa; Emma, at Port Arthur, 
Te.xas : XN'illiam. deceased ; Martha, the 
wife of William Pomeroy, of Alveston, 
Illinois: Elizabeth, at home; Lena, the 
wife of George W. Jones, of Rock Creek 
township: .\nna. the wife of Fred Smitli. 
a rice farmer of Port Arthur, Texas ; L. 
M., of this review; Henry, o-f Washing- 
ton : Charles, of Rock Creek township : 



iM'edric, who is with our subject; Virgie, 
at home: Hugh, living in Dallas town- 
ship: and Fay, who is wdth her parents. 

Flaving attended the district school 
near liis father's farm Lewis M. ]\Iyers 
afterward spent one term as a student in 
l^lliott Business College, at Burlington, 
Iowa, in 1892, and following his return 
home assisted in the work of the fields un- 
til twenty-one years of age. Subsequently 
he operated one of his father's fanns for 
sever.'il years, duis starting out in life on 
his own account. 

On the 16th of October. 1895, was cel- 
elirated tlie marriage of L. M. ]\Iyers and 
Miss Xancy Rice, who was born in Fay- 
ette county, Pennsylvania, December 23, 
iS()N. a daughter of Samuel and Cather- 
ine ( .Spears) Rice, likewise natives of the 
Keystone state and now residents of Dur- 
liam township, this county, aged respect- 
ively seventy-four and sixty-three years. 
Of their five children four are now living : 
Alice, the wife of Grant Schultz, of Dur- 
ham townsliip : Mrs. Myers ; Charles, a 
farmer of Durliam township; and Mrs. 
Barl^ara Doss, of Durham township. One 
daughter, Ada, died when five years of 
age. 

Mr. and Mrs. Myers now, live on one 
of his father's farms, and in December. 
1904. he purchased eighty acres of land 
across the road from his home on section 
22. I'ontoosuc township. He tills the soil 
and also raises and feeds horses and cattle, 
and his stock-raising interests are a most 
important branch of his business. For 
about nine years Mr. Myers has been one 
( if the leading horse breeders in this part 
of the county, being particularly inter- 
ested in Percheron horses, and now has 




/^X/^^^^ 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



6r 



at the head of his stud, Caesar (No. 
54038) his French Register Number, — 
liis American Register Number being 
40523. He was imported from France in 
1904, at tlie age of two years, and lias been 
owned by Mr. JNIyers since November 
I. 1904. Besides being highly bred he 
is a fine individvial, weighing over 
2.100 at four years. He also has a 
large number of fine mares and raises 
a high bred stuck himself. He also 
has had full blood Chester hogs and 
Angus cattle but devotes his time now 
to his horses and cattle feeding. He was 
one of the organizers of Camp Creek 
Prospecting Co. that is locating the coal 
in this section, Mr. Myers having gone 
through a three-foot vein of good coal in 
drilling his well. He is one of the di- 
rectors of the company, which intend to 
develop the mine. His success is entirely 
attributable to his own efforts and the as- 
sistance of his estimable wife. Careful of 
e.xpenditures, managing his property ably 
and with keen foresight, he has made con- 
siderable progress on the high way of suc- 
cess and will continue on that road until 
he reaches the goal of prosperity. 

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Myers has 
been blessed with three children and the 
family circle yet remains unbroken by the 
hand of death. Their thre sons are : Mil- 
lard Rice, bom October 30, 1896; Charles 
Byard. February 16, 1899; and Paul 
Lewis, August 28, 1900. Mrs. Myers 
belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church 
but for convenience Mr. and Mrs. Myers 
attend the United Brethren church. He 
is a democrat in his political views and 
has been school director for six years and 
has also filled the office of township col- 



lector. At all times he manifests a public- 
spirited interest in the general welfare and 
upbuilding and is an intelligent an re- 
spected citizen whose well-spent life is 
indicated by the fact that many of his best 
friends are those who have known him 
longest. 



COLONEL BENJAlVHN F. MARSH. 

By the consensus of public opinion in 
the state and nation in the death of Colo- 
nel Benjamin Franklin Marsh, Illinois 
lost one of her greatest sons. He was 
nine times chosen to represent his district 
in congress and his career at all times was 
characterized by a steady progress in mil- 
itar)^, political and professional circles. 
The simplicity of his life, the breadth of 
his vision, the loftiness of his purpose, 
the extent of the work that he accom- 
plished in legislative halls, all combined 
to win for him the respect, honor and 
gratitude of his fellowmen. The meas- 
ure of his ability and personal worth is 
l)erhaps best indicated by the fact that he 
numbered his warmest friends among the 
most distinguished statesmen of the 
country. 

Benjamin Franklin Marsh was more- 
over a native son of Illinois, his birth 
having occurred in Wythe township, 
Hancock county, November 19, 1835. 
and the house in which he first opened 
his eyes to the light of day is still stand- 
ing. Moreover the portion of the farm 
on which the building is located is still 
owned by the family. His boyhood days 



BIOGRAPHICAL RIA ll-.\ 



ut-re frauj^lit witli tlie \icissirudes, ex- 
pL-rit'iicos and em in iiiiiients of pioneer 
life anil he early became familiar with 
all (if the lahnr iucidenl t<i the dexeldp- 
metu and inipni\ement of a farm. His 
educatiim was aci|nired in private 
sehddls. lie was for a hrief ])eriiHl a 
student in l'alm\ra. Missimri. and, the 
inilii;nities which he there saw heaped 
11]) jii the ciilnred vdiith hred his sense nf 
jnstice anil left iipun him an indeliljle 
iin])ressinn which bore fruit in the service 
which he ,i^a\e fi>r the I'nion and for 
liberty dnrin.i^' the dark days nf the Ci\il 
War. lie Cdntnuied his education h) 
four years' study in Jubilee College un- 
del- lli^hop I'hase and there was awak- 
ene:l in him that keen appreciation for 
ri^ht and justice which was ever a doni- 
inanl element in his career. He com- 
pleted the work of the junior year in 
college and then took up the study of 
law ntider the direction of his brother, 
judge J. W. Marsh (now deceased"), with 
whom he was sul)se(|uenth' associated in 
the practice of his profession subsequent 
to his admission to the bar in iS6o. It 
was a niotnentous period in the histor\' of 
Illinois and the nation, the country ha\- 
ing beconie aroused o\er the slaverx' 
i|uestion auij tin- threats nf secession and 
it ni;i\' well be imagined that the young 
man took a keen interest in all of the^ 
great events of that time. Political ques- 
tii>ns were the ilouiinant theme of inter- 
est where men collected together and 
Colonel Mar>h entered heart and soul 
into the political moxements. taking a 
llrm stand in sup])ort of the new Repub- 
lican ]iart\' even at a time when it was 
unpopular to do so. Tn the year of his 



admission to the l)ar he accepted the Re- 
publican nomination for state's attorney 
in a district comprising Adams and Han- 
cock counties, which was then strongly 
democratic. He canvassed both coun- 
ties, his successful opponent being the 
late Calvin .\. Warren, then a distin- 
gmshed lawyer of Western Illinois. In 
his home citw Warsaw. Colonel Marsh 
was more fortunate in his candidacy and 
serx'ed for a period as city clerk and 
also rejiresented \\ arsaw on the boaril ot 
su])er\isors from 18(17 until i86g. In 
the latter year he was nominated for 
membership in the state constitutional 
con\-ention of 1S70, liut his republican 
proclivities occasionetl his defeat in a 
strongly democratic district. 

In the meantime Colonel ]\Iarsh had 
de\dted four }'ears of his life to acti\-e 
military service. He had watched with 
keen iiUerest the progress of ex'ents in 
the south and all the patriotism of his 
nature was aroused l)y the firing upon of 
I-'ort Sumter an<l the attempt to disrupt 
the L'nion. When war was ]5roclaimed 
he raised a comiiam- of cavalry and, go- 
ing to Springfield, tendered its services to 
( ioxernor Vates. but as cavalry was not 
included in President Lincoln's call the 
coni])anv was not accepted. (Jn his wax- 
home from the state capital Colonel 
Marsh found the Sixteenth Illinois Regi- 
ment rendezN-oused at Ouincy and imn-ie- 
diateh- enlisted as a ])ri\atL, but was scjuh 
afterward chosen (|u;irtermaster. When 
with the regiment at Monroe Station. 
Missouri, he received a telegram from 
Governor Yates on tiie 4th of July, 1861. 
sayii-ig that his cavalry con-ipany would 
be accepted. Retiu'iiing at once to W ar- 



II.IXCOCK COi'XrV. ILLIXO/S. 



63 



saw. Colonel Marsh recruiteil the com- 
pany and in August, witli his men. pro- 
ceeded to Spring-field, where the command 
was mustered in as Com]xuiy d of the 
Second Illinois Cavalry. Mr. Marsh was 
chosen captain in August. 1861. and pro- 
motions came to him from time to time 
in recognition of gallant and meritorious 
service. He was cummissiimed major 
August 30, 1862. lieutenant colonel May 
3. 1864. colonel August 2Q. 1865. and 
served continunusl}- until January, 1866. 
ha\'ing campaigned in e\ery seceding 
state except X'irginia and the two Caro- 
linas. Four times lie was wounded by 
gun shot and he carried some of the lead 
to his grave. Those wlio serx-ed under 
him tell that he was a fearless and bril- 
liant officer. ne\er faltering in the per- 
formance of an_\" duty and inspiring his 
men by his own \-aliir and loyalty. Per- 
haps one of the most notable examples 
of his innate personal courage was his 
refusal to obev his superior officer at 
Holly Springs when the latter surren- 
dered. Colonel Marsh and his command 
cutting their wa\- through the rebel lines. 
He never ceased to feel a deeji interest 
in the military organizations of the coun- 
try and had a warm feeling of friendship 
fiir his comrades in arms. 

When the preser\-ation of the l/nion 
had become an assured fact and his aid 
was no longer needed at the front Colonel 
]Marsh returned to Warsaw and resumed 
the practice of law. continuing an acti\'e 
and able member of the bar until his elec- 
tion to congress in i><yC). From that 
time forward his attention was given al- 
most exclusively to important public ser\- 
ice and he left the impress of his individ- 



uality upon national legislation. He had 
in i86() been the nominee for the candi- 
dacy of the Republican part)' in his dis- 
trict for congress and again in 1872 and 
the fatal illness of his wife terminated 
in death on the day of the republican 
con\ention in the latter \ear. so that 
Colonel Marsh was unable to attend. In 
1876. having secured the nomination. 
Colonel Marsh entered into the campaign 
with the same determination and loyal 
spirit that ever characterized him in 
e\-erything that he undertook. In the 
con\'ention each count}" of the district 
except Mercer had a canditlate and 
Colonel Marsh secured the nomination 
on the twent_\--fifth ballot. He was not 
onh' elected in that year l)ut again in 1878 
and 1880, his services during his first 
term being' of such a beneficial nature that 
the party rallied to his supiiort as the 
standard bearer in the two succeeding 
elections. Then came a factional fight 
in the part\- an<l he retired from office 
on the close of his third term. March 3. 
1883. He was in 1892 stri>ngly recom- 
mended b\' nian\' of his friends for the 
candidate for go\-ernor. In the same }ear. 
howexer. others urged him to again Ije- 
come a candidate for congress. He cai'e- 
full_\' studied the situation and was on the 
eve of refusal. Itut the in.lluence of rec- 
ognized part}' leaders who Iniew his 
strength prex'.'iiled upon him and he was 
once niore nominated and elected, at that 
time ser\'ing. through re-election, for four 
consecutive terms. In ii;oo he was ile- 
feated. but in 1902 was again elected to 
congress and once more in 1904. so that 
he was serving as a member of the house 
at the time of his death. In the latter 



64 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriEW 



campaigns iht stale of his health pix- 
vented him from active participation, but 
each election showed good returns in sup- 
port of Colonel Marsh, who was thus nine 
limes called to represent his district in the 
ciiuncil chambers of the nation. During 
the interval of ten years he was out lU' 
cong-ress he served for four years on the 
Illinois Railroad and Warehouse Commis- 
sion through appointment in 1889 f'"'^"'' 
Governor Oglesby. His political service 
is a matter of history. Congressional 
records give indication of his support or 
opposition to various measures which 
came up, and it was a well-known fact 
that he could never be coerced into any 
political position, that neither fear nor 
favor could win his allegiance to a meas- 
ure that he believed would prove detri- 
mental or cause him to oppose a move- 
ment that he thought would prove bene- 
ficial to his state or country at large. He 
did important work in the committee 
rooms, being closely connected with many 
measures of constructive legislation, and 
he made a number of notable addresses 
on the floor of the house. As has been 
said, "But, after all. the services of the 
most valuable, most effective members of 
congress is unwritten history. It can be 
known only to him who has the open 
sesame to the devious ways by which leg- 
islation is shaped and enacted at Wash- 
ington. That Colonel Marsh was here 
a power is now recognized, and that he 
will be missed, especially by this portion 
of tlie nation, is fully appreciated." 

The home life of Colonel Marsh was 
largely ideal. He was married August 
6, 1861, to Miss Josephine Miller, who 
died July 31, 1872. Of their five chil- 



dren two are living: Miss Bertha Marsh, 
of \\'arsaw^ and C. Carroll Marsh, of 
Warsaw. Two of the children, Cara P. 
and Josephine, died in infancy, while 
Arthur W. died a number of years agi) 
after reaching adult age. On the ist of 
January, 1881, Colonel Marsh was mar- 
ried to Aliss Jane E. Coolbaugh, of Chi- 
cago, who died on the i8th of March, 
1905. There were also five children by 
this marriage, of whom Robert Miller 
and James C. died in infancy, while those 
still living are AVilliam C, Richard O. 
and Benjamin F. Marsh, Jr. Colonel 
Marsh was able to leave his family in 
excellent financial circumstances, for in 
his business undertakings he had pros- 
pered. After his retirement from con- 
gress in 1883 he devoted his attention 
largely to his farm southeast of Warsaw, 
and gradually added to his possessions 
situated in Warsaw, A\'ilcox and W'ythe 
townships. The normal man always en- 
jo}-s nature and Colonel Marsh was of 
this class. He found great delig-ht in 
superintending his agricultural interests, 
,in watching the growth of his crops and 
in bringing his land up to a hig-h state 
of cultivation. Colonel Marsh passed 
awa}^ June 2, 1905, at his home in War- 
saw, after an illness which extended over 
several months, although at times his 
health was greatly improved. The fu- 
neral was one of the most notable that 
has e\-er been held in Illinois, special 
trains being run over the different rail- 
road and trolley lines in order to bring 
the large concourse of people who gath- 
ered to pay their last tribute of respect 
to one whom they had known and hon- 
ored. From congress came Senator 



HAXCOCK COUXTY. ILLLXOIS. 



b- 



Shelby ^L Culluni and Representatives 
George \\'. Prince, of Galesburg; Josepli 
V. Graff, of Peoria ; Philip Knopf, of 
Chicag-o; Henry T. Rainey, of Carroll- 
ton; William W. Wilson, of Chicago; 
Zeno J. Rives, of Litchfield : and Charles 
AIcGavin. also of Chicago, who acted as 
honorary pall-bearers, while the active 
pall-bearers were the same that Colonel 
]Marsh had chosen to serve at his wife's 
funeral just eleven weeks earlier. 

It is difficult to analyze the character of 
such a man because of the variety of his 
service and the extent of his influence 
and work. He was a conservative man 
and must Ije regarded as a statesman, al- 
ways striving to build up for the benefit 
of the people and to insure a continuous 
national pi^ogress, believing that nations, 
like men, cannot stand still but must go 
forward or backward. He became con- 
spicuous as a public officer wdio was al- 
ways at his post of duty and always at 
work. Xo man ever represented a dis- 
trict in Illinois in congress who was more 
faithful to the trust reposed in him by the 
penple. His mental characteristics were 
of that solid and practical rather than of 
the ostentatious and brilliant order. He 
was essentially strong in intellect and ca- 
pable of reaching safe, reasonable and 
prudent conclusions. In the long and 
crowded line of illustrious men of whom 
Illinois is justl}- proud, the puljjic life of 
few others has extended o\'er as long a 
period as his. and certainly the life of 
none has been more \'aried in sen'ice. 
more constant in honor, more fearless in 
conduct or more stainless in reputation. 
Perhaps no better testimonial of his char- 
acter and public service can be given than 



in the words of one of his old-time 
friends and associates, who said, "The 
morning following the memorable Gar- 
field memorial exercises in the house of 
representatives, Alexander H. Stephens, 
that pigmy in stature and giant in intel- 
lect, moving in his wheeled chair over the 
arena in front of the speaker's desk, while 
indulging a musing, 'sparkling, laudatory 
criticism of Blaine's eloquent address, 
turned to the writer, with that peculiar 
graciousness which won young men tc> 
him, and said: "And \'et, after all, while 
the genius of the forum kindles enthusi- 
asm and moves one to effort, we should 
remember that in public affairs the well- 
balanced, forceful, persistent worker, 
with courageotis determination and unas- 
sailable integrity, is the master hand in 
shaping the weal of a nation. Of such 
material is your congressman. Colonel 
Marsh." 

"Had the distinguished ex-Vice-Presi- 
dent of the southern confederacy known 
his subject even more intimately he could 
not have measured Colonel Marsh's 
character more accurately nor have 
weighed his abilities more correct!}-. 
Through all his public service his in- 
tegrity was never questioned for a mo- 
ment, and his entire career, from youth 
up. was marked by courageous determi- 
nation. It was with him when only out 
of his teens he braved a pistol's muzzle 
and a mob's fury to sever the rope of 
would-be lynchers ; it was with him at 
Holly Springs when he defied his cow- 
ardly superior officer, refused to sur- 
render, and with a remnant of the Sec- 
ond Illinois Cavaliy cut his way through 
the enemv's lines. Further, it was with 



f^h HIOGRAnUCAl. Kl'.niiW 

him in the capacit\ of a representative exceptiniiall}' famihar witli all pul)lic 
of the people \vliene\er and wlierever (|uestions. ami in close touch witli the 
duty pointed the \\a\, as it was with ])o\\crs that shape them, e(|uippin<4- him 
him in private life. lie had his sorrow s. well fur hi^ work, and with his stmno- 
he had his al'lhctions: hut he concealed personality, making results possible. Me 
the liruise of the rod and the scar of the had the respect and a(hniration of his 
scourge with the veil uf his indomitable colleagues and enjoyed in a peculiar de- 
will, gree the confidence of the late President 

"His was a rugged character Molded McKinley and that of President Roose- 
amid the privations of jiioneer life and \elt and stuod cluse to the heads of the 
de\'eloped in the stirring scenes of the departments. It was in cuuncil. in cum- 
past half centurv, it became w-ell-rounded niittee, he was strcjugest, an<l those who 
as the shadows lengthened. There was are most familiar with his achievements 
nil pretense about him, no dissimulation know that his impress is on national leg- 
in his make-up. lie was frank of islation. Put his life work is o'er. He 
speech, unassuming in manner, hoS])ita- has passed to the unknown realm whither 
ble but unostentatious. He bad a sym- man's ])ilgrimage tends. The good he 
pathetic interest in his fellowman, but it has done will not lie interred with his 
was a wholesome s\mpath\-, not misled bones. It will li\e after him; and while 
bv sicklv sentiment on the one hand nor his ashes sleep in (Jakland. under the 
awed Ijv arrogance on the other. Poyal silent watch of the 'untroubled sentries 
ill his friendship, lie was not bitter in of the shadowy night,' his memory will 
his enmities, and newer took advantage endure, long to be cherished as that of 
of piower to punish a foe. That he was one who served his day and generation 
charitable there are many, manw to at- well and faithfull_\ ." 
test, but he ne\er jingled the coin of 
charitv, being of those who hold that the 

left hand should not kimw what the right 

hand doetli. .\s a jiolitician. Colonel 

Marsh was keen, astute, far-sighted. He 

was an ade])t in ni;irsli;illing his forces. l-dJMOXn P.XRKPR DRXTOX. 

But he eschewed the baser arts and never 

resorted to trades or cabals or the de- lulniond Parker Denton, who, since 

moralizing agencies oiil\- too comuKiii to iSqN has made his home in Hamilton. 

the field of politics. but for many years was extensively and 

"As a pulilic man. he aspired to lie a successfully engaged in stock-raising in 

worker, a doer; and the seifuel proves llancock count}-, as propriettir of the 

that lie did not strive in vain. He did C.'atal]ia (imve stock farm, was born in 

not affect the ornate as a speaker nor did Path county, Kentuck)-. A])ril j, 1S32. 

he dawdle in debate, but when he sp :)ke his parents being Reuben ,ind Jane 

it was brietlv and to the ])oint. He was ( Perkins) Denton, the former born ne;ir 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



67 



the Hcilstein river in Tennessee, and the 
latter in Bath county, Kentucky. His 
paternal grandparents, Alirahani and 
Sarah (Hunt) Denton, were natives of 
Tennessee, while the maternal grrand- 
parents, Edmond and Elizabeth (Van 
Landingham) Perkins, were natives of 
Bath and Fleming counties, Kentucky, 
respectively. The parents were married 
in Fleming- county, where the father died 
in 1862. wliile the mother passed away in 
1868. Their son, Edmond P. Denton, 
was the third in nrder of birth in a fam- 
il}- I if fi\'e children, nf whnni one daugh- 
ter, Alatilda, dieil at the age of foiu" 
years, while Abraham T., who was born 
in 1830, died in Missouri, in February, 
1904. The other brother, Oliver B,, re- 
sides in Fleming county. Kaitucky. while 
Allen PL, born in 1840. died at the age of 
thirteen years. 

I^dmond P. Denton spent the days of 
his boyhood and youth in his native state, 
being reared to the occu]iation of farm- 
ing, and on the 8th of March. 1854. 
when a young man of twenty-two years, 
he left Kentucky and removed to Co- 
lumbus. Illinois, where he spent the suc- 
ceeding year. He then came to Hancock 
county, settling in \\'ythe township, 
where he secured a tract of land which 
had been fenced and cultivated. He be- 
gan the further improvement of the 
place, which he called the Catalpa Grove 
stock fami and here he was extensively 
engaged in raising Wilkes liorses. always 
making a specialty of this breed. When 
his son Henry attained his majority he 
was admitted to a partnership and the 
business of raising and breeding fine 
stock was conducted under the firm st^de 



of Denton & Son. Mr. Denton became 
known as one of the most prominent 
stockmen in this part of the state, raising 
some very fine animals upon his place, 
which sold for high prices. He is an 
excellent judge of horse flesh and has 
owned some splendid specimens of the 
noble steed. As a breeder and stock- 
raiser he met with excellent success and 
continued in active business until i8t)8, 
when he retired from his farm and re- 
moved to Hamilton, where he has since 
made his home. 

On the 15th of December, 1853, Mr. 
Denton was united in marriage to Miss 
Jemima Ellen Whitney, who was born in 
Bath county, Kentuck)-, December 29. 
1845, ^ daughter of Elijah K. and 
Julanie (Jones) Whitney, the former a 
native of Ohio and the latter of Bath 
county. Kentucky. Mrs. Denton was 
educated in Kentucky and spent her girl- 
hood days in her parents' home. By her 
marriage she became the mother of the 
following named: Charles .\.. who is 
circuit judge of Bates county, Missouri; 
Julania Jane, the wife of Charles Cole, 
a liveiwman of Omaha, Nebraska ; Mar- 
garet B., the wife of J. T. Guy, who is 
proprietor of Hotel Hamilton, at Hamil- 
ton. Illinois; Henry K.. who is in the 
li\'er\- Ijusiness in Hamilton; Sarah E., 
the wife of R. R. Wallace, cashier of the 
State Bank at Hamilton ; Edmond Grant, 
a fanner, whose home is two miles north 
of Hamilti:in ; Albert C a gmcervman of 
Hamilton, and is also a mail carrier on 
the rural route; and Jemima Ellen, the 
wife of Harry Rentchler, employed as 
salesman for Bolls Brothers, of Chicago, 
Illinois. Mrs. Denton passed away July 



OcS lUDCRAI'lllCAI. h'liniiir 

lO. 1S89, and was buried in Oakwond maintainin.!;- a deep interest in current 
cemetery at llaniillnn. Illinois. She was events and matters of general prnoress. 
an estimable lad\, who bad been a faitb- Mis has been a useful and Imnoraljle ca- 
ful C(>mi)aniiiu and licl|iniate tn her bus- reer. lie was burn in Hampshire cmmt)', 
band on life's jutu-iiey. Her Inss was Virj^inia. in 1821, an<1|is a representative 
dee])ly reg'retted by man) friends as well of an old family that was founded in 
as her immediate famil\-. Mr. Denton America in colonial days. His uncle, 
now boards with his dant^bter at Hotel l)a\ id l.iltle, was mie of the Ivevolution- 
llannlton. He is a repnblii'an in his ar_\- heroes who won independence lor the 
political \'ic\\s and ser\ ed as supervisor nation and when the country a,i;ain be- 
of \\'\lhe township for three terms, came enq'a^ed in war with (ireat I'.ritain. 
while foi- one term he was collector. He in iSij, he once more foui^bt for .\nier- 
wa> appointed postmaster of Hamilton ican rii^bts. .Martha and Sarah ( Rit- 
011 the i>l of June, iSiji). and has had nour) Hitlle. i)arenls (d" our subject, were 
three a])pointments to that office, the last likewise natives of the (_)ld Dominion, 
couiini;- from President l\oose\elt on the born near Winchester in \/')4 and in 
1st of Al.arch, 11^03, so that the incum 171/1, res](ecti\ ely. in the '_'<)s they 
benc\' will continue until ii)Oij. He is became residents of (ireene county. Ohio, 
a capable oflicial, .s,;"ivin!4' a public-spirited and on the -'5th of .\pril, 1847, arrived 
administration in the affairs of the oflice. in Hancock county, setllinj;- in \\) 
iM'aternalh' he is a Mason, and in his life ])anoose l(iwiishi]). .Soon. howc\ er. the 
exem])lilies the beneficent s])irit of the father |)Ui-chased land from a Moiniou 
craft. In business, in jiolitical circles elder, hullmer, and the famil\- were in- 
and in social life he has alwa\s been stalled in a loj.;- cabin in I'oiitoosuc town- 
known ;is a man Wdrtln- id' the public es- shi|), where they e\])crienced the usual 
teem and confidence and the circle of his bai'ilsbips, ])ri\ations ami pleasures of 
friends is ;i \'erv e.Ktensi\T one. ])ioiieer life, the father followini;- tarm- 

iui;- there until his death in 1854. He 

was Ions,;' sur\i\ed by his wile, who died 

ill T8S2. 

f.. I). Little, accompanied his ])arents on 

their remo\al to Ohio in i8_'7, was educ- 

l.ORENZO D. I. Iff I.E. cated in that state and there lived for 

twenty years, and at the lime of the re- 

l.orenzo H. Little is one of the most iiioval of the famil)- to Illinois, in 1847, 

\encrable citizens of TTancock county, he also came to llancock county, taking- 

\el the \ears rest lightly upon him and u]) his abode in I'oiitoosuc township, 

he a]3pears to be a much younger man where he purchased forty acres of land 

than the records state, for he is still ac- and began the development id' a new 

ti\e in business life, m.anaging his farm- farm, perlorming all the ai'dnous lab >r 

ing interests in I'oiitoosuc township and connected with such a task. In later 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



69 



years he purchased anotlier furty-acre 
tract on section 20. and throughout his 
residence here has carried on general 
farming and stock-raising, his prosper- 
ity coming as the legitimate and well- 
merited result of his own labor. 

Mr. Little was married July 15, 1849, 
to ]\Iiss Hester A. Tull. who was born 
in Maryland, February 25. 1827, a daugh- 
ter of John R. and Xancy (Langford) 
Tull. The father, who was born in 
[Maryland, in March, 1807, died in 189S, 
while the muther, whose birth occurred 
in the same state and in the same year, 
died in August. 1882. They were mem- 
l)ers of the Methodist church and many 
good qualities endeared them tn their 
family and friends. Of their nine chil- 
dren only three are now living: Mrs. 
Little: Elizabeth, the wife of Daniel A. 
Little, of Pontoosuc township; and 
Sarah, the wife of Isaac Grove, of Pay- 
son, Adams countv, Illinois. Mr. and 
I\Irs. Little became parents of three chil- 
dren will I have passed away and three 
who still sun'ive. Xaomi became the 
wife of ]\Iarion Jacolis. who tlied in Ar- 
kansas in 1904. lea\ing six children: 
Rosa, the \\ife of Arthur Jacobs, of 
Mena. Arkansas, bv win mi shedias three 
children. Evelyn. Lorenzo and Clara: 
Joseph Jacobs, who married Zelpha 
Choate. of Arkansas : Ella, wife rif John 
McKinstr}-. of Texas: Orley, living in 
Arkansas : and Lorenzo and Clarence 
Jacobs, also of that state. John Little 
married Flora W'ilcox and resides in 
Pontoosuc township. Joseph Little, of 
Pontoosuc township, married L<_)uisa 
Cress, and has four children: Emma P., 
wit'e of Frank Perkins, of Pontoosuc 



township: Lester, Guy and Walter. .\r- 
meUla Little is the wife of Benjamin Ri- 
ter. oi Pontoosuc township, and has 
three children: Arthur L., (roldie M., 
and lA7.7Ae: E., Harry C. Riter died at the 
age of ten months. One child of the fam- 
ily died in early infanc}-. Elizabeth Lit- 
tle, who was the first bom. died at the age 
of four months and twenty-three days. 

Mr. Little is a republican and has 
served as road supervisor and as a mem- 
ber of the school board. His wife is a 
memljcr of the Methodist church. They 
have traveled life's journe}' together as 
man and wife for fifty-seven years, and 
are ;i much-esteemed couple of Pontoo- 
suc inwnship. They yet enjo_\' gocxj 
health and are active, bearing- the Inirden 
of the years lightly, \\'hile they have 
had sorrows and hardships, the}- have 
vet had manv pleasures and successes. 



HENRY RICE. 



Henry Rice, whose well developed 
fami is one of the attractive features in 
the landscape in Durham township, 
was born in Fayette county. Pennsylva- 
nia. June 15, 1827. and the nearly eighty 
years of his well-spent life have made 
him a most respected anil honored man. 
His ])arents were Samuel and h'annie 
( Strickler ) Rice, likewise natives of Fay- 
ette ciiunty. Pennsylvania, the former 
born in 1804 and the latter in 1802. 
Samuel Rice was also a farmer b\- oc- 



RIOGRAPHICAL RF.l -IliW 



cupation and was a local preacher in the 
River Brethren denomination in Penn- 
sylvania. He remained in the Keystone 
state until his later years, when he came 
to Illinois and li\-ed with his children, 
passing away in Henderson county, De- 
cember 19, 1885. His wife died No- 
vember 30, 1870, and was laid to rest in 
Ohio, while his grave was made in Diu"- 
ham cemeter}-. Tiiey were the parents 
of eleven children : Nanc_\- and Christian, 
deceased; Henry, of this review: John 
and Fannie, who ha\e jjassed away: 
Samuel, of Durham township: (leorge, 
deceased: Lydia, the wife of John 
Hershey, of Ohio ; Rebecca, who died in 
April, 1906: and Mary and Cyrus, also 
deceased. 

Henry Rice was educated in the dis- 
trict schools of I'ayette county, Pennsyl- 
\ania, Init his opporttmities in that direc- 
tion were somewhat limited. The little 
"temple of learning" in which he pursued 
his studies, was a log structure with 
puncheon floor and slab seats. He re- 
mained with his father until abiiut the 
time he attained his maioritv and was 
then married, in 184S, to Miss Elizabeth 
Stoner, who indeed pro\-ed a faithful 
companion and helpmate to him on life's 
journe}'. She was l)om in P)lair county, 
Pennsylvania, in September, 1826, a 
daughter of Jacob and Barbara ( Hosier) 
Stoner, natives of eastern Pennsylvania, 
in which state the father followed farm- 
ing. In the Stoner fanu'ly were nine 
children: .\brahaiu, now living in Des 
Moines, Iowa : Mary, deceased : Mrs. 
Rice: Ann and David, who are residents 
of PennsyKania : Josejjh and Rebecca, 
wh(.> ha\'e passed away: .^usan. living in 



northern lllintjis: and Sarah, deceased. 
Mr. and Mrs. Rice began their domes- 
tic life in Fayette count}-. Pennsylvania, 
where they lived for six years and then 
remo\-ed to Stark count\', Ohi<i, where 
they spent four years on a fann. (Jn the 
e.xpiration of that period they located in 
Adams county, Illinois, and after a }-ear 
and a half came, in the fall of 1859, to 
Hancock county, settling in Durham 
township, where Mr. Rice purchased 
one hundred and sixty acres of land on 
section 10. Improvements had already 
been made upon the place, and in 1871 
he erected an elegant residence, while in 
1868 he built a commodious bam. He 
also put up a windwill and built good 
sheds and other outbuildings for the 
shelter of grain and stock, together with 
fences which dixide the place into fields 
of convenient size. It is today one of 
the finest farms in Durham township, 
and com];)rises one hundred and sixty 
acres of land. Mr. Rice having sold two 
hundred and fort}- acres. However, he 
still owns three hundred and twenty 
acres of farm land in Lee county, Iowa. 
He has alwavs raised stock and has car- 
ried on general farming. Although now 
well ad\-anced in }-ears he still gives per- 
sonal super\-ision to the place, which, 
under his capable management, is kejit 
under a hig-h state of cultivation, the 
rich and productive fields annually re- 
tiu-ning to him g-ratifying harvests. '\{\-. 
Rice is also a director of the Farn-iers 
State Bank of Dallas. 

Unto Mr. ;ui(l Mrs. Rice, as the years 
went b}'. were born ten children, three 
in Penns}]\-ania, twn in Ohio and the 
others upiin the home farm in this county. 



HA\-COCK COCXTY. ILLIXOIS. 



The family record is as follows : I'an- 
iiie Ann, deceased; Jacob, of Nebraska, 
who marrietl Miss Luella Lydic and has 
five children, Nellie, Elizabeth, T.anra, 
Jay and Dean; Samuel, also of Nebras- 
ka, who married Miss Jennie Boyle, and 
died leaving three children, Lena, Stew- 
art and Harry: Mary, the wife of James 
Babcock, of Durham township, by whom 
she had three children, Frank, deceased, 
Rolla and Ina : Le Roy, who has passed 
away; Clara, the wife of John Smith, of 
Iowa, by whom she has nine children, 
Bessie, (irace, Laura, Maggie, Lawrence, 
Ina. Helen, Beulah and Ruth : Laura, 
who is with her father: Jenora, deceased: 
Clark, of Pontocjsuc township, wdio mar- 
ried Miss Minnie Bradfield and had three 
children, Bertha, deceased, Charles, and 
Eulah, who has also passed away ; and 
Etta, at home with her father. The 
children have been provitled with li1)eral 
educational privileges, the sons all at- 
tending city schools, some in Burlington, 
in Denmark and in Keokuk, Iowa. 

In the early days of their married 
life Mr. and Mrs. Rice had to undergo 
many hardships and privations, but as 
the years passed prosperity attended 
their labors and Mr. Rice is now in very 
comfortable financial circumstances. In 
addition to his farm property he is a 
stockholder in the Fanners E.xchange 
Bank of Dallas City, as are his two 
daughters who are at home. In iyo2 
they were called upon to mourn the loss 
of wife and mother, who passed away 
on the 7th of November of that year and 
was laid to rest in Durham cemetery, 
her death being deeply regretted by 
manv friends as well as her immediate 



family. She was indeed a loving wife 
and mother, her interests centering in 
her own household. She did everything 
in her -power to promote the welfare and 
happiness of her family and she extended 
a most gracious and coi^dial hospitality 
to her many friends. Her many excel- 
lent traits of character won her the es- 
teem and love of all with whiim she came 
in contact. In his political affiliation 
Mr. Rice is a democrat and at one time 
served as sclnx.)! director but has never 
sought or desired (jffice. His success is 
attributable entirely to his own labors. 
He is of a modest and retiring disposi- 
tion but the consensus oi public opinion 
is that he deserves prominent mention 
among the representative men of the 
county. He is a representative of one 
of the oldest families of the township 
and is one wdiose life record is indeed 
worthy of emulation and of admiration. 



ZIMRI WHITE. 



Zinu'i \\'hite is a retired farmer and 
\'eteran of the Civil war, living in Ham- 
ilton. He was born in Coatsburg, Adams 
county. Illinois. September 22, 1839, and 
is a son of John and Drusilla { Lasley) 
White, natives of Virginia and South 
Carolina respectively. His paternal 
grandfather, ^^'illiam \\'hite, was a na- 
tive of Scotland and the maternal grand- 
father was John Lasley, of South Caro- 
lina. In the year 1822 John White went 
to Springfield. Illinois, with his mother. 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IFJr 



He was then a lad of ten _\-ears, his birth 
having occurred in iSij, T!ie father 
had died in the south and the widowed 
motlier afterward removed to tliis state, 
where John White learned the plasterer's 
trade. He worked in Spring-field for 
some time, after which he removed to 
Adams county, Illinois, where he was 
married in 1838. He then rented land 
for a few years, after which he rem<.ive(l 
to Hancock cmintv and purchased one 
hundred and sixty acres oi prairie land, 
for which he paiil three hundred and 
fifty dollars and which is now worth six- 
teen thousand dollars. He als(T bought 
thirty acres of timber land. The prairie 
tract was all wild and uncultivated, but 
he built thereon good houses, barns and 
other impn:)\-ements. He also fenced 
the land and l)roke the wild prairie, trans- 
forming it into richly developed fields. 
It was the period of pioneer progress in 
Hancock county and it was no unusual 
thing to see timber wolves, while deer 
were quite numerous and turkeys and 
other lesser game could he had in abund- 
ance. In fact evidences of frontier life 
were many, Ijut they gave wa}' before 
the inroads of an advancing ci\ilization. 
John White continued to reside upon the 
farm which he purchased until 1897. 
when he went to live with a son upon a 
farm, and in 1899 he took up his abode 
in the home of his son, Zimri, with whom 
he continued until his death, which oc- 
curred on the 22d of August, 1903. His 
wife had passed away in 1891, when 
seventy-one years of age. In the family 
were ten sons, of wliom six are yet 
living, 

Zinu'i White, the eldest of the father's 



fann'ly. worked upon the home farm un- 
til twenty-one years of age. during which 
period he gained practical knowledge of 
the best methods of tilling the soil, while 
in the public schools he acquired his edu- 
cation. Almost his entire life has been 
passed in Hancock county. After at- 
taining his majorit}- he engaged in the 
operation of rented land foi- a vear, luit 
at the end of that time put aside all per- 
sonal considerations in order to aid his 
country, enlisting on the 13th of August. 
1862, as a member of Company H. One 
Hundred and Eighteenth Illinois Infan- 
tr\". The regiment went to Camp But- 
ler, rem.aining there for a few months 
and afterward was attached to the Army 
of the Mississippi, At the battle of Fort 
Hudson Mr. White had a horse shot 
from under him. He was with his regi- 
ment during the entire period of the war 
save for three months spent in the hos- 
pital at Jefferson Barracks and at Baton 
Rouge. Louisiana, Returning to the 
home place, he bought eighty acres on 
section 9, Wythe township, where he 
built a house of fi\-e rooms but has since 
made an addition thereto. He carried 
on general farming and stock-raising un- 
til 1894, when, on account of ill health, 
he remo\-ed to the Oakwood addition to 
Hamilton, where he bought six fine lots 
in one tract, improved with a commodi- 
ous and pleasant residence. He does 
general gardening on his lots and his 
place is one of the most sightly in all the 
Oakwood addition. He finds it impossi- 
ble to entirely put aside business cares 
and thus his time and energies are given 
to the cultivation of vegetables. 

On the 2qth of December,. i86q, Mr. 



H.4.\'C0CK COUNTY, ILLIXOIS. 



White was united in marriage to IMiss 
Hannah E. Daw, who was born in Bear 
Creek township, Hancock county, a 
daughter of Edward and Eliza (Gra- 
ham) Daw, the former a native of Eng- 
land. There was one son bom of that 
marriage. John Edward White, wiiose 
birth occurred October 4, i860. The 
wife and mother died on the 2C)th of the 
same month and on the 21st of Xovem- 
ber, 1867, Mr. White was again married, 
his second union being witli Harriet 
Eliza Smith, who was born in W^•the 
township, Hancock count}-. May 22. 
1848, her parents being WilHam A. and 
Sarah (Smart) Smitli, the fVirmer bom 
in Alabama in i8jr and the latter in 
Macoupin county, Illinois. Her paternal 
grandparents were James and Elizabeth 
(Owens) Smith and the former was a 
son of a Revolutionary soldier. In the 
year 183 1 William A. Smith came to 
Hancock county, Illin(.iis. and served as 
a soldier at the time of the Mormon 
war. He married near Plymouth. Illi- 
nois, and li\'ed upon a farm in W'vthe 
township up to the time of his death, 
which occurred on the 2qth of Xo\-ember. 
1864. His wife long sur\'ived him, pass- 
ing away on Christmas da}- of 1894. I" 
their family were two sons and five 
daughters, all of whom are }-et living. 

I'nto Mr. and ;\Irs. White have been 
born the following named ; William 
Smith, who was bom .\pril 24. 1869, 
and is living on his father's farm in 
Wythe township: Myrtle Jane, who was 
born May 11, 1872, and married Orville 
French, of Ouincy, Illinois: Ira Elmer, 
who was born April 20, 1876. and re- 
sides at Glenn's Ferrv, Idaho; Ida Alice, 



twin sister of Ira and the wife of Burt 
Barnaby, of Wythe township; Bertha 
Drusilla. who was born February 14, 
1879, and is the wife of Lester Barr, of 
Downer's Grove, Illinois ; and Sarah 
Helen, who was born November 18, 
1889. and died March 12, 1891. 

Mr. White of this review is a member 
of the Baptist church, active and influ- 
ential in its work, and for many years he 
was superintendent of the Sunday-school. 
Since 1881 he has served as deacon in the 
church. In his political affiliation he is 
a prohibitionist, the cause of temperance 
ha\-iiig long fc.iund in him a stalwart 
champion. He has served as highway 
commissioner and as constable and school 
director in Wythe township and the du- 
ties of these \-arious positions were dis- 
cliarged with promptness and capability. 
He likewise belongs to the Grand Amiy 
of the Republic antl thus maintains pleas- 
ant relations with his old army com- 
rades. An analyzation of his life record 
will show that he has been faithful in 
citizenship, straightforward in business, 
trust\vorth}- in friei-idship and de\-oted to 
the ties of home and family, and thus 
his many excellent characteristics make 
him well worthy the regard in which he 
is uniformlv held. 



JOSI.XH RITCHEY. 

Josiah Ritchey is a retired farn-ier re- 
siding at the corner of Clark and Wash- 
ington streets, Carthage. He is accorded 



74 



B I ( )GRAPHICA L REl 'IE 1 1' 



the respect and eoiifKlciice nf his fellow- 
men lint alt me l)ecause nf the success 
which he has achicNcd, iiiakiiii;- him nne 
(if the men of affluence in this city but 
also by reason of tht- honorable, strai.^lit- 
forward Inisiness methods he has e\er 
follnwcd and also owing to the jirinci- 
ples of conduct which ha\-e shaped his 
daily life. .\n analwation of his career 
shows that his religious faith has been 
a strong nintive influence in all that he 
has done and he stands for that higher 
t\pe of manhood which not im]\ repre- 
sents justice but tempers justice with 
merc\' and which recognizes man's obli- 
gation to his fellowmau and his ?klaker. 
A nati\e of Tennessee he was l)(:)rn in 
Abmroe count\-, in 1830. his parents be- 
ing John and Catherine (Dougherty) 
Ritchey. Josiah Dougherty, the great- 
grandfather of oiu' subject, was a soldier 
oi the war of i8t2. and his son. Henry 
Dougherty, was a soldier of the Mexican 
war. The parents were nati\'es of Ten- 
nessee, the former born in Hawkins 
county January k). iSoi. and the latter 
in Jefferson count}' on the 21st of Ala}-. 
1804. The father was a farmer bv (jc- 
cttpatii.m. and after li\ ing for a number 
of years in Tennessee came to Illinois in 
1853, settling first in Adams county. The 
following year he removed to a farm in 
Hancock county, Illinois, and at flrst 
lix'ed in a log cabin, the famil}- living 
upon the old home propertx' in Dallas 
township. Later, however, he sold out 
,and bought an inijiroved farm in Dur- 
ham township, on which stood a com- 
fortable tjrick residence and other e(iuip- 
ments. He devoted his time and ener 
gies to genera! farming and stock-raising 



and yet found opportiniit}- to promote 
])ul)lic progress through co-operaticin iii 
man}- mo\ements for the general gocxl 
;ind b}- efhcient service in public office, 
lie held a number of local political posi- 
tii.ms and was also a member of the 
scliool board. He voted with the de- 
nioci'acv. of which he was a stalw.art 
sup])orter and both he and his wife were 
members of the Baptist church, while 
li\ing in Tennessee, but following the 
remo\-al to Illinois Mr. Ritchey joined 
the L'nited brethren church. He died 
in Durham townshij) in 1876, at the age 
of seventy-fi\e years, while his wife 
passed aw a}' in 1888. at the age of 
eighty-four years and eight months, both 
being buried in Durham tow-nship. Their 
marriage had been celebrated on the 13th 
of Alarch. 1822. antl the}' became the 
parents of tweh'e children, all of whom 
were born in Tennessee and have now 
]iassed away, with the exception of Alar- 
garet and Josiah. The firmer, born 
.March 13. 1823. is the widow of James 
Kellew and resides with a daughter in 
Colusa. Illinois. Those who ha\'e passed 
aw a}- are: Xanc}- J., who was born Xo- 
\em1)er 19. 1823: Alexander H.. born 
July I. 1826: Sarah M., May 7, 1828: 
Samuel L.. July 4. 1832; John, February 
It. 1834; Alartin B.. January 7, 1837: 
Isaac S.. July 2~. 183CJ; Elizabeth. Feb- 
ruary 7. 1841 : James K.. Xovember 12. 
1842; and Louisii Catherine. Januar}- 28, 

1843. 

Josiah Ritchey largely aci[uired his 
education in the schot)1s of Tennessee, 
but also continued his studies through 
one winter in Hancock county. Illinois. 
He spent the days of his boyhood and 



IIAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



/o 



A'outh in liis parents' liome and remained 
with them until twenty-three years i)f 
a^e. when. <in the uth of January, 1854. 
he was married near Blandinsvihe. lUi- 
nois, to Miss Amanda F. Knowles, who 
was born in Delaware, January 27, 1835, 
and is a daughter of Rev. Phillip and 
Nanc}- (Hill) Knowles, who were also 
natives of Delaware. The father was 
a minister of the United Brethren chtn-ch 
and after coming- to this state resided for 
a time in Jacksonville, after which he 
removed to McDonough county and sul)- 
se(|uentl\' to Henderson count}', while 
later he had several charges in Hancock 
county, Illinois. He was thus closely as- 
sociated with the moral development of 
this portion of the state, his influence be- 
ing of no restricted order, as he labored 
untiringly for the spread of the gospel. 
He departed this life in Missouri in 1888. 
while his wife had prex'iously passed 
away. In their faniih' \\ere eight chil- 
dren, of whom four are now lix'ing: 
Thomas, a resident of Oregon: William, 
in Florida; Elizabeth, the wife of Man- 
love Dawson, of Peoria; and Kinzie. of 
Nebraska. 

Unto ]Mr. and Mrs. Ivitche}' were 
born nine children, all natives of Han- 
cock county, and sex'en of the number 
are still living. Hiram C Ixirn Decem- 
l)er 15, 1854, married Belle Lamb and 
had two children. Earl H. and Perle \\'.. 
twins, born August 10. 1S77. Their 
mother died when the\' were only elex'en 
months old and thev were reared by 
their grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Josiah 
Ritche\^ Both are now married. Perle 
wedded Pearle (jallopy. li\es in Canton. 
Illinois, and has three children, L'rsa, 



Hiram Edward and \'erne Lagrue. 
Earl married Luella Brown, li\es in Can- 
t(jn and has two children, Lowell and 
(Irace. .\fter losing his first wife Hiram 
Ritchey wedded Airs. Mary McClain, the 
widow of Dr. AlcClain. and after her 
death he married Mrs. Ella Ball, the 
widow of Dr. Ball. The only child of 
the third marriage is deceased. Hiram 
Ritchey is now a resident of Canton, Illi- 
nois. Philip W. Ritchey. the second 
member of the father's family, was born 
July 7, 1857, married .\ngeline Howard 
and li\-es in Dallas City. Illinois. They 
had two children, the lixing daughter, 
E\-a, Ijeing now at home with her parents. 
John AT. Ritchey. born Alarch 22. 1859. 
died in 1877. Sarah L.. born April 30, 
1 861. is the wife of William Styles, of 
Laurens. Iowa, and the_\- had nine chil- 
dren, of whom six are living: Bert, who 
is married and li\-es in Fulton county. 
Illinois, and has four children: James, 
win:) is married and li\-es in h^ilton 
count}', and has one child: Josiah (ioldie: 
and Fay and an infant. Margaret 
Ritchey. the fifth member of the family 
of Josiah Ritchey. was born September 
14. 1863, is the wife of Henry W. Wal- 
ter, of Dallas City. Illinois, by whom 
she has one daughter, Alay, now Mrs. 
Aluller. of Dallas City, and the mother of 
two children. Catherine M. Ritchey. 
l)orn .August 14. 1865. is the wife of 
Lucius Atwater. of Alissouri, and has 
eig'ht children living, Cleveland, Bertha, 
Orilla, -Amanda Belle, Lotus. Lecil, 
Josiah Ritchey and Joseph. James H. 
Ritchey, the seventh member of the fani- 
ily, was born October 5, 1868, and lives 
in Canton, Illinois. He married Airs. 



76 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFA'IFA]' 



Dora Gates and lias four cliildren, Elsie, 
Charles. James and Edith. Lucinda M., 
born March 9. 1873, became the wile of 
Frank O'Neil, and died in Graceville, 
Minnesota, February 19. 1903, leaving 
four children : Roy, of Durham town- 
ship; Jdsiah Royse, living with an aunt 
in La Ilarpe; Ernest Ritchey and Edith 
Elizal)eth, twins, who are with their 
grandparents; Dora B., liorn September 
27. 1875. is the wife of Fred McKini, a 
resident of Disco, Illinois. 

At the time of their marriage Josiah 
and Amanda (Knowles) Ritchey began 
their domestic life in Dallas township, 
wliere tlicy resided for two }'ears and 
then removed to Durham township, set- 
tling on a partially improved farm, on 
which Mr. Ritchey made many modern 
improvements, there carrying on general 
farming and stock-raising with good suc- 
cess. In 1883 he was called upon to 
mourn the Joss of his wife, who died 
upon the old homestead farm in Dur- 
ham township. She was a lady of many 
excellent traits of character and was 
held in warm regard liy all who knew 
her. Mr. Ritche}' continued to reside 
upon the farm until 1899, when he re- 
mo\-ed to Carthage, purchasing a beau- 
tiful home at Xo. 706 AX'ashington street 
at the extreme end of the street. He 
was drafted for service in the Civil war 
but sent a substitute, and throughout the 
passing years carried on farm labor with 
excellent results, the annual sale of his 
crops and stock bringing to him a good 
income that eventually enabled him to 
put aside further cares and live retired. 

On the 20th of November, 1889, j\Ir. 
Ritchey was again married, his second 



union being with Miss Isabelle Cuny, 
who was bom in Allegheny county, 
Pennsylvania, November 20, 1838, a 
daughter of Matthew and Jane (Curry) 
Curry, who though of the same name 
were not relatives, the former Ijeing a 
native of Ireland, and the latter of Penn- 
sylvania. Matthew Curry came to 
.America when fourteen years of age and 
made his wa}' to Hancock county, Illi- 
nois, in 1852, settling upon a farm here. 
He was a republican in his poHtical 
views and both he and his wife were 
of the old Covenanter faith and became 
members of the United Presbyterian 
church, with which they were affiliated 
at the time of their deaths. The father 
passed away in 1874, and the mother 
survived until 1891, when she was laid 
by his side in the cemetery in Fountain 
Green township. He had farmed in 
Hancock township for a number of years 
and was accounted one of the enterpris- 
ing agriculturists and reliable business 
men of the community. In their fam- 
ily were six children, trve of whom are 
living, namely: Airs. Isabelle Ritche}^; 
Adam, who resides upon the old home 
farm near Webster, Illinois: Eliza Jane, 
the wife of James Marshall, who is living 
in Carthage township, near Webster; 
Alargaret, the wife of Andrew Baxter, of 
Atchison county, Kansas : and Samuel, 
who is living in Hancock township, this 
count}'. One brother, Adam Curry, en- 
listed in the Tenth Missouri Infantry, and 
afterward re-enlisted in the One Hundred 
and Eighteenth Illinois Infantry, serving 
throughout the war. He was with 
Sherman on the celebrated march to the 
sea and was shot at the battle of Corinth. 



JLIXCOCK COi'NTV. ILLIXOIS. 



still carrving the ball in his shoulder. 
Thomas, Isaac, William and Jacob 
Knowles, brothers of ^Ir. Ritchey's first 
wife, were also soldiers of the One Hun- 
dred and Eighteenth Illinois Infantry. 
]\Ir. and Mrs. Ritchey have reared two 
grandchildren, living to see them married 
and comfortably situated in life, and are 
now rearing two more grandchildren. 
He and his first wife were members of 
the United Brethren church but now he 
is a member of the Presbyterian church, 
to which his second wife belongs and in 
which he has served as an elder for five 
vears. They take a very active and 
earnest part in church work and are sin- 
cere Christian people, doing everything 
in their power to advance the cause of 
Christianity. Mr. Ritchey was for many 
years an advocate of the democracy but 
now casts an independent ballot, sup- 
porting the candidate whom he regards 
as the best man. He has held a num- 
ber of township offices and at all times 
has been loyal in citizenship, doing what 
he could for the welfare and progress of 
the community. He is a self-made 
man, conscientious and reliable. Start- 
ing out in life empty-handed, his deter- 
mination and energy have been the sali- 
ent points in his career, enabling him to 
acquire a good living and la^' something 
b)' for a rainy day. Both he and his wife 
are held in the highest esteem, Mrs. 
Ritchey being a lovely Christian char- 
acter, and their interest and activity in 
church work has done much fi ir the cause 
in this community. X^w li\ing retired 
from business Mr. Ritchey is enjoying a 
rest which is richly merited and he 
stands high in public regard. 



JONATH.VN C. WILLEY, 

Jonathan C. W'illey, who became a 
resident of Hancock county at an early 
day, now resides upon his farm on sec- 
tion lo, Carthage township, where he 
owns and cultivates eight}' acres. He 
was born in Dickson county, Tennessee, 
on the 14th of September, 1837, and be- 
came a resident of Illinois when about 
ten years of age, accompanying his 
parents, John F. and Millie (Morrison) 
W'ille}', on their removal to Bon<l county, 
this state. The father was born in Hali- 
fax county, Xorth Carolina, while the 
mother's birth occurred in Tennessee. 
With his parents he went to the latter 
state when about two years old and was 
there reared to manhood and married. 
All of the children of the familv were 
born in Tennessee and the parents re- 
sided there until about 1847, when they 
came to this state, settling in Bond 
county, where they remained for five or 
six years. They afterward went to 
Menard count}', Illinois, and thence to 
Mason county, remaining for onl}- a 
brief period in each county. In 1854 
they came to Hancock county and Mr. 
Willey cast in his lot with the early set- 
tlers who were depending upon agricul- 
tiu-al interests for a living. He subse- 
cpiently conducted his farming interests 
up to the time of his death, which oc- 
curred in Carthage township upon the 
[ilace now owned by his son Jonathan, 
when he was seventy-six years of age. 
His political allegiance was given to the 
democracy but he never sought or de- 
sired oflice. He was a prosperous and 
progressive man who owned large prop- 



7« 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



cr\\ interests in Tennessee. 'I'lie place 
of his interment is in iMiunlain (ireen 
cemetery, where lie was laid t > rest l^l- 
lowing- his death, i m the i-'th (if Afarch. 
1887. His wife snr\ i\ed him for al)ont 
fonr years and died March 14. 1891. Of 
their fi\'e children only three are nnw 
living-, as follows: Mary Catherine, the 
wife I if Jiihn Dennison. of Hamiltim, 
Illinois; Elizabeth, the wife of Elias 
Lister, of Tulare, California; an<l Jon- 
athan C. 

The fourth in order nf birth in his 
father's family, Jduathan C. W'illey, was 
reared under the parental rodf, accimi- 
l)anying his parents on their removals 
to wirious Idealities. He largely nb- 
tained his educatii)n in Tennessee and 
after ctmiing to Hancdck cdunty he as- 
sisted his father updu the Imme farm 
as a yount;' man. There he remained 
to the ai^e nf twenty-three years, when 
he started dut in life nn his dwn accdunt. 
rentins^' a farm in h^duntain Green tdwn- 
ship, where he remained for a number ot 
A'ears. During' that ])eriod he li\-ed care- 
fuUv and economicrdlv and thereb)' he 
accumulated the capital sufficient to en- 
able him td ]nu"cbase his present farm, 
wherenn he has since resided. The place 
was but ]iartiall\' imi)rcived but he has 
continued its cultix'atidu and dc\'eldp- 
ment uruil he now has a niddel farm, bis 
atteiUidu being gi\'en td general farm- 
ing and stdck-raising. His lousiness 
methods are such as bear close investi- 
gation and scrutin_\- and his enterprise 
has been a salient' le.itm'c in his success. 

( )n the Jd df .\pril, 1862. was cele- 
brated the marriage nf Mr. \\ illey and 
Miss Cynthi;i Wright, a daughter of 
Hickerson and Cvnthia (Donohd) 



Wright. Mrs. Willey was born in Foun- 
tain Green township. September 30. 1840, 
and [jursucd her educatinn in the schdols 
(_)f Fountain Green, f^intoosuc and Web- 
ster townshii)S, remaining at h<ime until 
her marriage. She has become the 
mother nf fi\-e children, three Sdus and 
twd daughters. Sterling I'rice. born in 
I'"duntain (ireen township, Xnvember 30. 
1862, died at the age df three years and 
one miinth. and was there laid to rest. 
Finnic is UdW the wife df Charles E. 
Griswdld. a carijenter and Cdutractor of 
Chicago. Her first husliand was Steph- 
en D. .\ldridge. wlm was a farmer of 
P'ountain Green township, and b_\" their 
luarriage there was one sun. Carroll D., 
wild was bdrn August \2. 1893, and iidw 
makes his Imme with his grandparents, 
Mr. and Mrs. Willey. Jennie Florence 
is the wife of Alfre<l Pi. Miller, of De- 
Witt, Missouri, where he follows farm- 
ing. The\- ha\'e h;id seven children: 
Ethel, UdW the wife df George Seabold, 
by whom she has one child ; Roy. TFumw. 
Bessie, Ross, and Dixie; and one, the 
sixth in order of birth, who is deceased. 
Patrick H., the fourth member of the 
Willev family, is a farmer residing in 
I^eabodv, Kansas, and married Afargaret 
Yetter, a daughter of Samuel R. Vetter. 
They had four children. Alma May, 
Bertha A., P'rank and Alabel, but the 
first named is deceased. Jesse \\'.. a 
railroad Ijridge builder living in Chicago, 
married Miss Minnie Oglvie, a daughter 
of James and Millie Oglvie. <if Carthage 
township, and they have two children. 
:APibel and Helen. All of the children rif 
the Willey family were l)drn in Hancdck 
Cdunty. 

Mr. Willev gives evidence of his po- 



HAXCOCK COUXTV. ILLLXUJS. 



79 



litical faith on electiun da}- b}- casting a 
ballot for the men and measures of de- 
mocracy. He has heUl the office cif 
school director for the past thirty years 
and is interested in intellectual progress 
and development in his community. Af- 
fairs relating to general improvement 
also claim his attention and co-operation 
and lie has done his full share in the work 
of public improx'ement during the half 
century or more in which he has lived in 
Hancock countx' where he has Ijeen full}' 
appreciated. 



ROBERT .M. KBIl'.ROL'GH. 

Death often remox'es a citizen whom a 
ciimmunitv feels it can ill afford to lose. 
Tlie news of the death of Rol)ert M. 
Kimbrough was recei\ed with deep and 
wide-spread regret in his townshi]) and 
throughout Hancock count\- wherexcr he 
was known, for he had lived a life of 
uprightness and Imnor. He was nci mere 
negative factor in the communit}- but a 
citizen of exemplarv rectitude of char- 
acter, who was active and energetic in 
his business life and loyal in his support 
of all the measures and movements which 
he deemed would prove of fieneht in ad- 
vancing public progress and upbuilding. 
His life record began in Carthage town- 
ship on the 20th of April, 1844, and he 
continuously remained a resident of that 
locality. His education was acquired in 
the commi.m schools near his father's 



home an<l he assisted in the work of the 
farm when not busv with his text-books. 
He was a .son of William and Martha 
( Cauthom ) Kimbrough. l)oth of whom 
were natives of Kentucky, whence they 
came to Illinois at an earlv day. settling 
in Hancock county. The father pur- 
chased land in Carthage township and 
there made a home for himself and fam- 
ily, devoting his time and energies to 
general agricultural pursuits and stock- 
raising, .\s the years ])assed he con- 
verted his land into pr()ducti\'e fields and 
continued their cultivation until his 
death. His wife had jiassed away 
several years before. 

Under the parental roof Robert AI. 
Kimgrough spent the days of his boy- 
hood and Cfintinued to resiile upon the 
home farm as a young man. although to 
some extent he worked ujx'n neighboring 
farms. He was about sixteen years of 
age when he began earning his own liv- 
ing in that wav and was thus em])l()yed 
up to the time of his marriage, which was 
celebrated on the 19th of Januaiw, 1871. 
Miss Almeda A. Bryant becoming his 
wife. 1 he voung couple began their 
domestic life u]ion a farm wliich Mrs. 
Kimbrough had inherited from her 
father and it was situated on sectiiin i. 
Harmony t(.nvnship. The ])lace com- 
prises one hundred and sixty acres of 
land there together with thirtv'-seven 
acres in Carthage township. .\s the years 
passed by Air. Kiml)r(.)Ugh continued the 
work of cultivating and improving the 
fields and adding to the farm many 
UKidern ecjuipments in harmony with pro- 
gressive ideas of agricultural develop- 
ment. Upon the destruction of the old 



8o 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJIEW 



home by fire in 1902 he erected a large 
two-story frame dwelHng with all mod- 
em con\-eniences, which is one of the 
attractive farm residences of this part of 
the county. He cultivated his fields 
successfully, annually harvesting large 
crops, and he was also well known as a 
capable and prosperous stock raiser, 
keeping on hand high grades of cattle, 
horses and hogs, making a specialty, 
however, of Durham cattle. He used 
the latest improved machinery to facili- 
tate the Avork of the fields and as the 
years passed by he con\'erted the place 
into one of the model farms of the 
county. 

It was upon this place that Mrs. Kim- 
brough was burn and reared, her natal 
day being April 19, 1847. Her parents 
were Ambrose and Susanna (Reed) 
Biyant, both of whom were natives of 
Virginia, whence they came to Illinois 
at an early day, settling in Harmons- 
township, Hancock county, when it was 
still a frontier region. jMr. Bryant pur- 
chased one hundred and sixty acres of 
land on section i and although the tract 
was v\dld and unimproved when it came 
into his possession, he soon converted it 
into productive fields, continuing the cul- 
tivation of the place until his death. He 
was born March 5, 18 10, and passed 
away July 25, 1876, in the faith of the 
Primitive Baptist church, of which he 
had long been a devoted member. In his 
political \ie\vs he was a democrat. He 
had for several years survived his wife, 
who was born November 26. 1807, and 
died February 27^, 1864. Their remains 
now rest side by side in Holland ceme- 
tery in St. Mary's township. 



The marriage of 'Wr. and Mrs. Kim- 
brough was blessed with three children, 
twii of whom are living: Dennis B., 
born January 11. 1872, was educated in 
Harmony township and now operates 
the old home farm. Flora S., born on 
the liDme ])lace December 19, 1874. is the 
wife of Lawrence D. Lane, wdio was 
born in Carthage township, Hancock 
county, and is a son of Thomas Lane, 
now a resident of the city of Carthage. 
Mr. and Mrs. Lane reside with her 
niiither, Mrs. Kimbrough, on the old 
farm, and to them have been born three 
children, of whom two are living : Hazel 
Fern, born March 4, 1894; and Oliver, 
December 2, 1896. They lost their 
vounger daughter, Ne\'a Pearl. \\ho was 
born May 31, 1904, and died June 9, 
1905. These children were all born in 
Carthage township. Leo R. Kimbrough, 
the youngest member of the family,' was 
born November 13, 1880, and died Feb- 
ruary I, 1905, after an operation for ap- 
pendicitis. He was a young man of 
genuine persijual worth, much loved by 
his family and a large circle of friends. 
Air. and Airs. Kimbrough also reared a 
niece, Emma Thompson, who w;is born 
January- 2~, 1872, in Hancock county. 
Her parents were Robert and Isabelle 
Thompson, residents of .Vdams county, 
the latter being a sister of Air. Kim- 
brough. They died when their daugh- 
ter was about seven years of age, when 
she became a member 1 if the Kimbrough 
household, in which she remained until 
her marriage on the 29th. of November, 
1893, to William Reuck, a resident 
farmer of Hancock county, Tw'o chil- 
dren grace this union : ^^'illiam Clay, 



HAXCOCK COi'XTV. ILLIXOIS. 



8 1 



l)(irn Septemljer 28. 1894: and Edna 
Ma\-, burn Xoveniber -'9. 1899. 

Throughout his entire life Robert AI. 
Kimbrough carried on general farming 
and his death occurred upon the old 
homestead March 8. 1905, when he was 
sixty years of age. He had. however, 
been in poor heaUli for a number of 
years. He was a supporter of the Bap- 
tist church and was an ardent adherent 
of the democratic party. He held the 
office of assessor of Harmony township 
for two terms and was also school di- 
rector for some years. Although he 
never united with any church he was a 
iinn believer in the Primitive Baptist doc- 
trine and lived a Christian life. In his 
last illness he suffered intensely but never 
a munnur escaped his lips. Pie was a 
good neighbor and a kind and indulgent 
husband and father, and he was always 
ready and willing to do his part. He 
possessed an adaptable nature which en- 
abled him to mingle freely and easily 
with young and old and all enjoyed his 
company. Hospitality reigned supreme 
in his home and his friends were ever 
cordially welcome. He possessed a 
genial, kindh' disposition and many ster- 
ling traits of character, and all who knew 
him esteemed him highly. His entire 
life had been passed in Hancock county 
and he was a most worthy pioneer settler, 
taking a deep interest in what was ac- 
complished in the line of improvement 
and progress and doing all in his power 
to further the public good, and through- 
out his entire life he was actuated by hon- 
orable principles and manly purposes, and 
is well worthy of representation in this 
volume. 



THADDEUS J. EELEFRITZ. 

Thaddeus J. Ellefritz, who carries on 
general agricultural pursuits in Carth- 
age township, is a native son of Hancock 
county, having been born In Pilot Grove 
township, on the 19th of April, 1869. 
His parents were Solomon A. and Mary 
A. (Botts) Ellefritz. The father's 
birth occurred in Virginia and there he 
resided until he attained his majority, 
after which he removed to Illinois, set- 
tling in Pilot Grove township. Hancock 
county. There he purchased a tract of 
land of one hundred and sixty acres 
which he transformed into a good farm 
making a home for himself and family 
He lived there for a number of years, 
after which he removed to another farm 
of one hundred acres in the same town- 
ship, residing thereon until about two 
vears prior to his death, when he pur- 
chased a third farm property in the same 
township, comprising one hundred and 
eightv acres. He lived thereon until his 
demise and as his financial resources in- 
creased he added more and more largely 
to his land holdings until at his death he 
was the owner of eight hundred acres, 
nearly all of which was improved land. 
He died in 1893, at the age of sixty-four 
years. Throughout his life he carried 
on general farming and stock-raising 
and was very prosperous, yet he did not 
selfishly hoard his wealth but gave to the 
support of the Methodist church and to 
many movements for the general good. 
In early manhood he wedded Mrs. Mar\' 
A. Coak, nee Botts, who was the widow 
of Henry Coak. She was born in St. 
]Marv's township. Henry county, and is 



8^ 



BIOGRArHICAL REJIEW 



still liviiii;-. her home heing in Carthage. 
She was the nicither of seven children: 
Eugenie, the wife of L. C INIiller, of 
Carthage: Thatkleus J., of this review: 
Howard, residing in Carthage: Carlos, 
whose home is in Burnside, Illinois: 
Liristow : Mary, tleceased ; and Alma, 
died in infanc\'. 

Thaddens j. h'llefi'itz aci|uired his edu- 
cation in the common schools of his na- 
tive township and as a young man 
worked upon his father's farm. Later 
he began farming on his own account on 
one of the i)roperties belonging to his 
father, the ])lace comprising one hunched 
acres of land in Pilot Gro\'e township. 
The mother who received all of the prop- 
erty at the time of her husband's death 
deeded our subject the one hundred acres 
near Burnside on which he had resided. 
He remained thereon until ti\-e \-ears ago. 
when lie sold that property and ])urchased 
a farm of one hundred and sixtv acres in 
Missouri. He lived there for only ten 
iiKjnths, liowever, when he sold out and 
returned to Hancock county, where he 
purchased his present farm of one hun- 
dred and thirty-six acres in Carthage 
township. The entire tract is under a 
high state of cultixation and he has made 
additional imijroxements, including the 
planting of a fine orchard. Here he car- 
ries on general farming and stock-rais- 
ing in addition to the cultivation of fruit 
;md he annually raises high grades of 
cattle, horses and hogs. E\'erytln'ng 
about his ])lace is kept in excellent condi- 
tion and the neat .and thriftv a])pearance 
of his farm is ])roiif of his progressi\-e 
sjjirit and practical methods. 

On .\pril T). i8()j, Mr. I^.llefritz w:is 



married to Miss Fannie M. Pearce, who 
was liorn in ^Mandand, and came to Illi- 
nois when fi\'e vears of age with her 
parents, IdKimas and Sophia (Daile_\-) 
Pearce. Both the father and mother 
were natives of [Marvdand, and on com- 
ing to Illinois settled in Bowen. The 
father was a farmer bv occupation and 
followed that |)ursuit throughout his ac- 
tix'e business life. He now resides in 
Burnside but his wife passed away thir- 
teen years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Ellefritz 
have become the ]:)arents of three chil- 
dren, Pernie M., Ra\- J', and Cleo C. 
-Ml of the children were born in Pilot 
(iro\e township. 

Mr. Pllefritz is a republican but \\ith- 
out asjiiration for office, preferring to 
lea\e the strife of office-holding to oth- 
ers, yet doing all in his power to promote 
general imjaroxement and ])rogress. The 
family attend and support the Methodist 
Episcopal church, of which Mrs. Elle- 
fritz is a member. He is successful in 
his fai'ming operations and his carefully 
directed labors have been the means of 
securing a valuable property, which is 
highh- cultivated and constitutes one of 
the hue farms of Carthage township. 



PIO?iIER DAVENPORT BRO\\'N. 

Homer Da\'en])ort Brown, who for 
man\' vears was the owner of Brown's 
nursery at Hamilton, Avas Ijorn in 
Quincy, Illinois, March i), 1S46, and is 
a son of Homer Brown, wdio was bom 



HAXCOCK COUXTV. ILLIXOIS. 



83 



in Lunenburg', Alassacliusetts, in 181 r. 
His father was overseer (jf the poor in 
Massachusetts for many years and 
Homer Brown. Sr.. was reared upon the 
county farm. He married Miss Hannah 
Chandler Safford. wlio was born in New 
Ipsw^icli. New Hampshire, in iSri. The 
maternal grandparents of our su1)ject 
started from the east to Ouinc}'. Illi- 
nois, and the grandfather died upon the 
road. His wife, however, continued on 
the way to Ouincy with her family, where 
she spent her remaining days. She had 
three children. In the year iS^J. Homer 
Brown, Sr., went to Keokuk. Iowa, 
where he engag'ed in business as a 
painter and painted the first sig-n made 
in Keokuk. He did work throughout 
this \icinit\' nf the C()untr\' and was for 
Some time in Ouincy. where he was mar- 
ried. He lived at different times in 
Hancock and .\dams counties ;uid located 
permanently where Hamilton now is. 
In fact he was <ine of the founders ijf 
the town. He purchased in 1857 what 
is now known as Wild Cat Springs, 
which propertv he improved and owned 
until his death. He was quite promi- 
nent. lea\'ing the impress of his individ- 
uality upon public thought and .action and 
upon the tlevelopment and substantial im- 
provement of this part of the state. He 
died September 29. 1876. while his wife 
survi\-ed him for a number of years, 
passing away in Ouincy. May 14, 1890. 
In the family were two sons, the elder 
being Horace Safford, who was born in 
Carthage in 1837. He was identified 
with work on the rapids of the Missis- 
sipppi river. He attended some of the 
finest schools of the countr\' and enlisted 



in the Cnited States navy, being engag-ed 
in government Avork at Louisville, Ken- 
tuck}'. He now resides in Ouincy and 
is a contractor for improvements made 
by the government. He married Eliza 
Brown, by whom there is one child, 
Catherine H. Brown. His wife died 
and JTe afterward married Jennie Elder, 
bv wliom he had one child, who died at 
the age of nine years. ■ He makes his 
home in Ouincy and does important 
government work. 

Homer Da\'enport Brown, whose name 
introduces this re\-ie\v. remained with his 
parents until he attained his majority, 
when he further improved the land 
where the Wild Cat Springs are located 
and where the Chautaucjua assembly is 
held, which he still owns. 

On the 26th of October. 1869. :\Ir. 
Brown was united in marriage to Miss 
Alice Harvey, who was born in St. Cath- 
erine's. Ontaric), and attended the com- 
mon schools and an academy there. She 
is a daughter of Samuel and Lucy Sophia 
(Parsons) Har\-ey and was their only 
child who lived to mature years. Laito 
Mr. and Mrs. Brown have been bom two 
children: Nellie L., born June 16, 1871 : 
and Harvev Homer, born November 2'^. 
1876. ^Ir. Brown is well known in 
Hamilton as an enterprising business 
man. alert and energetic, making the 
most of his opportunities and conducting' 
a business along modern lines. He is 
winning gratifying success and occupies 
an enviable position in business circles 
there. He casts an independent ballot, 
having no strong political preferences but 
voting for the man whom he thinks best 
([ualifieil to fill the offices. He has served 



84 



BIOGR. IPHICAL REJ'IEir 



for two lenns as alderman of the third 
ward and proved a capable official, sup- 
porting each measure that was intro- 
duced that he believed would prove bene- 
ficial to the town and at the same time 
opposing as strongly those measures 
which he believed might prove detri- 
mental to the welfare of the city. 



ISAAC N. HOBART. 

Isaac N. Hobart. a native of Hancock 
county, and a man of whom the count}' 
may well be prcmd. resides on his large 
and well-improved farm on section 6 of 
Hancock township. Mr. Hobart is the 
owner of three hundred acres of fine 
farming land, part of which lies in Han- 
cock township and part in Carthage 
township. 

Isaac N. Hobart was born in Foun- 
tain Green township, Hancock county. 
Illinois, on January lo, 1834. and was 
the son of Norman and Ura Eaton ( Hol- 
liday) Hobart, the father being a native 
of Essex, New York, his birth occurring 
December 29, 18 10. Norman Hobart 
came to Illinois in 1N33, locating in 
Rushville, where he lived until his mar- 
riage to Miss Holliday. after which he 
came to Hancock county, where he lo- 
cated in Fountain Green township, re- 
maining but one year, and then removed 
to Carthage township. 'Mv. Hobart 
purchased a farm in Carthage tdwuship 
on which he made his home part of the 
time, and partly in Carthage, where he 



nwned a carding" machine. Later he 
bought the old grist mill on Crooked 
creek, which he rebuilt, making a steam 
flouring mill of it, also adding a saw mil! 
which he operated for a number of years. 
He then moved the mill to Carthage, op- 
erating it as a grist mill, then purchased 
a farm of eighty acres, one mile from 
Carthage, whicli he farmed until his 
death, December 13, 1S78. He was a 
devoted member of the Methodist Epis- 
copal clunxh, for many year? being a 
local preacher in that church. 

He was a public-spirited man and 
ga\e his support to the Republican party, 
though he was never an aspirant for of- 
fice. Norman Hobart was a prosperous 
man of his day and was an important 
factor in the building up of the com- 
munity in which he lived. He assisted 
in building the first wagon road from 
I'ountain Green to Carthag-e. His re- 
mains were laid to rest in the Carthage 
cemetery. His wife was a native of 
Kentnckv and came to Illinois at an early 
day. She was the daughter of Moses 
and Celia fSkirvin) Holliday, both na- 
tives -of Kentucky. Mr. Holliday was a 
hatter by trade. Both parents were 
buried in Hancock county. 

This worthy couple were the parents 
of fourteen children, only two of whom 
are now living', our subject being the 
oldest in point of birth. 

Isaac N. Hobart was educated in the 
common schools of the township in which 
he lived, in the i.ild log school houses of 
that day, and also in a school that was 
held in the old brick church in Carthage 
township, near what is now Elm Tree 
post-office. The school was taught by 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



85 



Squire R. Davis and was a subscription 
school. \\''hen about sixteen years of 
ag'e he went to work in the grist antl 
saw miU of his father and continued at 
this for eleven years. 

On the 31st day of January, 1861, oc- 
curred the marriage of Isaac N. Hobart 
and Mary E. Dufify. of Hancock count)-, 
which union was blessed with eleven 
children, all of whom are miw living. 
This large family of children are all mar- 
ried and have homes and interesting fam- 
ilies of their own, of whom Mr. and Mrs. 
Hobart are justly proud. Mary Emily, 
widow of Joseph Kuntz, has four chil- 
dren: Mary L., Leo, Harley, and 
Garret H., and resides in Missouri: 

Carrie Luella, wife of Samuel Sowers, 
a farmer in Nebraska, has six children; 
Jessie B., wife of Lee Julian, also a 
farmer in Nebraska, and parents of two 
children : Gladys and Clayton L. ; Mary 
W., Blanche, Floyd. Buby C, and 
Garret : 

Joseph N., resides in Hancock town- 
ship, farming part of the liDuie farm, 
married Eva \^^right, and has une child. 
Ray ; 

Dennis W., resides in Missouri on a 
farm owned by his father, married Katie 
Murtland, and has three children : 
Glenn, Joseph, and Dennis W. : 

Eva Elizabeth, married John McCon- 
nell, a farmer in Fountain Green town- 
ship, and has six children: Beulah E., 
Evelyn H., Margaruite, Frances, Bernice 
and Anna M. : each nf whimi is a credit 
to the parents. 

Lillie Estella, wife of Alorris Yutter. 
a farmer of Fountain Green township, 
and has seven children: Lewis N.. 



Alma E.. Jennings B., Harry. Ross M., 
Mabel and Fay Hobart : 

Matilda E.. wife of John Herron. a 
farmer of Nebraska, and has four chil- 
dren : John Newton, Erma G, Charles 
and Joseph Bernard : 

L'ra Amanda, wife nf W'ayman Mills, 
a farmer and saw-mill owner of Carth- 
age township, and has three children : 
Mary E., deceased, Dennis \\'.. and 
Myrtle : 

Isaac N., resides on part of the home 
place, which he farms, married Maiy 
Hasten and has two children : Gladys 
M., and I\an : 

Ethel B.. wife i>f William E. Koontz. 
a farmer in Hancock township, has three 
children: Forrest U., Franklin Clay, 
and Fern : 

Mabel Grace, widow of Gerald Mos- 
ley, who died in Colorado, where he had 
gone for his health, his death occurring 
September 20, 1905. Mrs. Mosley has 
one child, Herman Harold, born June 
7. 1904. 

■ All of the children -of I\Ir. and Mrs. 
Hi:)bart were born in Hancock township, 
Hancock county. Mr. Hobart is a large 
landowner, part of his property lying in 
Hancock county, and part in Missouri. 
He has made many impr(jvements on his 
farms, and keeps his buildings in the very 
best of repair. For many years he has 
engaged in general farming and stock- 
raising-. His wife was the daughter of 
Anthony and Mary Matilda (Spangler) 
13utf\-, early residents i^f Hancock coun- 
ty, the mother being called from earth 
in July, 1872, and the father in Septem- 
ber, 1884. after having mourned the death 
of his companion :d)out twelve years. 



86 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IFA]' 



^^^. ami Mrs. Ilnhart li;ne lasting 
nionunients in the well-kept i)rciperties 
wliich they lia\'e accumulated, and are 
surmunded 1)\' man\- liajipy families of 
their children. 

Mr. Hobart has used his progressive- 
ness and good judgment to the better- 
ment of the ci immunity in which he 
makes his home, as well as f'.ir the ad- 
vancement of his own welfare, and is a 
man whose counsel is asked and lieeded 
In- his contem]3i>raries. 



LEVERETT WELLINGTON BUELL. 

Leverett \A'. Buell. formerly identified 
with farming inteiTSts and later en- 
gaged in the Imtel business in Dallas, is 
now living retired. Centuries ago the 
Greek philosopher uttered the words of 
wisdom. "Earn thy reward: the gods 
give naught to sloth." and this truth has 
been manifest in all the ages. ]\Ir. Buell 
is one who has justly earnefl all that he 
possesses and a life of activity is now 
crowned with an honorable rest. A na- 
tive of Connecticut, he was born in 
Killingsworth, Middlesex county, Febru- 
ary 22. 1840, a son of William and 
Louisa (Chatfield) Buell. who were like- 
wise natives of that place. The father 
was a farmer Ijy occupation, and enlisted 
in the war of 1812 but was not called 
out for active service. He filled the of- 
fices of justice of the peace and road com- 
missioner and gave his political support 
to the democracy. He held membership 
in the Methodist church, while his wife 
belono-ed to the Presbvterian chmxh and 



both died in the |)lace <if their nali\-it_\-. 
They had fi\e children, of whom four 
are now living: Leverett \V., Cornelia, 
the wife of Joseph H. Beal. a Methodist 
minister living in P(irtland. Maine; Jen- 
nie, now ]\Irs. Snow, of Xew Haven, 
Connecticut: and Celestra, wife of Dar- 
well Stone, of Guilford, Connecticut. 

L. ^^^ Buell was educated in Killings- 
worth, Connecticut, and engaged in 
farming with his father until 1864, when 
he engaged in butchering and the meat 
business for fi\-e years. His marriage 
occurred in 1865, Aliss Celestine E. 
Parmelee becoming his wife. She was 
bom in Killingsworth, a daughter of 
Orin S. and Phoebe (Lynes) Parmelee, 
both of whom died in Connecticut, the 
mother being killed in a runaway acci- 
dent. Li their family were nine chil- 
dren, of whom three are living. Mrs. 
Buell died April 21. 1879. and was buried 
in Durham township. Hancock county. 
She had two children, one of whom died 
in infancy, while Erank W. w^as killed 
by a traction engine in Carthage town- 
ship. ALarch 24, 1905. He was a most 
highl}' respected and worthy young man, 
and his death came as a great blow to his 
father. He had married Emma Heiler. 
who still lives in Carthage township, and 
they had three children — Ethel, Chesley 
and El wood. On the 21st of September, 
1881, :Mr. Buell married Mrs. Mary J. 
Potter, nee Robinson, whose parents live 
on a farm in Kansas. They had seven 
children: William and John, who are 
residents of Colusa, Illinois, and were 
soldiers of the Civil war; Martha and 
Elizabeth, both of Kansas; and Percival, 
of Oklahoma, who served in the Philip- 



HJXCOCK COrXTV. JLLIXOIS. 



V 



pine war. Mrs. Ruell is the other mem- 
ber of the family. She Inst her first hus- 
band in 1869. There were four cliil(h"en 
l)v tliat marriage, the eldest of which died 
in infancy, the others being; Louisa, the 
eldest, is the wife of Lemuel Wells, of 
Pontoosuc, Illinois, bv wliom she has five 
children: Sarah, the wife of Cleo Price, 
of Dallas, and the mother of one child, 
and Jesse. Imogen. ]\Iariette and Helen, 
all at home: Charlotte Potter is the wife 
of Albert Tliannert, a traveling man for 
a Burlington hardware store, now living 
in Red Oak, Iowa. Warren Potter, who 
is living in Xorth Chillicothe, Illinois, 
married Emma Snyder, of I')Urlington, 
They ha\-e four children : Harry LeRoy. 
Marie, Clifford and Allen. 

Mr. Buell came west in i8(i() in Xo- 
\-ember. engaged in farming in Durham 
township until 1886, when on account 
of his health he retired to Dallas, pur- 
chasing a home on Pront street, after 
spending two )'ears as proprietor of the 
Riverside Hotel, of Dallas, which was 
destroyed by fire in 1890. He then 
bought his present home and he also 
owns a vacant lot in Kerby's first ad- 
dition. 

Unto Air. and Airs. Buell has been 
born a son. William Henrv, who was 
born in Senora- township, July 30. 1885. 
and is at home. Per four years he has 
worked as a painter in Burg's factory. 
Air. and Airs. Buell are also rearing her 
niece, Verda Robinson, whose mother 
died when she was a little girl. She was 
born in November, 1894. In his po- 
litical views Air. Buell is a democrat and 
has served as town clerk and a commis- 
sioner of highwavs of Durham township. 
6 



He is a memlier of Dallas City Lodge 
Xo. zy:, A. P. & A. AI. of which he is 
past master, alsc) a member of Dallas 
Chapter X'o. iir, of which he has been 
t}-ler for man_\- )ears. A Alethodist in 
religious faith and an active worker in 
the church, he was Sunilay-school super- 
intendent and secretar\- for thirteen years 
and sexton of the church for many years, 
while for three years he was also se.xton 
of the Congregational church. His wife 
is a member of the Christian church. 
Air. Buell is an intelligent man. of kind 
and generous disposition and of (|uiet 
manner. His wife, too, possesses man}' 
sterling traits of character and in the 
community where they reside they are 
accorded the approval of public opinion. 



BARZILLAI ROBINSON. 

Barzillai Robins(jn, a retired farmer 
living in Hamilton, was bom in AIus- 
kingum coitnty. Ohio, June it,. 1830. 
and is a representative of one of the 
old southern families. His paternal 
grandfather, Israel Robinson, was born 
in Virginia and married a Aliss Hedge. 
They were early settlers of Ohio, remov- 
ing to that state when the Indians were 
more numerous than the white men. 
T\\t\ aided in reclaiming the region from 
the domain of the savages and converting 
it into uses of civilization and there they 
resided until called to their final rest. 
Their son, Silas Robinson, was born in 
Wellsburg, West Virginia, in 1798, and 



88 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI'IEIV 



was a descendant of Sarah Pierce, who 
came to America in the Mayflower, land- 
ing at Plymouth. After arriving at years 
of maturity, Silas Robinson was married 
to Miss Pollv W'.'irne, who was born in 
Muskingum ci.iunty, Ohio, in 1802, and 
was a daughter of Abram and Elizabeth 
(Pierce) ^^'arne, both of whom were 
natives of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Polly 
Robinson was a descendant of James 
Pierce and the name Pierce was retained 
in the family through many generations. 
The maternal grandparents of our sub- 
ject removed to Ohio about the same 
time the Robinson family was founded 
there and they, too, lived in that locality 
until called to the home beyond. Silas 
Robinson and Polly Wame were married 
in Ohio, where he owned and operated 
a quarter section of land and also con- 
ducted a gristmill in connection with his 
fanii. In 185J he started westward 
with his famil)-, consisting of wife, three 
sons and one daughter, driving through 
in a wagon. They were two weeks upon 
the way from their Ohio home to Wythe 
tow-nship, Hancock county. Here Mr. 
Robinson purchased a farm of one hun- 
dred and si.xty acres of unimproved 
prairie land. They lived in a little log 
cabin until the following fall, when a 
neighbor returned to his old Ohio home 
and the Rdbinsnns then occupied his twn- 
stor_\- frame house. A few months after- 
ward, however, this house was destroyed 
by fire, but as soon as possible Mr. Rob- 
inson erected a frame bouse on his own 
farm. TTe began the wnrk of fencing the 
fields and breaking the land and as the 
years passed liy he improved his farm 
until he made it a splendidly devehiped 



property. He was an energetic, enter- 
prising man and was well known as one 
of the leading farmers of his community. 
His death occurred in 1894, while his 
wife passed away in 1866. 

Mr. Robinson of this review was the 
third in order of birth in a family of 
three sons and a daughter. The days of 
his boyhood and youth were passed in the 
usual manner of farm lads, no event of 
special importance occurring to varv the 
routine of that life in his boyhood days. 
His father had accumulated considerable 
land and afterward divided it among his 
children, Mr. Robinson securing one 
hundred and twenty acres of the old 
home place. There was a log cabin upon 
tliis tract, into which he removed after 
his marriage, which event occurred on 
the 31st of December, 1863, the lady of 
his choice being Miss Priscilla Callison. 
who was born in Illinois. She died in 
1866 and in October, 1873, Mr. Robinson 
was again married, his second union be- 
ing with Mrs. Mollie E. (Chapman) 
Hill, a widow, who was bom in Ohio 
and was a daughter of Nathaniel and 
Mary (Frazee) Chapman. Unto this 
marriage three children have been born: 
Man,' Chapman, who is now teaching 
school in Hamilton; Wa^dand B., who 
occupies the home farm: and Jessie M. 
at home. 

Following his first marriage Mr. Rob- 
inson began general farming and also 
raising and feeding horses, cattle and 
bogs. He was thus actively engaged for 
many years and kept adding to his land 
until he was the owner of two hundred 
acres, constituting a \aluable propert}' 
on sections 7 and 8, Wythe township. 



If.lXCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



He worked energeticall}- and persistently 
year after year, gathering good crops 
and realizing good returns from his 
stock. At length after many years iif 
active and successful connection with 
farming and stock-raising interests he re- 
tired to private life and in May, 1903, 
removed to Hamilton, where he pur- 
chased a residence which he now occupies 
with his two daughters, his wife having 
died in April, 1883. He has recently 
sold his farm to his son W'ayland. In 
early manhood he engaged in teaching 
schools for a year before leaving Ohio 
and for three terms after coming to Han- 
cock county, but otherwise he has always 
made farming his life work and is now 
enjoying a well-earned rest. He is 
known as a man of thorough reliability 
and enterprise and enjoys the respect of 
those with whom lie lias come in contact. 
He has lived in the county for more than 
a half century and has therefore wit- 
nessed much of its growth and develop- 
ment. ^^'ithout special advantages in h.is 
youth, he has worked his wa\' steadily 
upward to success. He attended scIidoI 
only during the winter months when a 
boy, but has acquired through practical 
experience and observation a good busi- 
ness education. In his religious faith he 
is a Presbyterian and in his political 
views a republican. He has ser\'ed as 
school trustee and assessor of AVythe 
township and at all times has been in- 
terested in movements for the general 
good. His services for the pulilic h;i\e 
alwa_\-s been rendered with a \-iew ti 1 tlie 
public good and from the standpnint of 
a patriotic citizen, none too many of which 
are to be found in this "Teat countr\-. 



WILLIAM T. DYE. 

The farming interests of Carthage 
township find a worth}' representative in 
William T. Dye, who is living on section 
9, where he owns one hunelred and 
twenty acres of good land. He is a na- 
tive of Brown county, Ohio, born Sep- 
tember 5, 1855, '"^'1 when only seven 
months old was brought to Illinois by his 
parents, who settled in Rock River town- 
ship, Hancock county, where the father 
purchased and iiuproved a farm of one 
hundred and sixt}- acres. He is a son of 
Wilson and Anna (Wall) Dye, both of 
whom were natives of Brown county, 
Ohio. The father engaged in farming 
there and followed the same pursuit sub- 
seqtient to his removal to this state. Pur- 
chasing land in Rock River township he 
continued to make his home therei.m un- 
til his death, which occurred when he 
was thirty-eight years of age. He was 
a member of the Presbyterian church and 
a democrat in his political views, and 
throughout an active life he manifested 
sterling traits of character which won 
him the respect and confidence of his fel- 
lowmen. He was also one of the pros- 
perous and progressive residents of his 
community and in addition to his farm- 
ing interests he engaged in business as 
a bridge contractor and constructed sev- 
eral bridges near W'arsaw, Hancock 
county. It was while building one of 
these bridges that he caught cold and 
pneumonia resulted, being terminated by 
death when his son W^illiam was but four 
years of age. His grave was made in the 
Carthage cemeteiy. His widow survived 
him for about six years and was married 



90 



niOGR.4PHICAL RFJIEW 



til James Till ini])Si 111. She died at ur near 
Beiitley. this state. By the first marriat^e 
tliere were fuiir children, uf win mi Wil- 
liam T. was the third in order of birth. 
Only twi> are imw living, his sister l)eiii!L;' 
Mrs. h'-lizabeth V. L. Harjier, who re- 
sides in ("arthage, Hancnck enuntw 
llliniiis. 

William T. Dye was educated in the 
ciiinmiin schonls of Carthage, his mother 
ha\ing sold the farm and removed to that 
cit_\' in his Ito^'hooil da_\s. He remained 
with her until her death, and at the earlv 
age of eleven vears started out to fight 
life's battles unaided. He engaged in 
farm work b\- the month on \-arii)US 
farms of the county, being thus employed 
until his marriage, whicli occurred on the 
5th of October, 1876. the wedding be- 
ing celebrated in Carthage, The lady of 
his choice was Miss Hortense Yetter, a 
daughter of William and Mar*- (Long) 
\'etter. Her father was one of the earl)' 
settlers of this county, coming here from 
Ohio, his nati\-e state. He engaged in 
farming throughout bis active business 
life with the exception of the [jeriod 
spent in the Civil war, in which he ser\'ed 
for nearl}- four }'ears. He is now living 
a retired life, making his home in the 
city of Carthage. Mrs. Dye was born 
in Hancock count}-, Illinois, pursued her 
education in the puljlic schools and re- 
mained at home until her marriage. This 
union has been blessed with fotir children 
and the family circle yet remains un- 
broken by the hand of death. All were 
liorn in Carthage, Joseph E., the eldest, 
resides on the home place and assists his 
father in its cultivation and improve- 
ment. He married ^liss OIlie Van Dvke, 



and the\' ha\'e one child, William Fran- 
cis, b'rank L., the second son, residing 
in Springfield. Illinois, is an emjiloye of 
one of the interurbau railroads. He 
married Esta Reed and the}' have two 
children, Leland H. and Ruth I. Ro- 
weiia May is the wife of l'"rank G. 
W'right, a resident farmer of Carthage 
townshii), and has one child. Coldie 
Mae. Homer W., a student in the Carth- 
age high school is _\-et with his ])arents. 
For sixteen }'ears after bis marriage 
Mr. Dve operated rented land in Carth- 
age township, and in 1S8S ])urchased 
bis present farm, on which he has since 
resided. He put all of the present im- 
])ro\enients nivin the place, supplanting 
the old bouse with a good substantial 
frame dwelling, also erecting commodi- 
ous barns and other outbuildings. He 
has the entire farm under cultixation and 
annually gathers rich harvests. In addi- 
tion to the tilling of the soil he also en- 
gages in the raising of stock and bis 
Inisiness interests are capably managed 
and Ijring to him a good return. His 
life has been one of untiring activity, 
crowaied with a gratifying measure of 
success, yet he has found time ti> de\-ote 
to public interests. In politics he is a 
democrat and has held the office of high- 
wa\' commissioner for eight years and is 
still filling the position. He. with his 
wife, is a member of the I'resbyterian 
church; he is also a member of the Ma- 
sonic fraternity of Carthage, the Modern 
Woodmen camp and the Illinois Bank- 
ers, a local fraternal and insurance or- 
ganization of this state. Viewed in a 
personal light Mr, Dye is a strong man, 
strong in his honor and good name, in 



HANCOCK COrXTV. ILUXOIS. 



91 



his business capacity and in his accom- 
plishments. Starting out when only 
eleven years of age with no assistance 
from influential friends or through in- 
heritance, he owes all that he possesses 
to his own labors and as the architect 
of his fortunes has buikled wisely anfl 
well. 



CA^IILLE P. D.\DAXT. 

Camille P. Dadant. president of the 
National Beekeepers Association and the 
vice president of the State Bank of Ham- 
ilton, is justl}- accorded a place among 
the prominent and representative busi- 
ness men of Hancock count)-. In fact 
few residents oi the county have such a 
wide acquaintance as Mr. Dadant, who 
is known by reason of his manufacturing- 
interests not only throughout America 
but in foreign lamls as well. It has been 
said that the name of Dadant is a fa- 
miliar one wherever bee culture is carried 
on. The enterprise of which he is now 
the head, has reached extensive propor- 
tions and in its control he displays 
splendid business ability, executive force, 
keen foresight and capable managemei-it. 

A native of Langres, l-"rance. he \\as 
born on the 6th of April. 1S5T, and in 
both the paternal and maternal lines rep- 
resents old French families. His jiiaternal 
great-grandfather was a locksn-iith of 
France. His grandfather. Dr. Francois 
Dadant, engaged in the practice of med- 
icine and surgery in his nati\-e countr}- 
throughout his entire life and was there 
married tr) Justine Ta\-et. Their- son. 



Charles Dadant, was born amid the 
golden hills of Burgundy at \'aux-Sous- 
Aubigny. France, on the J2d of May, 
1 8 17, and his education was completed 
by a collegiate course at Langres. 
While in his native country lie wedded 
Gabrielle Parisot in 1S47. her parents 
being- Pierre and Pouise ( GuillouKjt ) 
Parisot. 

Charles Dadant was engaged in the 
operation of a tannery in his nati\-e coun- 
try, but devoted the greater part of his 
attention to nierchandising until the ven- 
ture ]jroved uni)rotital;ile, when, closing 
out his affairs in I'"rance. he sought a 
hon-ie in the new world, hoping to re- 
trieve his fortunes in this country, nor 
was he destined to meet disappointment 
in this respect. On the contrary he en- 
tered upon a business career that proved 
eminently successfid and gained him 
world-wide reputation in connection with 
his chosen line of endeavor. He came at 
once to Illinois and settled on a fann 
about two miles from Hamilton in Han- 
cock count}-. He had planned to devote 
his attention to the cultivation of grapes, 
with which business he had become fa- 
miliar in his youth in France, but at the 
same time he began the raising of bees 
and the latter proved so ])rofitable that 
he concentrated his energies more and 
more largelv upon this business, which 
he also de\eloped along raniif}-ing lines 
until he was recognized as one of the 
most pr(.)n-iinent and extensive bee cul- 
turists not only in America but also in 
the world. Perhaps there are others who 
have ])roduced as great an amount of 
honev in a single season, but there was 
no one whri equalled him in the extent 



BIOGRAPHICAI. REllEW 



of liis conilj touiidatiim inanufacture or in 
the importation of bees. The occupation 
proved botli genial and profitable and 
yielded niar\elous results. In 1873 he 
made a trip to Italy ti) import bees fmm 
that country to the United States on a 
large scale. He made a close study of 
the best methods of shipping bees, selling 
the Italian queen bees at ten dollars each 
or a colony for twenty dollars. In 1869, 
his son. Camille P. Dadant, whose name 
introduces this review, was admitted to 
a partnership and from that time for- 
ward until the father's death they were 
closely associated in their business rela- 
tions and interests and the account of the 
father's work for the development of 
their enterprise is also the account of the 
son's labors. In 1878 they began the 
manufacture of comb foundation, intend- 
ing the product only for their own use. 
as tliey were extensive bee keepers. The 
first year they manufactured five hun- 
dred pounds. Others, however, sought 
to become purchasers and this led them 
to increase their output to two thousand 
pounds the second year and six thousand 
pounds the third year and the increase 
has been continued at a proportionate or 
even greater rate until in the year end- 
ing July I, 1904, they had manufactured 
one hundred and fifteen thousand 
pounds, thus giving them leadership 
among the manufacturers of comb foun- 
dation not only in America but in the 
world. A visit to the factory shows that 
it is equipped with eveiy device neces- 
sary for the successful conduct of the 
work, the greatest care is taken in every 
department toward securing perfection 
;nid the absolutely perfect comb founda- 



tion secures a most extensive and profit- 
able sale. 

Mr. Dadant's business consisted not 
only in the comb manufacture and the 
production of honey, the latter reaching 
way up into the thousands of pounds 
annually, but he also did much for bee 
culture throughout the world through 
the articles contributed to the leading bee 
journals of America and foreign lands 
as well. It is a noticeable fact in his 
histor_\- tliat when he came to the United 
States at the age of forty-six years he 
was unable tii speak the English lan- 
guage. Init the strength of purpose and 
will shown by him is indicated by the 
fact that he at once subscribed to the 
New York Tribune and denied himself 
any French papers or books so that he 
should be compelled to acquaint himself 
with the English tongue, using freely a 
(lictionaiy for this purpose. Within 
three vears he had acquireil a mastery 
of English sufiicient to enable him to 
write articles for the American Bee 
Journal, then published in Washington, 
1 ). C. He wielded a i)en of still greater 
power when writing' in his native lan- 
guag'e and it was due to his efforts 
through his published articles that the 
movable frame hive is today so much in 
use among French-speaking people, the 
Dadant and the Dadant-Blatt hives being 
among the most common in France. In 
1886 he revised and republished the book 
of Langstroth on the Honey Bee, which 
has been styled the "classic in bee cul- 
ture." This work was published almost 
simultaneously in America, France and 
Russia. The three latest editions were 
printed at Keokuk. Iowa, near his home. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



93 



His teachings spread nver the wdrld and 
there is not a civilized country where his 
name is unknown to progressive bee 
keepers. In 1874 he published a small 
book, Petit Cours d'Apiculteur Pratique, 
in the French language. His attention 
was given to the business of raising bees, 
producing honey and manufacturing 
the CDmb f(jundation up to the time of 
his death, which occurred in 1902, when 
he was in his eighty-fifth year. His busi- 
ness integrity was unassailable. He was 
never known to take advantage of the 
necessities of his fellowmen in any trade 
transaction but was a soul of honor and 
straightforward dealing in all business 
affairs. He was moreover a man of 
kindly purpose, of generous spirit and 
genial disposition and made friends of 
all with wdiom he came in contact. He 
possessed a UKjst cheerful disposition 
and those who ha\-e had the pleasure of 
an acquaintance with him in his nwn 
home will testify to his genial and cordial 
spirit. He possessed, too, much of the 
spirit of the philanthmpist, taking the 
most kindly interest in those whom he 
employed. He encouraged all of his 
French workmen to have homes of thei.; 
own and allowed them certain times in 
which to cultivate their \-ines and work 
their ground. Ideal relations existed 
in the home. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Dadant 
were born two daughters and a son : 
Mary; Mrs. E. J. Ba.xter, of Nauvoo; 
and C. P. Dadant, whose name intn)- 
duces this record. 

The last named was a youth of twehe 
years when he accompanied his parents 
on their removal to America. From 
this time forward his youth was passed 



at the old h<imestead near Hamilton and 
at the age of twenty-four years he was 
admitted to a partnership by his fatlier 
and the firm style of Dadant & Son has 
since been well known among the bee 
culturists of America and foreign lands. 
He now keeps about two hundred and fifty 
hives of bees and sold (jne hundred thou- 
sand pounds of foundation for honey comb 
in the year 1905. One of his buildings, 
constructed of iron and then painted, con- 
tains only beeswax and_ Imlds something 
like twenty thousand pounds. It is 
usually kept full, for it is the purpose of 
the firm to have on hand always a large 
supply of the only suitable material for 
making their excellent comb foundation. 
The bulk of the foundation made by the 
fiiTn is the ^\'eed process, which refers 
to the method of sheeting the wa.x be- 
fore milling it. Tlie largest crop of 
honey for one year was forty-five thou- 
sand pounds, from which they realized 
twenty-eight hundred dollars net of all 
expenses. They use the Dadant hive, 
which is of their own invention and 
manufacture and they believe in having 
large hives and big colonies and thus 
have practically no swarms of bees. 
After the death of his fatlier Mr. Dadant 
of this review admitted his sons. Louis 
C. and Henry C, to a partnership and 
thus the firm style of Dadant & Sons was 
maintained. Mr. Dadant has also ex- 
tended his business interests to other 
lines, being one of the organizers of the 
State Bank of Hamilton, of which he is 
the vice president. He was also one of 
the promoters of the water power of the 
Mississippi river for building a dam 
across the river from Keokuk to Hamil- 



94 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEIV 



l<iii. The cniiipam toruK-d for this [nir- 
])cise is ciimpiist'il nf t\vent\-ti\e meni- 
Ijcrs and Mr. Dadaiit became niie nf the 
execiitixe committee of three, his asso- 
ciates lieinj.;' William Loi;an and .\. R. 
Johnstone, of Keokuk. A man of re- 
sourceful business ability, keen enterprise 
and sound judgment, he carries forward 
to successful completion \vhate\-er he un- 
dertakes and has de\'elo])ed a business at 
Hamilton which has liecome one of the 
ini])ortant ])roducti\e enterprises of liis 
county. 

On the 1st of Xovember, 1S73, Mr. 
Dadant was married to Miss Mary Mari- 
nelh, who was 1iorn in St. Louis, Mis- 
soiu'i, August 9, 1S54, and was a daugh- 
ter of Luigi Marinelli, a ]iioneer of the 
i'rench Icarian community that settled in 
Xau\'oo in I1S48. His wife was ["ran- 
coise Marinelli and their daughter, Mrs. 
Dadant, attendetl the common schools of 
Saint Clair county, Illinois. She shares 
with her liusband in extending a warm- 
hearted, attracti\-e and gracious hospi- 
tality to their many friends. 'rhe\' have 
a lieautiful new home, a substantial brick 
residence, which was comiileted in IQ04. 
J'rom the rear is had a splendid \'iew- of 
the Mississippi river as it flows south- 
ward for nearly fourteen miles and across 
the ri\er stands the cit\' of Keokuk. In 
addition to this Mr. Dadant owns other 
l)ro])ertv interests in and about Hamil- 
ton. L'nto him and liis wife ha\'e been 
born three sons an<l four daughters, 
namely: Louisa, the wife of Leon 
Saugier, of Hamilton: \\alentine M., 
who ;ittended the Luiiversity of Illinois 
and is president of the Hamilton library, 
an organization which was formed se\'- 



eral years ago and of which the town is 
justly ])roud, Louis C, who married 
Eza Miller and lives near the main 
factor)- of the firm, being associated with 
his father in business: Henry C, who is 
also a partner ;md resides at home: 
Maiu'ice (i., who is a student in the Illi- 
nois State L'niversity at Champaign : 
Clemence and Harrietta. who are at 
home. 

In his ])olitical \iews Mr. Dadant is a 
republican and has served as schi:)ol trus- 
tee of Montebelle township, but other- 
wise has neither sought nor held public 
office. Frateiaiall)- he is connected with 
the In<le])endent (3rder of Odd Fellows. 
Xaturall}-, howe\-er, his attention is 
chiefl\' directed to his business interests, 
wliich are now of a \aried and extensix'e 
nature and are a source of gratifying 
profit. idle name of Dadant & Son has 
e\'er been synonoymous with honcM-able 
dealing and success has come as the mer- 
itetl reward of business integrity, enter- 
prise and diligence. L'niformh- courteous 
and Considerate of others, he at the same 
time possesses a force of character that 
e\er\\\here commands resjiect and accom- 
plishes results and is toda_\' accounted 
one of the most honored and respected 
citizens of Hancock count\'. 



ROBERT A. B-VRR. 

Robert A. Barr. a farmer living near 
Colusa, whose success in life is attribut- 
able entirely to his own efforts, was 



HA.XCOCK COrXTV. /LLJXOIS. 



95 



l)()rn February 13, 1871, upon tlie old 
family homestead in Dallas township, 
his parents being George W. and Alary 
E. (Dean) Barr. The father was born 
in Breckinridge county, Kentucky, near 
Louisville, in 1844. while the mother's 
birth occurred in Ohio in 1848. He be- 
came a resident of Dallas township cm 
the 2(1 of April, 1859, and is still the 
owner of the farm of one hundred and 
sixty acres on which his son, Robert A., 
now resides. L'nto him and his wife 
were born three children: Etta E.. now 
the wife of Elmer Royse, of Aledo, Illi- 
nois: Robert A.: and Mary Otellia, wdio 
is living with her parents in Dallas City, 
the father having retired from active 
farm life to enjoy a rest which he has 
truly earned and richly deserves. 

Robert .\. Barr began his education in 
the district schools of Dallas townshii) 
and continued his studies in Carthage 
College, where he remained for two 
years. Through the period of his vouth 
and after attaining his majority he re- 
mained with his parents on the old home- 
stead, living with them until thirty-(ine 
years of age and during the latter part of 
that period practically carrying on the 
work of the home farm. On the J6th 
of February, 1902. he was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Ethel Elizabeth Alassie, 
who was bom in Fountain Green town- 
ship, Hancock county, .\ugust 13, 1S82. 
a daughter of John S. aufl Mary E. 
(Myers) Massie. The father was born 
in Rock Creek township, this county. Oc- 
tober 24, 1853, and the mother's birth 
occurred in Iowa, October 21, 1859. She 
was four or five years of age when 
brought by her parents to Hancock 



County. Mr. and Mrs. Massie are well 
known residents of Pontoosuc township 
and in the control of his business inter- 
ests the father has become well-to-do 
and is accounted a representative agricul- 
turist of his community. L'nto him and 
his wife ha\-e been born eight children: 
label E., Stuart M.. li\-ing in Montana: 
Goldy \ .. deceased: (ir(j\'er C. : h'ern 
v.: Cheryl Beatrice: Raljih Emerson: 
and Rub\- Marie. 

.\t the time of his marri;ige Mr. Barr 
rented his father's farm of one hundred 
and si.xt)' acres on section 36, Dallas 
township, which is one of the best farms 
in Hancock count\-, and he has since 
given his time and energies to its further 
cultivation and improvement. He has 
brought the tields under a high state of 
culti\ation and is regarded as one of the 
model farmers of the communitw .\s the 
\ears ha\e passed the home has been 
blessed with the presence of three chil- 
dren : Homer Dysinger, born Decem- 
ber ]-, 1902: Emmet Cleophas, July 6, 
1904: and Ada Cheryl. December 15, 
1905. .Ml were I)orn in the house in 
which their father's birth occurred and 
they constitute a most interesting familw 

In his political views Mr. Barr is a 
democr.'it and has served as constalile for 
t\\<i terms l)Ut has ne\er been a politician 
in the sense of office-seeking, as he has 
preferred to devote his time and energies 
to his business interests. He had no 
money when he was married and started 
out in life on his own account, but 
through his econom_\'. energ\' and un- 
faltering inilustry and the assistance of 
his estimable wife, who h;is indeed been 
a helpmate to him, he has accumulated 



96 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJlFAr 



a ciiiisi(leral>lc share of this world's goods 
and is acci united one of the leading and 
representative farmers <if his community. 
lie is well read, keeping informed on all 
matters of general interest as well as the 
pi)litical questions of the day and is a 
man nf genial, jovial disposition, who 
has many warm friends. He belongs to 
the Modern Woodmen lodge of Colusa 
and tVir three years has been clerk and 
holds a certificate of efTficiency from the 
Court iif Honor. Both he ar.d his wife 
are members of the Christian church and 
Mr. Barr is a man of domestic taste, 
thoroughly devoted to his famil_\-, their 
welfare and happiness. 



CHARLES E. CLARK. 

Charles E. Clark, a retired farmer liv- 
ing in Dallas City, was born. March lo, 
1868. in the city which is still his home, 
and is a son of William J. and Abigail 
(Ellis) Clark. The father was born in 
Sangamon county, Illinois, October 16, 
TS37, and the mother in Vevay, Switzer- 
land county, Indiana, May 25, 1836. She 
became a resident of Hancock county in 
T84T, and William J. Clark was only 
about six years of age when he accom- 
panied his parents to this county, where 
they were married February 27, 1859. 
Both were representatives of honored old 
pioneer families of this portion of the 
state. The maternal and paternal grand- 
parents settled here in an early day and 
for some years lived in log cabins, spend- 



ing their days in true pioneer style amid 
the environments of frontier life. The 
father of our subject cleared and de\-el- 
oped several farms which he sold at a 
good advance, and as the years passed by 
he successfully carried on general agri- 
cidtural pursuits. He died October 10, 
i8~o. his widow sur\'iving until July 23, 
1905, and both were laid to rest in Har- 
ris cemeteiy, in Dallas township. Mr. 
Clark was a soldier of the Civil war, en- 
listing as a member of Company F, Fif- 
tieth Illinois Volunteer Infantiy, which 
he joined near the close of hostilities. 
He was with the company that responded 
to a call for the protection of Chicago 
and thus served until mustered out. He 
stanchly advocated republican principles 
and was a faithful member of the Chris- 
tian church. They had three children but 
the two daughters died in early child- 
hood. 

Charles E. Clark, the only surviving 
member of the family, was educated in 
the common schools of Dallas City and 
at the age of twelve years went to the 
country with his mother, settling upon a 
farm in Durham township where he lived 
until 1899. He was then married to Mrs. 
Martha Ackerson, widow of George Ack- 
enson, who in her maidenhood bore the 
name of Martha E. Howard. She was 
born in Adams county, Illinois, in 185 1. 
a daughter of Henry and Mary Ann 
Howard, the former born April 23, 1825, 
and the latter Febniaiy 18, 1827. Mr. 
Howard was a native of Dayton, Ohio, 
and his wife of Indiana. He devoted 
his life to general agricultural pursuits 
and when eig'hteen years of age became 
a resident of Crawford countv, Illinois, 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



97 



where he resided for seven years, then re- 
moving to Adams county where he re- 
sided until about 1857 when he came to 
Dallas township, where he made his home 
for many years until the time of his death. 
In politics he was a democrat and having 
removed to Hancock county in 1857, he 
ser\'ed for nineteen years as township 
treasurer here. His wife died May 7. 
1S85. and his death occurred on the 17th 
of ]\Iarch. 1898. 1)oth being laitl to rest in 
Harris cemetery. They had ten chil- 
dren, of whom four are now living: Mrs. 
[Martha E. Clark ; Mary Ann, the wife of 
\\'illiam Robinson, of Dallas township: 
Charlotte, the wife of Edward Gill, of 
Dallas township : and Angeline, the wife 
of Philip Ritchey. of Dallas township. 

After a year's residence in the south 
^Ir. and Mrs. C. E. Clark located in 
Dallas City. Hancock county, lie owning 
a farm of eighty acres in Durliam town- 
ship. Mrs. Clark also owns eighty acres 
in Dallas township. He was a successful 
farmer and stock-raiser. He and his wife 
occupy a beautiful home at the corner of 
Front and Pine streets which Mrs. Clark 
purchased from her father's estate in 
i8gg. Since then Mr. Clark has retired, 
having rented the farm 1)ut he still over- 
sees it. 

In his political views Mr. Clark has al- 
ways been a strong republican but with- 
out aspiration for office. Both he and his 
wife are devoted members of the Chris- 
tian church, in which he has been a deacon 
for a number of years, and in the work 
of the church they take an active and help- 
ful interest. Of a studious nature, very 
fond of books, he reads broadly, thinks 
deeply and is an intelligent man. Both 



he and his estimable wife have the warm 
regard of many friends, she being a lady 
of pleasing address, presiding with gra- 
cious hospitality over her home. They 
are now surrounded by all tiie comforts 
that go to make life worth living, occu- 
pying an attractive and pleasant home in 
Dallas City. 



S. E. HARNEST. 



S. E. Harnest, a retired farmer living 
in Carthage, was born in Champaign 
county, Ohio, March 8. 1835, his parents 
being John and Anna (Spitler) Harnest, 
the former born September 20, 1797, 
and the latter April 3, 1809. their birth- 
place being Upshire county, Virginia. 
The paternal grandfather was a soldier of 
the Revolutionaiy war, valiantly aiding in 
the struggle for independence. The an- 
cestral history of the family was one of 
which the descendants have eveiy reason 
to be proud, for the men have displayed 
activity and honor in business and fidelity 
in all life's relations, while tlie women 
have been marked by the true womanly 
traits of character which command the 
highest respect. The paternal grand- 
parents, John and Anna Harnest, were 
charter members of the Myrtle Tree Bap- 
tist church in Champaign county, Ohio. 
This church was organized April 24, 
1830, by Elder William Fuson, the first 
meeting being lield on the first Sunday 
in April, 1830. It was estimated that one 
thousand people were in attendance on 



98 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAIFA 



this occasion, every section of the cnnnty 
heino- represented. The name of the 
chnrch was chnson because i)f the follow- 
ing circumstance. A short time befi.n"e 
tlie organization, the wife of Elder Fuson 
had a dream that she had read the first 
■chapter on Zachariah l)eforc retiring for 
the night and meditated on the beauty of 
the myrtle tree, and in her dream she saw 
the tree in the lo\-ely valley, beholding it 
in all its glory. The dream so impressed 
her that at her recpiest the church was 
called the Ah'rtle Tree church. Its orig- 
inal members were George Pine, Bryant 
Aloody, John Harnest, James I'ine. Wil- 
liam h'uson. Phel)e Mood)', .\nn Harnest. 
Sarah Pine, Sarah Pine, Sr., Deidamia 
Fuson. Luc\- Comer and Flizal:>eth Whit- 
more. .\11 of the above have entered into 
the church triumphant. Eight of the 
number received their letters of dismissal 
from the Symm's Creek Baptist church in 
Lawrence count\'. Ohio, in order to at- 
tend the newly-organized Alyrtle Tree 
church, while the remaining five had for- 
merly lieen members of the Xettle Creek 
church. John I lamest, the grandfather 
of .S. E. Harnest. was the first baptismal 
candidate. He hail served as a soldier 
of the Re\olutionar\- war in connection 
with the father of F.lder h"us<in and he 
was the first ]>erson l)uried in the ceme- 
tery of the new church, his death occur- 
ring on the loth of September, 1S30. John 
Harnest, Jr.. was elected clerk and John 
Harnest, Sr., deacon of the church. A 
hrmse of worship was erected shortU" .after 
the r)rganization of the church on land 
]iurcliased of .Samuel Kite, the consider- 
;ition for the propert)' being a calico 
dress for Mrs. Kite. Elder I'\ison con- 



tinued pastor there until September 2'^. 
1S41, when old age compelled him to 
resign. 

John Harilest, father of our subject, 
was a native of Virginia, later moved to 
(3hio and remo\-ed from that state to 
Hancock count\-, Illinois, in 1838. He 
found a pioneer district and at once be- 
gan to clear the land and built a log cabin. 
E\erv e\'idence of frontier life was here 
to be seen, and he killed man)- deer, tur- 
keys and wolves in those early days. The 
homes of the settlers were widely scat- 
tered and many of the now thriving towns 
anil \illages h.ad not vet l.)een founded, 
rhrough a long period he carried on ag- 
ricultural pursuits and l)ore an acti\e and 
helpful i)art in the work of public prog- 
ress, aiding in laying broad and deep the 
foundation for the present upl)uilding and 
progress of the county. In [jolitics he was 
a democrat and for manv vears served as 
school director. ISoth he. and his wife 
were members of the Missionary Baptist 
church, taking an active and helpful part 
in its work and for a number of \ears he 
serx'ed as one of its deacons. In the f<am- 
ily were twehe children, three of whom 
sur\-i\'e: Daniel S.. who is li\ing in \r- 
kansas : .S. E.. of this re\iew : and Mary 
J., the widow of Palestine Wright, of 
Carthage. The father died Xovemljer 1, 
1864, and his remains were interred in the 
l\a\' gra\'evard. The mother long sur- 
\i\-ed him, departing this life in June. 
1896. 

S. E. Harnest attended the district 
schools of Carthage tounslnji and re- 
mained n])on his father's farm until twen- 
ty-six )ears of age, assisting in the ardu- 
ous task of (kweloijing new land and shar- 



HAXCOCK cor XT]-. IIJJXOIS. 



99 



ing with tlie faniil)' in tlie harilsliips ami 
privations incident to lite on the frontier. 
In the earl_v da}'s of the family's residence 
here the winters were \ery severe. The}' 
were visited by niany blizzards and the 
father had settled in the timber that it 
might afford protection for rl:e stock and 
also fnrnish an abundant sujijily of fire- 
\vo(xl. When the farmers commenced to 
impro\'e the prairie lanil for the first time 
after it had been vacated b)' the red race 
he fitted up a team of oxen with five or 
six yoke and started his eldest son. D. S. 
Harnest and his son Samuel 1*-. of this 
review to breaking prairie lan.d with a 
large plow, which would turn a 26-inch 
furrow. They thus engaged in breaking 
prairie for a numl:)er of years, sharpening' 
their plows at the blacksmith shop on 
Saturdays, using a small anvil and hea\'y 
hammer to draw out the shear with the 
use of se\'eral sharp files would run a 
week at a time. The anvil which was 
then used is still in possession of S. E. 
Harnest of this review, whij has brciken 
hundreds of acres of land and while thus 
engaged has encountered numerous large 
rattlesnakes. The whip lashes were made 
of buckskin, which were dressed by his 
father and the stocks were of hickor)- nr 
in.mwood. As it was necessary for them 
to clear off this land the mother made the 
sons buckskin trousers as she thought 
they were stronger and would better 
stand the wear and tear of such a life. 
The elder brother, D. S. Harnest, was in 
the Mormon war, wdiich resulted in the 
shooting of Hiram and Joseph Smith in 
1 844. John A. Harnest, a second brother 
who went through to California with ox 
team, died in 1853. 



On the 2 1 St nf February. iSru, S. I'l 
Harnest married Miss Matilda Ann \\ al- 
ton, who was born in St. Mary's tnwn- 
ship, Hancock county, .\pril (i. i8|i, a 
daughter of Frederick M. and Emily 
( Rice) Walton. The father w;is Ixirn in 
Mason County. Kentucky, |anuar\- 11, 
1809, and the mother's birth occurred in 
Pxione count)-. Kentuckw January- \o. 
181 I. They were married January- 31, 
1831, and became \er\- earh' settlers of 
Hancock county, arrixing in 1833, at 
which time they to(:)k up their abode in 
St. ]\Iary's towriship, residing ccjntinu- 
ously upon one farm until 1880, when 
\lv. Walton died. His first home was a 
little log cabin, in which he lived until 
1840, when he eiuplo)-ed John Harper, 
who made mortar Ijrick and was also a 
Ijricklaver, to build him a house. ^Nlrs. 
Idarnest was the first child in the ciainty 
born in a brick house. Mr. Walton was 
a republican in his political views after the 
organization of the party and served as 
highwa_\- comniissioner and was school 
director for many years. He supported 
every feasible plan for the l.)enefit of the 
commvmity and co-operated in many 
movements that were of direct benefit to 
this part of the state. Bi:ith he and his 
wife were members of the Missionary 
Baptist church. In their famil}- were 
eight children but only three are now liv- 
ing: John, a resident of Plymouth, Illi- 
nois: Mrs. Harnest, of Carthage: and 
Simon M., wdio lives upon the old home- 
stead farm. The father passed away 
April 10, 1880. and the mother on the 
8th of November, 1904, their remains 
being interred in Pl\-m(.iuth cemetery. 
In his business affairs Mr. Walton pros- 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJ'IEll' 



pered and he gave to each of liis children 
about two hundred acres of good land. 

His widow resided upon the old home- 
stead from 1835 until 1902, cnx-ering a 
period of sixty-seven years and there 
spent her remaining days (except about 
two years she spent in Carthage), with 
her (Laughter. Mrs. Harnest. She was 
one of the charter members of the Bap- 
tist church of St. Mary's township, or- 
ganized in 1837, and outlived all of the 
other original members, exemplifying 
each day her faith and Christian belief. 
She was also the last survivor of the or- 
ganizers of the Plymouth Baptist church 
and she had man}- warm friends who ad- 
mired her greatly for her Christian vir- 
tues and good qualities of heart and mind. 

For the first three years after their 
marriage Mr. and Mrs. Harnest lived on 
a farm near Plymouth but tlieir himie 
there was destroyed by fire and they after- 
ward bought a farm in Carth.age town- 
ship, where they resided for twenty-seven 
years. The}- had a comfortable home 
which they improved with porches, etc. 
He also built two new barns and out- 
buildings for the shelter of grain and 
stock. The farm lay on sections 24 and 
25 and comprised two hundred and forty 
acres of rich and productive land, which 
is still in his possession. For many vears 
Mr. Harnest carefully cultivated the 
fields, (le\'eloped the propertv and won 
success in his undertakings as an agri- 
culturist and feeding stock, but in 1891 
mo\ed to Carthage, building a pretty 
home on No. 611 Main street, adjoining 
the Baptist church. ?]e has since lived 
retired in the enjoyment of a well-earned 
rest, his labor in former vears havint;' 



brought to him a competence sufficient to 
supply him with the necessities and com- 
forts of life together with some of its 
luxuries. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Harnest ha\e been 
born three children, of whom two are now 
li\ing, the oldest two having been born 
near Plymouth and the other in Carthage 
township. Mary Emily, born January- 
2, 1862, became the wife of F. M. Cutler, 
who now lives in Carthage. She died 
May 13, 1895, in the triumphs of a living 
faith, leaving a son, Fred Francis, who 
died April 22, 1900, at the age of sev- 
enteen years. He was a good Christian 
youth and was a great comf(_irt to his 
grandparents. John Walton Harnest, 
born August 4, 1863, married Olive Rob- 
ertson, and is a stock dealer living in 
Carthage. He has one child. Forest L 
Frederick Eldridge Harnest, born March 
19, 1869, lives in Ouincy, where he con- 
ducts a livery stable. I-Ie had the mis- 
fortune to have his bam destroyed by fire 
January 18, 1906, but has since purchased 
another liverj- barn and is again in busi- 
ness. He married Miss Bertie M. Wrigdit 
and has three children, Pauline. Waldo 
^^'. and Mary Marguerite. 

Mr. Harnest is largely a self-made man 
and owing to his economy and energy in 
former years is now very comfortably 
situated in his old age. He has always 
been a very methodical man and since his 
marriage has kept a daily diary of events 
and incidents, Mrs. Harnest is a ladv of 
very retentive memory and intelligence 
and her good c|ualities have won her many 
friends with \\hom she spends iuan\' pleas- 
ant hours in social con\ersation on sub- 
jects which gi\'e enjci_\'ment to all. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



OSCAR HUBBARD BURR. 

Oscar Hubbard Burr, whu is the owner 
of valuable farming propert}- in Dur- 
ham township, consisting- of two hundred 
and forty acres in the home farm and also 
twenty acres oh another section, was born 
in that township February 4, 1858, his 
parents being Edward and Julia (Wil- 
cox) Burr, both (:)f whom were natives 
of Connecticut. The father was b< irn De- 
cember 24, 1814. and the mother on the 
13th of July, 18 1 7. When he came to 
Hancock county in 1839 from his native 
state he traveled with a party of sixteen, 
who made the journey with two small 
wagons and were six weeks upon the way, 
crossing the swamps and mountains and 
suffering many privations and hardships, 
as they journeyed on after the primitive 
manner of travel of those days. Here 
Mr. Burr began life in true pion.eer style. 
living in a log house for some time. The 
family had no table and scarcely any table 
cutlery for a number of years. Various 
wild animals roamed over his land and 
many evidences of pioneer life were to l)c 
seen. In 1852 he built the main part nf 
the house in which his son, O. H. Burr, 
now resides, and from time to time he 
added to his possessions until at his death 
he was very comfortably situated and was 
known as an enterprising and respected 
citi.zen of liis communitv. He died June 
II, 1895, while his wife passed away Jul_\- 
18. 1862. their remains being interred in 
Durham cemetery. Both were de\-oted 
members of the ]\Iethodist Episcopal 
church and his political views accorded 
with the principles of the Republican party. 
An old-fashioned teapot which lie brought 



to Illinois in 1839 is now in possession 
of his son. O. H. Burr, and is a much 
prized relic. In the famil_\- were seven 
children: Jonathan E., who was born 
August II, 1837, and li\-es in Cowley 
county, Kansas; Julia C, who was born 
November 11, 1838, and is the wife of 
William H. Avis, of Des Moines, Iowa ; 
Esther \., who was born June 3, 1841, 
and is the wife of Harvey H. Pershin, of 
Portland, Oregon; Orpha D., who was 
born February 14, 1845, and is the wife 
of S. E. Harkness. of southern Xel^raska : 
Emily C, who was born April 15, 1850, 
and is the wife of D. L. Toof, of Aunjra, 
Nebraska; Demmis \'., who was born 
Decemlier 14. 1834. and became the wife 
of Edwin Burr, her death occurring in 
Hancock county, Illinois, March 30, 1881, 
while Mr. Burr resides in Nebraska ; and 
O. PI., who was born in Durham town- 
ship, Februaiw 4, 1838. 

The last named was educated in the 
district schools of his native township 
and remained with his parents until in 
his twenty-first year, when he was mar- 
ried and started out in life on his own 
account. It was on the 20th of October, 
1878, that he wedded Miss Mahala I. 
Potter, who was born in Durham town- 
ship, Hancock county, June 28, 1839, 
one of the ten children of Warren and 
Mahala (Collins) Potter. Her father, 
who was born in Pennsylvania, August 
9, 1813, followed the occupation of 
farming as a life work and after living 
for some time in Adams county, Illinois, 
removed in 1858 to Hancock county and 
took tip his abode in a log cabin, living in 
true pioneer style. As the years passed 
he improved his fami and at a later date 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAIEW 



added nindern equipments. He died Jan- 
uary 2},. 1SN3, and his wife, wlm was 
burn in Indiana, (Jctober 3. 1821, passed 
a\\a\- March 2, i8()<)- :^t the age of sev- 
enty-seven years and was laid to rest 1)y 
his side in L'nion cemetery. Si.x of their 
children are yet li\ing-; Rebecca E., tlie 
wife I if James Putter, of Macomb. Illi- 
nois: (\vntlha J., the wife of R. T. Id. 
Bartlett. of Uallas City: Mary Eftie, the 
wife of ^^'. O. Stout, of Tha\er, Oregon 
county, ^lissouri ; Olive E., the wife of 
C. F. Bross, of Colusa: Mahala I., nnw 
Mrs. Bin"r : and Josephine, the wife of 
George Arnt, of Beatrice, Nebraska, while 
.\llen Potter was killed h\ a runawav in 
California, and Weaver Putter died in 
Missouri. 

Following their marriage Mr. and ]\Irs. 
Burr began their dnniestic life in a linuse 
on the place where he now li\'es. .\fter 
a year the}' reninx-ed to his father's Imuse. 
• Throughiiut the intervening years ?\Ir. 
Burr has carried on general agricultural 
pursuits and is now engaged in cultivat- 
ing two hundred and forty acres of land 
in I )nrliam township. He has improved 
the house, built barns and sheds, while 
one of the bams upon the place was 
erected by his father in i86t. He has 
brought the fields under a high state of 
cultivation and everything about the farm 
indicates his careful supervision and pro- 
gressive methods. 

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Burr has 
been blessed twith four children, all born 
in the house which was their father's 
birthplace. Oscar H.. Jr., the eldest, born 
July 14. 1882. married Catherine Kloss- 
ing, of Durham township, and thev ha\'c 
a son, Ralj)]! Joseph Oscar Ihur. Bessie 



C, born October 18. 1888, is at home: 
.Mann'c, born Jul}- 8, i8gi, died two days 
later: Ha/el C, Ijorn March iS. 1893. is 
with her parents. ]Mr. and ]Mrs. Burr are 
members of the Free Methodist church 
and take an active interest in its work, 
lix'ing the li\'es of earnest Christian peo- 
ple. Me \dtes with the prohibition party, 
which indicates his \iews on the temper- 
ance question, and he is a school director, 
standing at all times for intellectual and 
moral progress and giving his endorse- 
ment to every measure which he believes 
will uplift humanity. 



JOHX .\. FLETCHER. 

John A. I'detcher, living retired in 
Carthage, was born in Muskingum 
county. Ohio, ]May 22. 1838, and his 
])arents, Elisha and Elizabeth (Lane) 
h^letcher. were also nati\-es of that county, 
whei'e the father lived and died, follow- 
ing the occui^ation of farming as a life 
work. His political allegiance was given 
to the Republican ])art\- and he served as 
tax collector. ISoth he and his wife were 
memljers of the Methodist church, but 
both have passed away, their remains be- 
ing interred in Ohio. 

Of their famil}- of \\\t children John 
.\. hdetcher is the onl}- one now li\"ing. 
He was educated in the district schools 
of Ohio, the little "temple of learning" 
being a log building with puncheon floor, 
and small windows, slab seats and an im- 
mense fireplace. He remained upon the 



HJXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



103 



liume farm with his parents until his mar- 
riage. It was on the 13th of January, 
1858, that he wedded Miss Elizabeth 
Palmer, who was born June 9, 1840, in 
Muskingum county, Ohio, a daughter of 
Frederick and Sarah (Butler) Palmer, 
the fonner a native of the state of Xew 
York and the latter of Muskingum 
county. Air. Palmer was a farmer by 
occupation and was killetl in Ohio in 
April, 1844, by a log falling upon him. 
He was at that time serving as road su- 
pervisor. The mother was a member of 
the old primitive Baptist church. In the 
family were three children by the first 
marriage, but only two are n(jw living, 
!Mrs. Fletcher and Augusta, the latter the 
widow of Mr. King, who is living in 
Kansas City, Kansas. The mother later 
married Abner Lane. They left two liv- 
ing children. 

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
Fletcher lived upon a farm in Aluskingum 
county, Ohio, until after the outbreak of 
the Civil war. when Mr. Fletcher, in re- 
sponse to his country's need, enlisted as 
a member of Company D, Si.xteenth Ohio 
Volunteer Infantry. He was afterward 
transferred to Company I of the invalid 
corps and was promoted to the rank of 
first sergeant. He served for three years 
and one month and was honorably dis- 
charged in October, 1864. At Camp 
Dennison, Ohio, in the first year of the 
war. he had an attack of typhoid fever, 
being ill in the hospital there for a long 
time and as a result his left side was 
paralyzed and has always remained so. 
He participated in the battles of Mills 
Springs and Cumberland, where he was 
wounded in the leg by the explosion of 
7 



a shell, which also cut off the stock of 
his gun. He was likewise in the battles 
of Tazewell, Tennessee, Cumberland Gap 
and Vicksburg, where he was stripped of 
his clothing by the rebels and lay for two 
days and nights in the rain. He likewise 
participated in the engagements at 
Thompson's Hill and McKenzie Bend. 
His regiment was the Sixteenth Ohio In- 
fantry and Company D was commanded 
by Captain Milton Mills, while the first 
lieutenant was Thomas Hedge and the 
second lieutenant William Dorsey. All 
were from Dresden, Oliio. Fle was a 
brave soldier and made a great sacrifice 
for his countn', but he did it cheerfully 
and willingly and no one displays a more 
patriotic spirit than does Mr. Fletcher, 
who is always interested in the welfare 
of his country and her progress. His 
eldest and his youngest brothers, Spencer 
and Joshua Fletcher respectively, were 
also soldiers of the Civil war. Joshua 
died from the effects of injury sustained 
at Cumberland Gap and was buried there. 
Spencer was wounded at Vicksburg and 
died at Milliken's Bend. They, too, were 
soldiers of the Sixteenth Ohio Regiment 
and Henry Fletcher, a cousin, was with 
the three brothers in this regiment, while 
George Fletcher, an uncle, was in the 
Seventy-eighth Ohio Regiment. Charles 
and Henry Tatham, cousins of Mrs. 
Fletcher, were likewise soldiers of the 
Sixteenth Ohio and Charles H. Butler, 
another cousin, was a soldier of Company 
D, Twelfth Illinois Infantry and was hon- 
orably discharged at Louisville, Kentucky, 
in 1865. 

After his return from the war Mr. 
Fletcher located upon a farm in Licking 



i(H 



HIOGRAPIIICAL RFJ'IFA]- 



c<]unty. Ohio, and in iSCk) came t<> Illi- 
nois. Aljont 1S71 (jr i.Sjj lie located 
npoii a fai'ni of ninet\' acres in Carthag'e 
lownsliip. and for man_\- _\cars thereafter 
was dex'oted to i^eneral agricnltnral [jur- 
suits, cnndnctint;' his hnsiness interests 
with _i;oo(l ahilit)-. lie has now lieen re- 
tired for twehe }'ears, has made his home 
in the city of Carthage since Fehruar)-, 
1003. and is in poor health. He possesses. 
ho\\e\'er. a cheerful nature and most 
kindly dis])ositioii and hears his sufferings 
nncomplainingK'. L'nto "Mr. and Mrs. 
I'letcher ha\e been horn eight children, 
four of whom were born in Ohio and the 
others in Carthage township. Francis L.. 
the eldest, married Miranda J. Kini- 
brough. has a son, Charles, and li\es in 
Carthage. Sarah L. died in infanc\-. Al- 
feretta May is the wife of Willis h',rvin. 
a resident of Carthage township, and has 
six children: Edward. Ethel, George. 
Genevieve, Hazel and Harry. Of these 
children Edward h^rxin married Bernice 
Reed, resides in \\'est I'oint. Iowa, and 
has a son. Frederick. Ethel Er\-in is the 
wife of Frank Rriley, lives in Carthage 
member of the famih'. married Miss Cora 
townshi]). and has a little son, Thomas 
liriley. Joshua 1'^. Fletcher, the fourth 
Linn and resides at Carthage. .\l)ner P. 
hdetcher owns a farm near West Point, 
Iowa, married Miss Martha Conn and 
has tl\e daughters: Ada, Georgie, Eena, 
Alice and Blanche. Mina A., is the wife 
of I'erry I). M},-ers. of Pilot Grove town- 
ship, and has foiu' children : Ray, Hurl, 
I'dorence and Ernest. Knox B. Fletcher 
wedded Miss Mary B. Connoughton, re- 
sides in Carthage, and has a daughter. 
Lola D. Winnifred is the wife of Fred 



Craig, of Hannibal, Missouri. He en- 
listed in the Twentieth Infantr\- of the 
regular army and was transferred to the 
V\hh Regiment, being stationed at San- 
tiago during the Spanish-. Vmerican war. 
IrTe was in Culta for eight months, enlist- 
ing at Keokuk, Iowa, in 1900. He was 
absent for a year in acti\e serxice l)Ut now 
resides in ILuniibal. 

In i)olitics Mr. Fletcher is a stalwart 
republican, having given unfaltering alle- 
giance to the party since attaining his 
majorit)'. He has been actively interested 
in the cause of education and has done 
ettective ser\ice in behalf of the pnlilic 
schools of Carthage during many years" 
service on the school board, of which he 
has acted as clerk, while for tw^h'e x'ears 
he was its president. He is a charter 
member of the Modern Woodmen of 
America of Carthage, also belongs to the 
Grand Arm\- of the Republic and is a 
meml)er of the Presbyterian church, to 
which his wife and some of his children 
also belong'. He owns the comfortable 
home on Locust street where he has lived 
since coming to the city. He has been an 
enterprising, self-maile man, whose suc- 
cess is due entireK- to his own lalxirs and 
efforts. Handicapped by ill health, he has 
nevertheless \\(irked resolutel}- and ear- 
nestly year after year and has accumulated 
a comfortable competence. In his family 
he has been a dexnted husband and father 
and in his illness his wife and daughter, 
Mrs. Craig, put forth e\'er\' effort to as- 
suage his suffering. His life has prac- 
ticallv been a sacrifice to his country. 
Wherever known he is held in high es- 
teem, for he possesses those traits of 
character which win friendship, confi- 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOiS. 



105 



dence and regartl ami his nian_\- friends 
will be glad to receive this record of his 
life. 



HENRY JENKINS. 

Henry Jenkins is mie of the early 
settlers of Hancock conntw wlm thmugii 
many years has l)een an interested wit- 
ness of the changes that have occurred 
and the progress that has lieen made as 
the county has emerged frnm pioneer 
conditions and taken on all <i!' the evi- 
dences and improvements of an advanced 
civilization. He now makes his home in 
Carthage, and owns a farm of one hun- 
dred and sixty acres in Carthage town- 
shi]), that under his care and develojjment 
has been transformed into a highly im- 
proved and priiductixe property. 1 le was 
horn in Roan county, Tennessee, on the 
17th of September, 1838, and there re- 
sided until twelve \-ears of age. when he 
came to Illinois in 1851 with his parents, 
John and Sarah ( Rayborn ) Jenkins. The 
father was born in Virg"inia, re])resenting 
one of the old southern families. ;uiil 
thrijughout his active life he carried on 
farming. Upon coming to Hancock 
county he settled in Rock Creek townshi]), 
where he purchased one hundred ;ind sixt\' 
acres of land, making his home thereon 
until 1862. He then reuKjved to Har- 
mony township, trading his original farm 
for a tract of land in Harmony townshi]). 
.of two hundred and twenty acres which 
was partially improved. He gave his time 
and energies to its further development 



for some _\'ears and then bonght another 
place in Harmony township, after which 
he sold the other farm, residing upon the 
last purchased property for many years. 
Eventually, however, he went to Bentley, 
where he lived with one of his daughters 
until he was called to his final rest, passing 
away at the very advanced age of ninety- 
one years. He was a member of the 
Primitive Baptist church and a man of 
earnest Christian faith and character. 
His political support was given to the de- 
mocracy. In his business affairs he pros- 
pered and though he only had seventy- 
five dollars in money when he came to 
Illinois, he succeeded in rearing a large 
f.amilv. pro\-i<ling for them a comfortable 
li\dng and ac(|uiring a com])etenc\' fi.ir his 
last vears. His remains were interred in 
Harmony township cemetery. His wife, 
who was l)orn in Tennessee, grew to 
womanhood there. She was also a mem- 
ber of the l'rimiti\e ISaptist church, and 
died about six \ears prior to her husband's 
demise, her grave being also made in 
HaruKJU}- township cemetery. I'nto this 
worth\' couple were born thirteen children. 
se\en of whom are living. 

Henr\' Jenkins remained upon the 
home farm until tw ent}-fi\e years of age, 
no e\ent of special imjiortance occui'ring 
to var\- the routine of farm life for him 
in his }-outli, his attention being divided 
between the work of the schoolniom, the 
duties of the fields and the ])leasm-es of 
the ])lavground. Ide was then married 
but continued to reside upon a part of the 
old homestead property fo'r ;i few years, 
after which he removed to Missouri, 
where he resided for three years, engaged 
in farming during that time. He then 



io6 



RIOGRAPIIICAI. KlillliW 



returned to Hancock county, Illinois, 
where he remained for five years in Har- 
mony township. On the expiration of 
that period he took up his abode in Knox 
county, Missouri, where he spent nine 
years, when he again came to Hancock 
county and purchased his present farm of 
one hundred and sixty acres in Carthage 
township. Here he has lived continuous- 
ly, until recently. He bought the farm 
sixteen _\-ears ago and has placed thereon 
man}' improvements, securing the best ma- 
chinery for the development of the fields, 
adding many niijdern equipments and ac- 
cessories. He has a good frame dwelling 
and other buildings upon his place and 
devoted his time and energies to general 
farming and stock-raising, having good 
grades of stock. In September, 1906, Mr. 
Jenkins bought a residence on Scofield 
street, Carthage, and in October moved 
with his family to the city in order to 
give his sons Iietter educational advan- 
tages. 

At the age of twenty-five years Mr. 
Jenkins was married to Miss Family V. 
Alauk, who was bom in Virginia and re- 
moved to Hancock county, Illinois, with 
her parents when a small child. Her 
father, Abram Mauk, came to this county 
in rSsi, and followed the occupation of 
farming in Harmony township, where he 
lived until his death, which occurred when 
he was about fift}--five )-ears of age. His 
wife died in Virginia. Unto Mr. and 
Mrs. Jenkins have been born thirteen chil- 
dren, nine of whom are living : Robert, a 
farmer residing at home ; Ada, the wife of 
Robert E. Granger, a resident farmer of 
Hancock township, by whom she had 
seven children : Charles. May, Sarah. 
Clara and Rov, who are living, and two 



who died in infancy; John, a teamster of 
La Harpe, Kansas, who married Cora 
Willis: Sarah, the wife of Homer Rig- 
gens, a farmer residing in Hancock tovvn- 
shii). I)}- whom she has one daughter, 
Anna: Ollie, at home; Anna, married 
Jesse Ruddle, of Oak Grove, and has 
two sons, Leland H. and Roy T. ; Lu- 
cinda Belle, who died at the age of twen- 
t}--four years; Harvey, Edward and 
Thomas, all at home; one who died at 
the age of eight years, while three died in 
infancy. 

liotli Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins are mem- 
bers of the Priiuitive Baptist church, and 
he votes with the democracy, but has 
never cared for public oiifice, his time and 
attention being fully occupied with his 
business interests, which ha\e been care- 
full}- managed, antl though his life has 
not been exempt from the difficulties and 
obstacles which usuall}- come to all in a 
business career, he has overcome all these 
by determination and energy and is now 
the possessor of a valuable farm prop- 
erty which yields him a good income. He 
has also seen many improvements made 
in Hancock county during the long years 
of his residence here, and has done his 
full share in the work of citizenship, 
standing for progress antl improvements 
along all those lines which are of direct 
and immediate serA'iceableness in the pro- 
motion of material, intellectual, social 
and moral progress. 

.\lr. Jenkins and his family rich!}- <le- 
ser\'e the high esteem in which the\' are 
held by their man}' friends in the com- 
niuiiit}' where the\- ha\'e so long resided. 
an<l tliev are well worthv of representation 
in the liiograiihical Review of Hancock 
Countv. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



107 



VERRIEUS R. FAUGHT. 

\'errieus R. Faught, for many years 
identified with general agricultural pur- 
suits and now doing business as a gar- 
dener at Hamilton, was born in New 
Madrid, Missouri, April i, 1843. His 
parents were Sanford and Caroline 
(Seavers) Faught, the fonner a native 
of Frankfort, Kentucky, and the latter of 
Baden, Germany. The mother was 
brought from Germany to Penns}l\ania 
during her infancy. Her mother died 
when the daughter was quite young and 
she afterward lived with her father until 
her marriage, wliich was celebrated in 
Evansville, Indiana. Sanford Faught 
had been reared in Kentucky and in early 
manhood was married there. Two sons 
were born of the first marriage, but his 
wife and children all died in Kentucky. 
Following his marriage to Caroline 
Seavers he lived in New Madrid, ]\'Iis- 
souri, for a few months and afterward re- 
moved to Evansville, Indiana, and then 
to Keokuk, Iowa, where he worked at 
his trade of house building, making his 
home there from 1849 until 1853. In the 
latter year, with his family, he took up 
his abode in what is now the western part 
of Hamilton, and purchased forty acres 
of land, which at that time was covered 
with a (lense growth of timber. He 
cleared a portion of this and built a 
frame luiuse, bringing the lumber across 
the river in a skiff. Fnim the door of 
his house he could frequent))' see deer 
and wild turkeys. As the town of Ham- 
ilton grew he subdivided his land and sold 
it ofif in town lots. He was one of the 
promoters of the movements to secure the 



first ferr}' to Keokuk and one of the in- 
fluential men of the town, a fact which is 
indicated in that the early name of the 
town was Faughtsburg, but after a few 
\ears it was changed to Hamilton. He 
measured off the first town lot in Hamil- 
ton with a tape line and from the earliest 
inception of the village until his death 
was closely identified with its growth and 
progress. He died March 24, 1856, and 
his wife, long surviving him, remained 
an esteemed resident of Hamilton until 
called to her final home on the 27th of 
June, 1903. The name of Sanford 
Faught, however, is inseparably inter- 
woven with the history of Hamilton and 
he will always be honored as one of its 
founders. 

Verrieus R. Faught, the eldest in a 
family of two sons and four daughters, 
of whom two of the daughters and the 
brother of our subject are now deceased, 
spent his boyhood days in Hamiltcjn, his 
parents removing to Hancock county 
when he was but a }-oung lad. He pur- 
sued his education in the public schools 
and also attended a commercial college 
at Davenport, Iowa. He has watched the 
growth and development of Hamilton 
from a wilderness to a thriving city and 
has been a co-operant factor in many pro- 
gressive public movements. He assisted 
his parents on the home farm until the 
1st of September, 1862, when he enlisted 
for active sen-ice in the Civil war as a 
member of Company D, Seventy-eighth 
Illinois \'olunteer Infantry. He was in 
the Fourteenth Army Corps in the Army 
of the Cumberland and participated in 
tlie Atlanta campiagn, the battle of Chick- 
amauga and man}' other iniportant en- 



io8 



BlOGRAriUCAL RFJIEW 



gagements and in the celebrated march to 
tlie sea umlt-r ( ieneral Sherman. He 
fought in tlie battles of Jonesboro. 
Georgia, September i. 1864; Kingston. 
Tennessee: Chattanooga. Xovember 25. 
1863: Lookout Mountain: Atlanta, Sep- 
tember I. 1864: Sa\-annah. Georgia: 
Evansboro. Xorth Carolina ; Rome and 
Resaca. Georgia : Kennesaw Mountain. 
June 2y. 1864: and Bentonville. North 
Carolina, March k). 1865. He was mus- 
tered out of ser\'ice at Washington, D. 
C. on the 2d of June. 1865, after alnmst 
three }-ears df active dutv in the sr>nth. 
and he ])n)\-ed his lnyalt}' and bravery on 
various battlefields and under many nf 
the arduous conditions which war brings. 

Returning to Hamilton, ]\lr. Faught 
turned his attention to general agricul- 
tural pursuits after spending a few months 
at St. Joseph, Missouri. He has followed 
farming throug'hout his entire life and for 
many years was a prosperous agricultur- 
ist but has now put aside the more ardu- 
ous duties (if the farm and has gi\en his 
attention to gardening, in which he is 
doing a big business. He bought six 
lots in the Oakwnod addition to Ham- 
ilton, where he has his residence and in 
the fall of 1904 he added three more lots. 
He has a good trade in gfirden products, 
placing upon the market many of the 
finest vegetables produced in this section 
of the country. 

On the 2d of March. t88i, Mr. Faught 
was united in marriage to Miss Sarah 
Frances Nelson, who was bom in Peoria. 
Illinois, November 8. 1859, and was edu- 
cated in the public schools of Ouincy, Illi- 
nois, and of Keokuk. Iowa. She also 
studied to he a nurse in the training 



school in connection with the College of 
Physicians and Surgeons at Keokuk. 
Her father. John S. Nelson, was born in 
Beardstown. Illinois, and married Phebe 
J. Turner, whose birth occurred in Cler- 
niunt county. Ohio, October 21. 1841. 
while his natal day was January 22, 1829. 
In their family were nine children, four 
sons and five daughters. Mrs. Nelson, 
removing to the middle west, made the 
journey over the Ohio, Mississippi and 
Illinois ri\'ers to Peoria in 1844 and since 
that time has made her lionTe in Peoria 
and Hamilton, living in the latter city 
since 1870. She now makes her home 
with Mr. and Mrs. Faught. By this mar- 
riage have been born a son and daugh- 
ter: Emmett Sanford. born April 9. 
1882. is now living in Peoria, Illinois. 
Almeda May, born June 16, 1885. is the 
wife of John Seavers residing in San 
Francisco, California, a machinist on the 
battleships in the navy yard. 

Since his return from the war Mr. 
Faught has resided continuously in Ham- 
ilton and is one of the oldest citizens here, 
having been brought to the county in pio- 
neer times when a young lad. He is a 
member of the Freewill Baptist church, 
gives his political allegiance to the Repub- 
lican party and is a valued representative 
( if the Grand Armv Post. 



JUDGE THOMAS COKE SHARP. 

ludge Thomas Coke Sharp, deceased, 
left the impress of his individuality upon 



HAXCOCK COUNTY, IIJJXO/S. 



109 



Hancock count}- as j(jurnalist, lawyer, 
county judge, a member of the state con- 
stitutional convention of 1848, a leader 
in the movement against the Monnons 
and as advocate of railroad projects. Any 
one of these things would entitle him to 
mention among the representative citizens 
of this part of the state, ^ while his com- 
bined labor made him a distinguished 
man, recognized as a leader of public 
thought and action. 

Judge Sharp was born September 25, 
1 818. at Mount Holly. Xew Jersey. His 
father, lve\\ Soli)mon Sharp, was born 
on the eastern shore of Maryland and was 
a noted pioneer ]Methodist minister of the 
Philadelphia conference. His mother was 
a member of the well known and promi- 
nent Budd famil}-, of T'emberton, Burling- 
ton county. New Jersey. In his pastoral 
work Rev. Sharp was stationed at differ- 
ent times at Trenton, Xew Jersew Phila- 
delphia, Wilmington. Delaware, and was 
also connected with the Salem circuit of 
Xew Jersey, the Christiana circuit of Del- 
aware, the Smyrna and the Dover circuits, 
after which he entered upon superannu- 
ated relations with the church, his death 
occurring within a short time. 

Thomas Coke Sharp, after attending 
the common schools, entered Dickinson 
College at Carlisle, Penns}-l\-ania, in 1835, 
and in 1837 became a student in the law 
school conducted by Judge Reed, of Car- 
lisle. He supported himself during the 
last eighteen months of his law course b_\' 
teaching in the male high school, of which 
he took charge when twenty years of age. 
He was also teacher of mathematics for 
six months m Dickinson College in the ab- 
sence of one of the professors. Following 



his graduation from Jutlge Reed's school 
he was in April, 1840, matriculated in the 
Cumberland Law School. In September 
of the same year he came west and opened 
a law office in \Varsaw, Illinois, which he 
successfully maintained until 1865, when 
he located in Carthage, where he resided 
until his death. 

\Miile in Warsaw, Judge Sharp's hear- 
ing became impairetl, so that he gave up 
the practice of law for a few. years or un- 
til 1858, He practiced for but a year in 
Warsaw, after which he became one of 
the proprietors of the Western World, his 
partner in the enterprise being James 
Gamble. The paper was published as 
a whig organ, but Mr. Sharp soon placed 
it upon a neutral political basis, for he 
was an aihocate of Jacksonian democ- 
racy. In 1841 the name of the paper 
was changed to the Warsaw Signal. Al- 
though the two partners worked hard and 
faithfully the}- realized in 1842 that they 
Could not raise the debt on the establish- 
ment and the paper passed again into the 
hands of its first proprietor, D. X. \Miite. 

It was in the same year, on the 6th of 
September, 1842, that Judge Sharp was 
married to Mrs. Hannah G. Wilcox, the 
widow (_)f John R. Wilcox, one of the 
original proprietors of the town site of 
Warsaw. She was a most highly es- 
teemed lady, enjoying the warm regard 
of all who knew her. She had six chil- 
dren, one bom of her first marriage and 
five of her marriage to Judge Sharp, but 
only two of the number are now living: 
Charles G., who resides in Shadron, Mis- 
souri ; and W. O. Sharp, who is repre- 
sented elsewhere in this work. The wife 
and mother passed away October 3, 1879. 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



•Vbout the time the Warsaw Signal 
suspended Judge Sharp decided to try 
farming, but soon realized that nature 
had never intended him for a tiller of the 
soil and he made arrangements to again 
resume the publication of the Warsaw 
Signal in 1844. He soon became widely 
known as a journalist whose articles of 
attack against the Mormons awakened 
wide-spread attention and aroused public 
opinion. The sect turned out upon him 
its vengeance and wrath and called him 
"Old Tom Sharp." His editorials in the 
Signal were extensively copied into r)ther 
papers throughout the country. He was 
a forceful writer, earnest and tiuent. and 
was unsparing' in his attacks of the prin- 
ciples upon which the JMormim church 
was founded. Many reading these ar- 
ticles formed tlie opinion that Judge 
Sharp was a most aggressive man, full of 
the fighting spirit, but on the contrary 
he was most mild-mannered, of kindly 
nature and rather inclined to the conserva- 
tive in his opinions and judgments. . It 
was only when he was aroused by some- 
thing tliat he lielieved to be wrong that 
he assumed the attitude of the antagonist 
and then he was unfaltering in support 
of whatever cause or course he believed 
to be right. In 1844, Joseph and Hiram 
Smith, the two prophets and leaders of the 
^lormon church, were killed and Judge 
ShariL through the Signal, vindicated the 
anti-Momions. Several attempts were 
made to indict him as one of the leaders 
in the assassination, but tc^ no avail. He 
continued at the head uf the Warsaw- 
Signal until the fall of 1846 and in the 
Mormon war which followed the trouble 
between the orthodox Christians and the 



followers of Smith he acted as an aide to 
General Singleton, who first had com- 
mand of the anti-Momion troops, and 
after his retirement Judge Sharp occupied 
the same position on the staff of General 
Brockman. In the battle of Nauvoo he 
was sent with others to make a feint on 
the Mormon batterj- on the right, while 
the general at the head of the main force 
made a flank movement on the left. The 
feint executed. Judge Sharp, with his 
command, joined the main force and con- 
\-eyed the orders that brought the first 
regiment into the fight, and in person led 
the second regiment up t(T the support of 
the exposed artillerv, during which move- 
ment several of the men were wounded. 
After the Mormons had been driven 
from the country Judge Sharp turned the 
Signal over to Thomas Gregg, and as his 
health had become impaired through the 
strain and hard work in the office he 
sought recuperation in outdoor interests. 
In the spring of 1847 'i^ ^^'^^ elected a 
member of the constitutional convention 
with four others from Hancock county 
and assisted in framing the organic law 
of the state, which was adopted as the 
state constitution by a vote of the people 
in 1848. In 185 1 he was elected justice 
of the peace of \A'arsaw and in 1853 was 
chosen the first mayor of that city, which 
office he occupied for three consecutive 
terms and was again elected in 1858 and 
1859, giving to the city a public-spirited 
administration, characterized by the ut- 
most devotion to the public welfare along 
lines of material impro\ement and intel- 
lectual, legal and political progress. For 
fifteen months during the early '50s he 
also published a paper, neutral in politics. 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



for the advancement of railroad projects 
and in this way contributed much to the 
upbuilding of tlie state. It has been said 
that railroads are the means of draining a 
new country' of savager\" and all acknowl- 
edge that rapid transportation is one of 
the chief elements in opening up a new 
district to commercialism and industrial- 
ism. 

During the ]\Iiirmon war Judge Sharp 
ceased to be a partisan democrat and in 
1854, upon its organization, joined the 
Republican party, which he ardently and 
zealously supported from that time until 
his death. In 1856 he was nominated by 
the republicans of the then fifth district 
as a candidate for congress. He knew 
this to be an empty honor because of the 
strength of the democracy in his section 
of the state, but nevertheless made a 
strong canvass through the district, de- 
livering speeches in every county in sup- 
port of the principles which he upheld. 
In 1864 he began the publicatiim of the 
\\'arsaw New Era at the request of the 
Union League of Hancock county, and 
conducted it for a year at that place, when 
leaders in public opinion desired that the 
paper be moved to Carthage because of 
more central location. In 1865 therefore 
the Carthage Gazette was established by 
F. E. Fowler. In the fall of the same 
year Judge Sharp was nominated b}' the 
republicans for the position of countv 
judge and on being elected removed his 
family to the county seat. He held the 
office for four years and the court records 
show liim til have been one of the ablest 
judges that have sat upon the bench. He 
was repeatedly renominated but the dem- 
ocrats had regained their ascendencv and 



republican \'ict(iries have since been few 
in Hancock county. On retiring from the 
bench he formed a partnership with FI. 
W. Draper, with whom he continued in 
the practice of law for three years, and 
in December, i86g, when Mr. P'dwler re- 
ceived a government appointment. Judge 
Sharp was urged to assume editorial con- 
trol of the Carthage Gazette, which he 
did, expecting, however. t<i remain cun- 
nected with that paper for only a brief 
period. His old interest in journalistic 
work, however, being revived, he pur- 
chased the office in 1870 and C(.mtinued 
as proprietor of the Carthage Gazette 
until he turned it over to his son, W. O. 
Sharp, the present editor. In this period 
he' had also continued in the practice of 
law and for many years was at the head 
of the law firm of Sharp & Berry 
Brothers. He remained in active life for 
many years and was widely known 
throughout the state as a journalist and 
as a leader in political circles. He also 
attained high rank at the bar and in citi- 
zenship stood for all that is progressive, 
for all that is opposed to misrule and for 
all that looks to the welfare of the coun- 
try before the aggrandizement of self. 
His effijrts were again and again of direct 
and immediate serviceableness to the 
count}'. He continued active in the news- 
paper field and at the bar until 1891, when 
he was stricken with paralysis. He lived 
for three years thereafter, passing away 
April 9. 1894, at the advanced age of sev- 
enty-five years, his remains being interred 
in Moss Ridge cemetery. It is an impor- 
tant public duty to honor and perpetuate 
as far as is possible the memory of an 
eminent citizen, one who bv his blame- 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IFAJ- 



less and lionorahle life and distinguished 
career reflected credit upon his city and 
his state. Xo man in Hancock county 
was ever ni(jre respected, more fullv en- 
joyed the coniidence of the people or de- 
served in larger measure such respect and 
confidence. In his lifetime the people of 
his city and county, recognizing his merit, 
rejoiced in his advancement and in the 
h(jn(irs to which he attained and since his 
death the\' have cherished his memoi'}'. 



MARTIN CONRAD ECHBOHM. 

The financial and commercial histor}- 
of Hancock county would be very incom- 
plete and very unsatisfactory without a 
persi.^nal and somewhat extended mention 
of those whose lives are interwoven so 
closely with its industrial and manufac- 
turing de\-elopment and with its public 
interests. \A'hen a man nr a select number 
of men have set in motion the machinery 
of business which materializes into a thou- 
sand forms of practical utility, or where 
they have can-ed out a fortune or a name 
from the common possibilities, open for 
competition to all, there is a public desire 
to kTiow the results and the circumstances 
by which such results have been achieved. 

The subject of this sketch finds a 
proper place in the history of those men 
of business and enterprise in Hancock 
county, whose force of character, whose 
sterling integrity, whose fortitude amid 
discouragements, whose good sense in 
the management of complicated affairs 



and marked success in establishing and 
contmlling industrial and commercial in- 
terests ha\'e contributed in an eminent 
degree to the de\'elopment of the re- 
sources of this part nf the state. His 
career has not been helped b_\' accident, 
iir luck, or wealth, or family, or power- 
ful friends. He is in the broadest sense 
of the term a self-made man, being both 
the architect and builder of his own for- 
tunes. 

Mr. Echbohm was hum in Leebeck, 
rierman}-, March 13, 1S51, and there at- 
tended a public scIk.ioI until thirteen years 
of age. when he came to America on an 
old sailing \'essel. which, after a voyage 
of thirteen weeks, dropped anchor in the 
harb(ir of New Orleans. He made the 
trip in c<>mpan\- with his parents and 
from that cit_\' the family proceeded north- 
ward to Warsaw. Illint)is, wdiere Mr. 
I'^chljohm has since li\-ed. His father was 
a shi]> carpenter in the old- country anil 
after coming to the L'nited States em- 
barked in the grain business, in which he 
Continued until his death, passing away 
in iS-(i. when sixty-two years of age. 
He was married in his native countr_\- to 
Miss ]Mary W'oldebrand. who survived 
him until 189T. and died at the age of 
se\'eut\'-two vears. when she was laid to 
rest I(}' his side in \A'arsaw cemetery. 
The}' were the parents of three children: 
Martin C. : Charles, who died at the age 
of twent}'-one years : and Rickey, the wife 
of Ca])tain b'rank Aleyers, of A\'arsaw. 

Mr. Echbohm well remembers the in- 
cidents of the voyage to the United 
.States and the condition of things that 
confronted the famih' upon their arrival 
in Hancock county in 1864. His educa- 



HANCOCK COUXTV. ILLIXOIS. 



tion completed, he entered iipdu a cuin- 
mercial career in the hay and grain busi- 
ness in connection with his father. This 
partnership was maintained until the 
father's death, and Mr. Echbohm was 
then alone in business for fifteen years 
thereafter. On the expiration of that 
period he retired from the hay and grain 
trade and became a merchant of Warsaw, 
since which time he has conducted a hard- 
ware and implement business. The en- 
terprise, of which he is nnw proprietor, 
was established by Freil and Heniy Dross 
in Warsaw, about 1881, and was contin- 
ued by that firm until 189S, when the 
partnership was diss()]\-cd and the busi- 
ness divided. In the meantime Mr. Ech- 
bohm had become interested in the busi- 
ness and upon the dissolutiim of the part- 
nership he purchased a new stijck of im- 
plements and groceries and has since car- 
ried on business alone under his own 
name, dealing in hardware, implements 
and groceries. He carries a large and 
carefully selected stock suited to the 
varied tastes and needs of the general 
public and has a liberal patronage, which 
has been given him in recognition of his 
honorable business methods and reason- 
able prices. He is a man of resourceful 
ability and has not confined his attention 
alone to one line but has extended his 
efforts into other fields of activity and 
commercial progress and prosperity have 
been stimulated by his energy and keen 
discrimination. In 1886 he organized 
the \^'arsaw Pickle Company, capitalized 
for twenty-five thousand dollars and still 
in successful operation. At the beginning 
he became general manager and has since 
acted in that office. The plant has a ca- 



pacity (if sixt_\- thiiusand bushels a year. 
In 1901 a tomato canning plant was added 
and the annual output of canned tomatoes 
is about twenty thousand cases. The 
works are situated in the x'illagc of \\ ar- 
saw and the company is officered by the 
following gentlemen : William Ballenger, 
president; F. C. Haslup, secretary and 
treasurer; and Mr. Echbohm, general 
manager. The last named was also or- 
ganizer of a cold storage business, which 
is conducted in connection with the pickle 
works and which has a capacit_y of two 
hundred thousand cases of eggs. This 
enterprise is one of the leading business 
concerns of the village, furnishing an' ex- 
cellent market for local products and the 
quality of its output finds a ready sale on 
the market. 

Had Mr. Echbohm done nothing for 
his city outside of business interests he 
would be entitled to representation among 
its leading men. He has, however, la- 
bored untiringly and effectively toward 
promoting its' welfare in other ways and 
his fellow townsmen, recognizing his 
worth and devotion to the public good 
have frecjuently honored him with office. 
He has served as alderman of Warsaw 
for several terms and in 190 1 was elected 
mayor, giving a practical and business- 
like administration that led to his re-elec- 
tion in 1902, again in 1904, and once 
more in 1905, so that he is now serving 
for the fourth term in that capacity. 

On the 14th of October, 1873, Martin 
C. Echbohm was married to Miss Mary 
Schafer, a daugther of John and Eliza- 
beth Schafer. They have become the 
parents of a son and daughter. The for- 
mer, Henrv, died at the age of twenty- 



114 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



one years. Clara is now tlie wife of 
Charles Lockart. a resident of St. Paul, 
Minnesota. The parents are members of 
the Lutheran church, and Mr. Echbohm 
became a member of tlie Odd Fellows 
society in Warsaw, in which he has passed 
all of the chairs. Mr. and Mrs. Echbohm 
are prominent socially and the hospitality 
of their own home is greatly enjoyed by 
their many friends. In the prosperity of 
the city of his residence he has been an 
in\"akiable factor, no man having done 
more toward upbuilding the cit}* of War- 
saw than he, while his public spirit and 
his progressive ideas have been of ines- 
timaljle wortli to the communit\', while 
to public enterprises and other efforts look- 
ing toward the advancement of his fellow 
citizens he contributes with an open hand 
and is the prime mover in most of them. 



PARKHURST WARD CUTLER. 

Parkhurst Ward Cutler resides on sec- 
tion 14, Carthage township, where he has 
a farm of four hundred acres nf well 
improved land. He is a nati\-e i>f T'ulton 
count}', Illinois, born February jy. 1848, 
and came to Hancnck ci;)unt}- in 1853 
with his parents, Nathan and Hannah 
Ward Cutler. His early education was 
;ic(|uired in the common schools uf Han- 
cock county beginning in the old sul>- 
scription school. The father, a native of 
New 'S'ork, was liorn at Holland, Erie 
county, near Buft'alo. and there resided 
until nineteen vears of age, when he re- 



moved to Fulton county, Illinois, where 
he lived with his parents until after his 
marriage. He continued to reside in that 
county until 1853, the year of his arrival 
in Hancock county, where he engaged in 
general farming. He also purchased a 
tract of land in Fulton county, which he 
sold upon locating in Pilot Grove town- 
ship, where he also bought a farm of one 
hundred and fifty acres. A year later, 
however, he disposed of that property and 
removed to Carthage township, purchas- 
ing one hundretl and seventy-three acres 
of good land on section 28. This he at 
once began to cultivate and improve, mak- 
ing it his home until his death and suc- 
cessfully carrying on general farming 
and stock-raising. He kept high grades 
of cattle, hogs and horses and both 
branches of his business proved profitable. 
His life was in harmony with his pro- 
fessions as a member of the Baptist 
church. He took a most active and help- 
ful interest in its work and served as 
deacon for many years, acting in that 
capacity at the time of his death, which 
occurred December 26, 1897, when he 
was seventy-eight years of age, his birth 
having occurred on the loth of August, 
1819. He was laid to rest in Moss Ridge 
cemetery at Carthage, and thus passed 
awa\' a citizen whom to know was to re- 
spect and honor. His early political alle- 
giance was given to the democracy, but 
a few years prior to his death he joined 
the ranks of the Prohibition part}- and 
was an acti\'e worked for its principles, 
l)elieving firml\- in the cause of temper- 
ance. Upon the democratic ticket he 
w'as elected to the office of supervisor for 
two terms and he was a member of the 




PARKHURST W. CUTLER 



HAXCOCK COUXTV. ILL/XOfS. 



school board for a number of years. In- 
tellectual and moral progress and all 
those interests which tend to uplift man- 
kind elicited his attention, approval and 
active support. His wife was born in 
Pennsylvania, and in her childhood days 
was taken to Fulton county. Illinois, by 
hei parents. Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Ward. 
There she was reared and educated, living 
at hcnne until her marriage. She passed 
away May. 1886. some years prior tij the 
death of her husband and her interment 
was also in Moss Ridge cemetery, at 
Carthage. Of the seven children of that 
union three are j'et living. Francis ]\I., 
having died August i, igo6. The others 
in childhood. 

Parkhurst W. Cutler, whose name in- 
troduces this review, attended school in 
Carthage township and assisted in the 
work of the home farm through the period 
of his boyhood and youth, remaining at 
home until his marriage, save for the time 
which he spent as a student in Central 
College, at Pella, Iowa. His education 
completed, he started out in life for him- 
self, working in partnership with his 
father for one year and then purchasing 
one hundred and twenty acres of land on 
section 28, Carthage township. This was 
improved when it came into his possession 
and he made his home thereon for about 
a quarter of a century, carr\'ing on gen- 
eral farming and stock-raising. He then 
purchased his present farm in Carthage 
township, where he has lived for the past 
ten 3'ears. He has erected all of the build- 
ings here and has a model fami property, 
his land being divided into fields of con- 
venient size by well kept fences and cul- 
ti\'ated with the aid of the latest improved 



machinery. ]\Ir. Cutler is probably tlie 
most extensive stock feeder in Carthage 
tnwnship. usually shipping two hundred 
fat cattle per year. He also was the first 
man in Carthage township to introduce 
thoroughbred Hereford cattle which he 
lias handled extensively since 1886. He 
now has about one hundred head of reg- 
istered cattle, and has at the head of his 
herd a fine registered bull. He also has 
had imported animals. He was the owner 
of Britton. a son of Ancient Britton. the 
Chicago \\'or!d's fair champion, while he 
was also a brother of the champion cow 
at the St. Louis exposition. He weighed 
2.600 pounds. The majority of his herd 
now being descended from him. It is the 
largest herd in this county. He has been 
a successful exhibitor at different fairs. 

On the 27th of Februar}-, 1871, Mr. 
Cutler was married to Miss Fannie G. 
Barker, a daughter of Judge Francis A. 
and Catherine (Barker) Barker. The 
father's birth occurred near Poughkeepsie, 
in Dutchess county. Xew York. April 2, 
I7C)8, and in his nineteenth year he went 
to \\'est \'irginia, where he engaged in 
he removed to Morgan county, Ohio, 
teaching for about two years. In 1820 
where he was married in 1827, and in Oc- 
tober, 1844, he went to Iowa, settling on 
section 14. Gold township, Marion county, 
where he took up land from the govern- 
ment. Xot a furrow had been turned nor 
an improvement made thereon but he at 
once began its cultivation. In 1846 he 
was elected probate judge of Marion 
county and was re-elected to the same of- 
fice in 1847, proving a capable officer. In 
1863, owing to his advanced age and fail- 
ing health, he disposed of the estate he had 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJAEU' 



accuinulateil tlimugli years ni tuil ami 
hardship ami si)ent his remaining days in 
the citv of Kmix\ille, dying at his resi- 
dence there, January tj. 1871. at the age 
of seventv-three years. He was the first 
pr<il)ate judge nf Marion county and also 
held at one time the position of clerk of 
the house of representatives of Iowa, 
while for two terms he was warden of 
the Iowa state prison. At an early epoch 
in the de\elopment of that state he was 
one of its most })rominent. influential and 
hest known citizens and his influence in 
hehalf of puhlic progress was far-reach- 
ing and heneficial. 

Mrs. Cutler was educated in the com- 
mon schools of C'la}- townshi]), Clarion 
county, Iowa, and in Central University, 
at Pella, Iowa, from which institution 
she was graduated, while at the present 
time she is a memljer of its hoard of 
directors. L'nto Mr. and ]\Irs. Cutler 
have been born two sons, Nathan B. and 
Ward A., l)oth born in Carthage town- 
ship. The elder now resides on section 
28, Carthage township, which was the 
farm on \\hich his grandfather first set- 
tled on coming to this count}-. He mar- 
ried Daisv Corbin. and tliey have one 
daughter. Veta. 

Mr. Cutler exercised his right of 
franchise in support of the men and 
measures of democrac)- until 1S84. when 
he became a i>rolnl)itionist and has e\er 
since voted that ticket, for he is a stal- 
wart champion of the cause of temperance 
and belie\-es it to be one of the dominant 
issues of the countrv. He was nominated 
b\ his party for the office of member of 
the .State Board of Equalization and has 
been nominated for various count^" offices. 



He is chairman of the crninty committee 
and a member of the senatorial commit- 
tee. He has also been a director of the 
Harmony Mutual Fire Insurance Com- 
patiy for fifteen years. He holds mem- 
bership in the Baptist church and has lived 
an upright, honorable life characterized 
by de\otion to all that tends to uplift 
humanit\- and promote moral progress. 



ROBERT P. STEWART. 

Roljcrt P. Stewart, who during the long 
vears of his residence in Elvaston. be- 
came known as an honored man of gen- 
uine, personal worth, was born March 4. 
1830, in Butler county, Ohio. His parents 
were James T. and Susanna ( Finney ) 
.Stewart. The father, a native of Harri- 
son countv, Pennsylvaina, w;is born in 
1793, while the mother's birth occurred 
near I'ittsburgh. Pennsyh-ania, May 3. 
17<)2. \\'hen a \'outh of ele\en }-ears 
James T. Stewart accompaified his par- 
ents on their removal to Illinois, settling 
in Montebello township. Hancock county, 
where he engaged in farming until his 
death, which occurred Seiitember 17. 
18(14. I'l'^ \v\ie sun'ived him until the 
3(1 of Ma\ . 1870. Botli were memliers 
of the L'nited Presliyterian church. In 
their family were nine children, three of 
will im are now li\'ing: Sarali and Mary 
jane, who are residing with their sister- 
in-law, Mrs. Stewart; an<l John 1-"., who 
resides in Boulder. Colorado. 

Robert P. Stewart sjaent the da_\-s of his 



HJ\'COCK COUXTV. ILLIXOIS. 



boyhood and youth in his native county. 
No event of special importance occurred 
to varv tlie routine i:)f farm life for him 
in liis vouth. When a young man of 
about twenty-seven years he came west 
with his parents and as stated, the family 
home was established in IMontebello town- 
ship, wliere the father purchased a farm, 
the family living in Oakwood while a 
dwelling was being built on the farm. 
Soon after the home was completed Rob- 
ert Stewart returned to Ohio and on the 
evening of March 9, 1859, he was married 
to Miss Martha Holmes, a daughter of 
John and Hannah ( Bigger ) Holmes, of 
whom her father was a native of Penn- 
sylvania, and her mother of Kentucky. 
Following their marriage they removed to 
Ohio, settling- near Dayton, where the 
father followed the occupatimi of farm- 
ing. He died in his eighty-sixth year, 
while his wife passed away in the seventy- 
first year of her age. In their famih- were 
eight children. Mr. Stewart brought his 
bride back to Hancock ci lunty and began 
housekeeping on the farm a few miles 
southwest of El\aston, where thev lix'Cfl 
continuously until 1901, when they built 
their home in the village and retired from 
the farm, planning to enjov life in ease 
during their remaining days. His parents 
lived for only a brief period after they 
came to Illinois and from that time on 
Mr. Stewart was owner of tlie farm which 
he carefully cultivated and impro\ed, 
adding to it modern equi]jments and 
placing his fields under a high state of 
cultivation. \\'hile living upon the farm 
one son came to Ijless their union but was 
spared to them for a little less than two 
vears. The kindness of their hearts, how- 



e\'er, preempted them to care for three 
children, to whom they ga\-e a parent's 
love and dex'otion. These were Ernest 
and (ieorgia Allison (the latter now de- 
ceased), and Nelson Wells, who lived to 
young manhood and for the lienefit of his 
health afterward went to the western 
country. The anticipatetl improvement 
did not follow, however, and about 1902 
he returned to the home of his foster 
parents, li\-ing but a few days after his 
arrixal, tlnis in earh' manhood passed 
away a life which ga\e so much promise 
for the future. 

\\ bile Mr. Stewart was a farmer bv oc- 
cupation he also possesseil much mechan- 
ical ingenuity and to a greater or less ex- 
tent followed the carpenter's trade. His 
ability in this direction enabled him to 
keep everything about his place in excel- 
lent condition and the buildings and fences 
were always in a state of good repair. In 
matters of citizenship he was loyal and 
pn)gressi\-e. During the latter part of the 
Civil war he responded to the country's 
call for aid and enlisted in the Union 
.Vrni}- Init after a few months the war 
ended and he was engaged in no battle. 
I-^very mo\ement for the benefit of his 
township and count}- received his en- 
dorsement and to a large measure his co- 
operation and lie al\va_\-s stood as an aif- 
\-ocate of all that is right, true and iust. 
In his youth he became a member of the 
l'res]j_\terian church, and he and his wife 
and his two sisters were charter mem- 
bers of the El\-aston Presbyterian church, 
in which Air. Stewart served as an elder 
for man_\- years, while in the \arious 
church acti\-ities he took a helpful part. 
His life was permeated by his Christian 



1 1 8 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJIEW 



faith and he made it his daily endeavm- 
tu fulliiw clusely the teachings of liis 
churcii, so that he lived an exemplars- 
Christian life. He was ccmsiderate in his 
judgments i>f men, kindl)- in action and 
generous in disposition antl was de- 
voted to his family, doing everything in 
his power for the w.elfare and happiness 
of his wife antl the two sisters residing 
with them. He was last seen in public 
in attendance at Sunday services nf his 
church (in the 8th of January, 1905. He 
had always been a rugged man, enjoying 
excellent health and that morning seemed 
in his usual good health, but soon after 
his return home he became ill and in a 
half hour had passed away. The news nf 
his death was a shock in Elvaston, Ham- 
ilton and throughout the county wher- 
ever he was known. He had lived a life 
of usefulness and activity, in which there 
were no sensational chapters but the 
record w'as that of a man who had always 
done his duty to himself, his family and 
his country. 



LEWIS L. NEWTON. 

Lewis L. Newton, engaged in general 
farming in Pontoosuc township, was 
bom in Vinton county, Ohio, July 24, 
i860, a son of Hiram H. and Hannah 
(Harper) Newton, who were likewise 
natives of that county, the former born 
February 10, 1836, and the latter De- 
cember 15, 1839. They are now resi- 
dents of Pontoosuc township. Their fam- 
ily numbers seven children, who survive, 
the first bom son iKn'ing died in infancv. 



Lewis L., Mrs. Laura A. Alston, D. L., 
Mrs. Ella S. Deewall, Mrs. Anna F. 
Ividson, Mrs. C, Blanche Booz and R. 
H. Newton. 

After acquiring his preliminary educa- 
tion in the district schools of Pontoosuc 
township, Lewis L. Newton became a 
student in Carthage College and, return- 
ing to the home farm, he remained until 
twenty-one years of age, when he started 
out upon an independent business career. 
He has always followed the occupation 
<if fanuing and now has a good place, 
which he has tiled and placed under a 
high state of cultivation. He uses the 
latest improved agricultural implements 
to facilitate the work of the farm. 

On the loth of May, 1882, Mr. New- 
ton was united in marriage to Miss Laura 
B. Lamb, who was bom in Pontoosuc 
township, May 10, 1861, a daughter of 
Samuel and Sarah (Baker) Lamb. Her 
father was born in Virginia, March 10, 
1824, and her mother was a native of 
Adams county, Illinois, her birth occur- 
ring about 1840. He was a farmer by 
occupation and in 1855 settled upon a 
farm in Pontoosuc township, Hancock 
count}^ where he lived until his death, 
j\Iarch 17, 1893. For some years he had 
survived his wife who died in 1878 and 
their remains rest side by side in Pleasant 
Hill cemetery, Pontoosuc township. They 
were the parents of nine children, of 
whom seven are living: Delilah M., the 
wife of George Carlisle, of Rock Creek 
township; Charles R., living in Clements. 
Minnesota; Mrs. Newton; Mary E., the 
wife of Samuel Wright, of Lamar, Colo- 
rado; Addie M., the wife of Orville Pit- 
tam, of Pilot Grove township; Frank B.. 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



iig 



a resident farmer of Pontoosuc township, 
and Hugh L., who is also a fanner of the 
same township. Mr. Lamb married for 
his second wife Kate C. North, and to 
them was born one child, George, who 
now resides on the home phice with his 
mother. 

Mr. and Mrs. Xewton ha\'e continu- 
ously resided in the township in which 
they began their domestic life and their 
home has been blessed with four chiklren : 
Minnie R.. Leslie J\L, who was graduated 
from a military school at Booneville. Mis- 
souri, May 30. 1906; !\Iadge E., and 
Hiram F. They attend and support the 
Methodist Episcopal church, of which the 
wife and daughters are meml)ers. 



HENRY CLAY HANSON. 

Henry Clay Hanson, a prosperous and 
enterprising farmer of Montebello town- 
ship, was born in this county on X()\-em- 
ber 4, 1849, '*"d is the son of David and 
Anna ]Maria (Sullivan) Hanson, both 
natives of Ohio, the father being the 
son of Daniel and Barbara (Broombach) 
Hanson, also natives of the Buckeye state. 

The parents of our sketch were married 
in Ohio, and drove with a team to the new 
west, and settled in Montebello township 
in 1847, renting a farm for a few vears 
and then buying the N. W. quarter of 
section 3 of this township, which at that 
time was unimproved praii'ie land. He 
first built a frame house, and then broke 
up what land he could and as rapidly as 
8 



he could with the few facilities ;it his dis- 
posal. Progress was very slow as the 
country was veiy new and his means lim- 
ited. He moved on this place in 1854, 
where he made his home until 1890, when 
he retired and moved to Hamilton, Illi- 
nois, remaining there until called to his 
final resting place on May 22, 1901. 

His wife preceded him to her long 
home, passing away from her earthly 
home on January 18, t888. To this union 
were born four children: Daniel, of 
Cloud county. Kansas ; Sullivan, of Ham- 
ilton, Illinois ; Sarah, wife of Owen 
Dickerhoof, of Belleville, Kansas ; and 
Heniy, the subject of this sketch. 

Henry received his education in the 
school of district No. 132, and remained 
with his parents until his twenty-fifth 
year, when, on the first day of October, 
1874. he was united in marriage to Miss 
Georgiana Benner, of Sonora township. 
Miss Benner was bom nn October 7. 
1853, the daughter of George and Emily 
(Bradley) Benner, natives of Ohio. 

After their marriage Mr. and INIrs. 
Hanson made their home on a portirm of 
the home place, renting the land until the 
father's death, when the estate was di- 
vided among the children. Henry being 
given the home place of one hundred and 
sixty acres. The farm was well im- 
proved with hedge fences and buildings, 
there being two residences, the main house 
being a story and a half high, with seven 
rooms, and supplied with water piped 
from a deep well. He has one windmill 
and four wells, one being one hundred 
and ninety-eight feet in depth. His horse- 
barn is twenty-four by thirty feet with a 
shed ten hv thirtv feet. The land lavs 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



in such a way that tihng is not necessary. 
Mr. Hanson carries on general farm- 
ing, and the well kept farm and general 
conditions bear silent testimony to his 
ahilit}' in this his chosen occcupation. 

Tn his marriage with Miss Benner, 
were bom six children, five of whom are 
still living: Edna B., born May 24, 1877, 
at Imme: Leslie, August 23, 1879, died 
October 22, 1903; Adella G., born April 
8, 1881, at home; Winnie M., bom May 
21. 1883. resides at Hamilton, Illinois; 
Jesse Ray, bom February 23, 1886; 
and Archie Cla}-, l)()rn April 17. 1888. 
Mrs. Hanson was called from this life on 
April 21. 1888. ;ind her remains were laid 
to rest in the Oak Grove cemeterv. in 
Sonora tuwnship. 

On .May 24. 1892, Mr. Hanson was 
united in marriage to Miss Ella Clemen- 
tine Black, who was l)orn in Sonora 
township and was the daughter of George 
and Helen (Bumpus) Black. I'm this 
unii)ii were horn three children, onh' one 
of whom is now h'\-ing. Vina ( iertrnde. 
born October 29, 1893; Bar])ara iielen. 
born September 22, 1896, died August 3, 
1897; Celia Rachel, born April 18. i<)oo. 
died July 2^. T900. 

Mrs. Hanson has been dead for several 
years, being taken away July 7, 1900, and 
her remains he in the ( )ak Gro\-e ceme- 
tery. 

Mr. Hanson has gone through man\- 
trials, the hand of death bringing grief 
and sorrow to liis home many times, but 
he goes I)ra\-el)' on, and with the help of 
his children he has made a comfort;d)le 
and hajjpy home. He is a member of the 
Democratic party. 1)ut does not ha\e am' 
p<ilitical as].iirations, being content to use 



his vote in the way that he judges bene- 
ficial to the people and his party. He is 
a member of the Christian church of 
Golden Point, and is an honest, industri- 
t)us man, gaining and keeping the respect 
of his friends and neighbors. 



RALPH ELLISON. 

Ralifh h'-llison. one of the prosperous 
anil enterijrising farmers of Prairie t()wn- 
ship. owns and operates one hundred and 
se\'enty-four acres of rich land upon 
wlncli he has [)];iced manv impro\ements, 
transforming it into a mixlel farm prop- 
erty. He was one of the earl}- settlers 
of Hancock count\- and has been contin- 
ously connected with its agricultural in- 
terests, giving his time and energies at 
the ])resent time to the development of 
his farm, which is convenienth' and 
l)leasantly located, adjoining the \dllage 
limits of Elvaston. A nati\-e of England, 
he was born in Yorkshire on the 23d of 
Decemlier. 1840, an<l when oidv a ^-ear 
old was brought to the Cnited States Ijy 
his parents, Matthew and Jane ( \\'illson) 
Ellison. l)oth of whom «ere nati\-es of 
Yorkshire. The father worked in a 
factory during his residence in England, 
anil upon coining to the L^nited States 
settled in Hancock county, Illinois, where 
he purchased a (|uarter section of land in 
Rock Creek township. There he made a 
home for himself and familv. and resided 
until his death, which occm'red <'it the age 
of seventv-six veai"s. The mother also 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



died there and was seventy-eight years of 
age at tlie time of her demise. They were 
faithful members of the Presbyterian 
chinxh and enjoyed the unqualified esteem 
of those with whom they came in con- 
tact. The father engaged in general 
farming throughout the period of his res- 
idence in this county, or until his life's 
labors were ended in death and l)oth he 
and his wife were laid to rest in Rock- 
Creek township. In their family were 
eight children, of whom Ral])li is the 
youngest child. He has two survixing 
sisters, Alargaret, the wife of John Stev- 
enson, a resident farmer of Rock Creek 
township, and Alar}-, the widow oi 
Dwight W'hitcoml), who is li\-ing in 
Adrian. 

Air. Ellisijn of this review was reared 
upon the old homestead farm in Rock 
Creek township, and acquired his educa- 
tion in the common schools, while during 
the peri<ids of vacation he assisted in the 
work of the fields, and after ])Utting aside 
his te.xt-books gave his entire attenti(^n to 
work upon his father's farm until twent}'- 
three years of age, sa\-e that for a brief 
period he devoted his energies ti i the 
blacksmith's trade, which he learned and 
followed for a short time and then aban- 
doned it. Leaving home at the age id" 
twenty-three, he purchased a (|uarter sec- 
tion of raw land (.m section 17. Rock 
Creek township, and with characteristic 
energy began to culti\ate and impro\e 
this tract, <jn which he erected good build- 
ings. He here engaged in general farm- 
ing and stock-raising for twenty-seven 
years and then sold the property, at which 
time he piu"chased a farm of eighty acres 
in r^-airie township, where he resided for 



a year. He then sold that place to his 
son. George, and invested in one hundred 
and se\-enty-four acres of lantl. consti- 
tuting his present farm in I'rairie town- 
ship. Here he has resided continously 
since an<l the m;my excellent improve- 
ments he has placed upon the property 
lia\-e made it a model fami. He has mod- 
ern farm machinery, good buildings, high 
grades of stock and richly cultivated 
fields, and altogether the property is a 
\alual.)le nue. He likewise owns a farm 
of one hundred and si.xt)- acres at Edna. 
Labette county. Kansas. 

Air. Ellison was married December 31. 
1862, to Aliss Edith Evans, who was born 
in Adams county. Illinois, a daughter of 
Bales and Elizabeth ( l'e\ehouse) Evans, 
l)oth of whom are now deceased. The 
father was a farmer and became one of 
the earh' settlers of Adams countv, Illi- 
nois. Airs. Ellison died at their home 
in I'rairie township, I'^bruary 4, 1904. 
She was a consistent member (d" the Pres- 
byterian church, a devoted wife, a kind 
and loving mother and a faithful friend, 
and her death was deeply regretted by all 
who knew her. Her remains were in- 
terred in Carthage cemetery. By her mar- 
riage she had become the mother oi four 
children, all rif whom are yet li\-ing. and 
all were bom in Hancock comity. Jennie 
is the wife of Albert Schenk. a resident 
farmer of Laljette county. Kansas, and 
has four children. Cliftord and Emory, 
born in Hancock coimty : Alyrtle and Grace 
were born in Lal)ctte county, Kansas. 
Emma married Alilton Karr, October 11, 
1906, a resident farmer of Elvaston. 
George is a farmer of Prairie township, 
where he owns eiy'htv acres of land, which 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAIFA]' 



lie purchased fniui his father. He wedded 
^lan- J. Davis, a daughter of Amos 
Davis, of i\ppanoose township. Tliey 
have two sons. Earl and Ray. LiHian 
is the wife of Jean AIcGinnes, proprietor 
of a grocery store and meat market at 
Elvaston, IlHnois. 

Air. ElHson votes with the Repubhcan 
party and iias held several township of- 
fices. He has seen many improvements 
made in Hancock county, and in fact has 
witnessed almost its entire development 
frum a wild prairie section to one of high 
cultivation, the farms of this locality be- 
ing among the best to be found in this 
great agricultural state. He has di:)ne his 
full share toward making the county 
what it is today and has ever stood for 
good citizenship, for progress and for 
advancement, and in his private business 
interests he has displayed sterling purpose 
and close application which ha\-e resulted 
in the acquirement of valuable property. 



CYRUS MANLEY HEWITT. 

Cyrus M. Hewitt is engaged in general 
farming and stock-raising on section 9, 
Pontoosuc township, where he has resided 
since 1885 and where he owns one hun- 
dred and ten acres of land that, owing to 
the care and labor bestowed upon it, is 
now rich and productive. It was in this 
township, September 6, 1851, that he first 
opened his eyes to the light of day, his 
parents being Charles W. and Ann (Alex- 
ander) Hewitt. The father was a native 



of \'ermont and the mother of New York 
and the latter was a daughter of one of 
the heroes of the Revolutionary war. 
Charles W. Hewitt followed the occupa- 
tion of farming as a life work and came 
to Hancock county, Illinois, in 1839, set- 
tling in Pontoosuc township, where he 
entered land from the government and 
amid pioneer conditions began the devel- 
opment of a farm. Subsequently he re- 
moved til La Harpe township and con- 
tinued actively in fanning until his life's 
labors were terminated by death in 1894. 
His wife survived him until 1898. They 
were the parents of eight children, of 
whcjm five are now living : Viola, the wife 
of ^^'. B. Kirkpatrick, of Macomb, Illi- 
nois: Louisa, the wife of Rufus Bennett, 
of La Harpe; C. M. : Ellen and lola, also 
of La Harpe. 

In the schools of La Harpe township 
Cyrus AI. Hewitt acquired his education 
and upon the home fami .remained to the 
age of twenty years, when he began 
working by the month and so continued 
imtil his marriage, March 21, 1883, to 
Miss Eary Ettny Cranshaw, who was bom 
in Henderson county, Illinois, in 1839, a 
daughter of Isaac and Mary (Cofifman) 
Cranshaw, natives of Georgia and Ken- 
tucky respectively. Coming to Illinois at 
a very early day, her father settled in the 
southwestern part of the state. He took 
part in the Mormon war in 1844, whereby 
the Mormons were driven from the state 
and he was comiected with other early 
events which left their impress upon the 
historic annals of the state. His political 
support was given the democracy. Both 
he and his wife died in McDonough 
county, Illinois. In their family were 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



123 



eleven children, five yet living: ]\Irs. 
Elizabeth \\'ise, a widow, living in Ore- 
gon ; Mrs. Hewitt ; Isaac, a resident of 
Kansas ; Marj-, the widow of James Dun- 
can, and a resident of Kansas City. Mis- 
souri ; Franklin, of Stronghurst. Illinois. 
One son. Boone Cranshaw. was a soldier 
of the Civil war and died in the lu)spital 
from the effects of the hardships of mili- 
tar}' life. 

Mr. and Mrs. Hewitt began their do- 
mestic life in Henderson county, Illinois, 
where they lived for two years, and then 
removed to the Alexander place in I'mi- 
toosuc township. In 1885 he purchased 
his present farm of one hundred and ten 
acres on section 9. erected a house, built 
a barn and other outbuildings and has 
generalh- improved the farm. Here he 
tills the soil and raises stock, leading a 
busy and useful life. L'nto Air. and Mrs. 
Hewitt has been born a daughter, Lola, 
whose birth occurred in Pontoosuc town- 
ship in 1885. and who is still with her 
parents. At the time of her marriage to 
our subject Airs. Hewitt was the widow 
of John Duncan, oi McDonough cnunty, 
Illinois. He was born in that ci )unty in 
1841. a son of Jose])h and Catherine 
(Wasson) Duncan, both deceased. In 
their family were four children, all living 
with the exception of John, the others be- 
ing: Mrs. Elizabeth Hunt, a widow, liv- 
ing in Kansas: Lydia, the wife of John 
M. Huston, of McDonough county: and 
Caroline, the wife of Henry Curry, of 
Henderson county. John Duncan died in 
1882, his remains being interred in Mc- 
Donough county. He left five children : 
Dora, the eldest, is the wife of ^\'. T. 
Kirkpatrick. of Oklahoma, and has six 



children : George. John. Robert. Law- 
rence. Lulu and Olive ; Addie is the wife of 
Luther Van Osdale. of Henderson county. 
Illinois, and has four children: Ethel,. 
John. Roy and Gladys ; Lawrence, living 
in Kansas, married Maude Kidson and 
has three children : Vallie. Dewey and 
Opal : Verna is the wife of William Koll, 
of Dallas City, Illinois, and has a daugh- 
ter, Maxine: and Royce. of Blandinsville. 
Illinois, married Florence Sullivan and 
has a daughter. Edna May. 

Air. and Mrs. Hewitt are devoted mem- 
bers of the Christian church, of which he 
is one of the trustees, and upon the demo- 
cratic ticket, of which he is a supporter, 
he has lieen elected commissioner. Airs. 
Hewitt, a lady of natural culture and re- 
finement and of most gracious manner, 
possesses superior literary taste and has 
written many poems of much more than 
ordinary merit. In 1905 she had a volume 
of her best poems published and sold to 
aid the missionary cause of her church. 
They had a ready sale and the volume is 
much prized by all who possess a copv. 
Botii Air. and Airs. Hewitt stand high in 
public regard. It has been due to his 
business enterprise and sound judgment 
that he has won a place among the sub- 
stantial residents of his county, for he 
started out in life empty-handed and his 
possessions are the visible proof of his 
enterprise and keen discernment in all 
matters relating to the management and 
improvement of the farm. Air. and Airs. 
Hewitt both stand high in the estimation 
of all who have had the pleasure of mak- 
ing their acquaintance, and with whom 
the}- have been associated in the walks 
of life. 



I -'4 



BIOGRAPinC.Al. RI-riEW 



EDWIN P. ROWE. 

Edwin I'. Rowe. (ine of the t)ldest 
salesmen in tlie city of Carthage, was 
bom in 1851. at Dallas City. Hancock 
county. His paternal grandfather. Mor- 
ris Rowe, was a soldier of the war of 
1812 and of the Mexican war. His 
parents were Miles and Eliza Jane ( Bean ) 
Rowe. tlie former b(.>rn in New York, in 
1821, and the latter in Virginia, in 1826. 
Miles Rowe came to Illinois at an early 
period in its settlement and for a num- 
ber of years when a young man drove a 
stage between Carthage and Warsaw, 
while for many years afterward he was 
proprietor <<{ the Hit or ^Miss Hotel, in 
Dallas City. Then for fifteen or twent}- 
years he was employed in the lumber of- 
fice of H. F. Black, and is now gatekeeper 
on the Santa Fe road at Dallas City, oc- 
cupying this position although eighty-h\e 
years of age. In politics he is a demo- 
crat. His wife, who was a member of 
the Methodist church, died in 1902. and 
is buried in Dallas Cit}', Illinois. They 
had six children, of whom five are now 
living: William H., a resident of St. 
Louis; Oscar E.. deceased; Edwin P.; 
Stella, the wife of John Roth, of Dallas 
City. Illinois; Mary, the wife of Fred 
Grippe, living in Joliet, Illinois; and 
Morris, of Dallas City. 

Edwin P. Rowe was educated in the 
I)ublic schools of his native place and 
afterward was employed for a number of 
years in a grocery store there. Later he 
had charge as manager of a dr\- g-nods 
store in Dallas Citw.and in 1885 he re- 
mo\-ed to Carthage, where he has l)een 
head salesman of the Ouinbv Clothing 



Store since that time, covering a period of 
more than twenty years. 

On the 23d of April, 1876, Mr. Rowe 
was married to Miss Minnie P. Graff, 
who was bom in Burlington, Iowa, in 
September, 1855, a daughter of Ferdi- 
nand and Louisa M. (Becker) Graff. Her 
father was Ijorn in Berlin, Germany, and 
at the age of twenty }ears emigrated to 
America, settling in Iowa but now lives 
in Hancock countv. Illinois, where he fol- 
lows farming. His wife, who was bom 
in Berlin, came to the United States when 
only fi\'e years of age. Both were mem- 
bers of the Lutheran church. In the fam- 
ih' were ten children, nine of whom still 
sur\i\e: John H., a resident of Musca- 
tine, Iowa; Minnie P., now the wife of 
Mr. Rowe; Clara M., the wife of C. R. 
Thull, of Dallas City; Eda. who died in 
infanc}-; Emma, the wife of F. A. Scrip- 
fer. of Sigournex'. Iowa; (ieorge F., who 
li^'es on the old home farm near Dallas 
Cit\' ; John, a druggist, of Des Moines, 
Iowa ; Bertha, the wife of H. Hagebeack, 
of Davenport, Iowa; P'tta, the wife of 
Hershall Trenthart. of Niota. Hancock 
countv; and Flora, at home. These chil- 
dren were born (jf two marriages, f<.)r the 
mother of Mrs. Rowe died when the 
daughter was onlv six years of age, and 
for his second wife the father chose Miss 
Anna Alayer. there being six children 
born of the second marriag'e. Both he 
and his second wife are living, their home 
being in Pontoosuc township. 

Mr. and Mrs. Rowe had four children, 
two born in Dallas City and two in Car- 
thage, nameh'; Walter E., who was Iiorn 
in h'ebruar}-. 1877. and is at home; Wil- 
ford F., who was born in 1879, m.arried 



IIAXCOCK COUXTY. ILLIXOIS. 



125 



Miss Lenore Kelley and lives in Chicago, 
where he is employed in the Li\e Stock 
National Bank. He was in the Philippine 
war, enlisting in 1899 in the Thirtieth 
Regiment under Colonel Garilner. He 
was a memher of the Thirtieth Regimental 
Band, was tirst corpijral. was afterward 
promoted to the rank of sergeant and re- 
ceived an honorahle discharge in 1901. 
He was in early }(juth emplo}-ed in sev- 
eral stores in Carthage and afterward be- 
came messenger at the Drovers Bank in 
Chicago, while later he was employed in 
the money department of the Adams Ex- 
press Company in that city. Later he was 
promoted to bookkeeper at a salary of 
fifty-five dollars a month in the Live Stock 
feank, of Chicago, and he has a fine record 
for a young man of his years, when 
viewed from both a military and business 
standpoint. Since entering the bank he 
has won promotion ami he is in a position 
where he handles millions of dollars a 
day. Mabel Grace, the third member of 
the fanfily. was a graduate of the high 
school and became a fine piano and violin 
player as well as vocalist. She dieil in 
1888. Irma Pauline died in 1900. 

In his political views Mr. Rowe is an 
earnest democrat and fraternally is con- 
nected with the ]\Iodern Woodmen and 
with the Court of Honor, while his wife 
belongs to the latter and als(i to the Order 
of the Eastern Star, in which she is a past 
matron. Both are faithful members of 
the Presbyterian church and Mr. Rowe 
was a member of the building committee 
at the time of the erection of the present 
house of worship. He built his present 
home at the corner of Marion and Davis 
streets and has erected several houses in 



Carthage Init has sold them all. He 
owns, however, one or two vacant lots in 
the city. He is a man whose indefatigable 
enterprise and indomitable pm"pose have 
constituted the basis of his success and 
though he started out in life on his own 
responsibility at an earl}- age he has 
through his energy, ambition and detei"- 
mination accumulated the means whereby 
he has given his children good educa- 
tional advantages ami provided them with 
many of the comforts of life. Mrs. Rowe 
presides with pleasing hospitalit}' over 
their home and their friends in Carthage 
are numbered hv the score. 



GEORGE W. PAYNE. 

George W. Payne, an architect of 
Carthage, whose business extends into 
various other counties and states, is a 
son of Alfred F. and Elizabeth (Wil- 
liams) Payne, and was born near St. 
Charles, Missouri, November 4. 1845. 
His father was a native of Fauquier 
county. Virginia, while the mother's birth 
occurred near St. Louis, Missouri. She 
was a daughter of Thomas Williams, a 
soldier of the war of 18 12. Alfred F. 
Payne was a civil engineer, who pursued 
his education in the college in St. Louis. 
He afterward turned his attention to 
harness-making, later followed the occu- 
pation of farming and subsec|uently en- 
gaged in the lumber business, thus follow- 
ing various pursuits. He died in 1869 
and his remains were interred in Bowen 



IJf) 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI'IEir 



cemetery in Hancock count)', while his 
wile, will) surxixed him for a number of 
years, was laid to rest in Carthage cem- 
eter}-. In their family were ten children, 
of whom fixe are living. 

(ieorge W. Payne was larg'ely educated 
in the schools of Brown county, Illinois. 
\\ lien a }-oung lad he ran away from 
home til go to the xvar but his army life 
XX as x-ery lirief, lasting for only a fexv 
xxeeks, at the end of xvhich time his 
parents learned of his whereabouts and 
he was returned home, for he xvas too 
xouthful for militarx' service. In early 
life he learned the carpenter's trade, which 
he folloxx-ed from 1868 until 1887 in 
Hancock county. He became a resident 
of Carthage in 1870 and was actively 
identified xxith its building operations for 
seventeen xears thereafter, since xvhich 
time he has given his attention to his pres- 
ent profession — that of an architect. In 
this he is associated with his son, Edgar 
A., and thex' are the only architects in the 
count}'. Tliex' hax'e done some publishing 
and they send ])lans to almost every state 
in the union. Their office is on Main 
street and their business is noxv extensive 
and of an important character, their plans 
being equal to any sent out by the various 
architects in this part of the state. Thex' 
haxe made ])]ans for churches, opera 
houses, business blocks, residences and 
schools and have planned all of the 
churches in Carthage. In fact many of 
the tine structures of this citv stand as 
ninnuments to their skill and abilitv in the 
line of their chosen profession. 

.Mr. Payne was married in 1871 to Miss 
h.ninia Carsey, of Hancock county, Illi- 
nois, who xvas born in Missouri. Her 



father xxas a shoemaker and removed 
from Missouri to this city but is noxv re- 
siding in Te.xas. In his family were 
eight or nine children. Unto Mr. and 
Mrs. Payne bax'e been born txv(.i children, 
both of whom are natives of Carthage, 
The elder, Edgar A,, married Miss Kittie 
Linn and is connected xvith his father in 
business. He pursued a course of study 
in Carthage College. The daughter. 
Bertha A., is noxv the xvife of C. A. 
(iarard, of Carthage, and has two chil- 
dren. Earl A. and Ruth .\.. The parents 
are devoted members of the Lutheran 
Ex'angelical church and reside on Wash- 
ington street, near Main, x\ here Mr. 
Payne erected a fine residence. In his 
political views he is a democrat. 

He stands high among all classes of 
men and is an energetic, progressive and 
upright citizen, xvho xvell merits the Con- 
fidence and esteem which are uniformly 
extended to him. His- residence in 
Carthage covers a period of thirty-si.x 
years and through his entire life he has 
been actuated by honorable principles and 
manly purposes. 



LVMAN \V. WATT. 

Lyman W. Watt, an influential busi- 
ness man of the village of Elvaston, 
xvhere he is engaged in the coal trade, 
xxas here bom on the 12th of May, 1868. 
His father, Alexander Watt, xvas a native 
of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, l:)oni Feb- 
ruary 4, 1 82 1, and in that city he resided 



HAA'COCK COUNTV. ILLINOIS. 



127 



until twenty-eight years of age. when lie 
came to Illinois, settling first in Durham 
township, Hancock county, where he en- 
gaged in farming. He rented a farm 
there for some years, after which he went 
to Wythe township, where he owned and 
operated a farm of eighty acres, making 
his home thereon until 1863. That year 
witnessed his removal to Dallas and he 
filled a position as clerk in mie of the 
stores at that place. In t866 he came to 
Elvaston and with the capital he had ac- 
cjuired through his own labor, economy 
and careful management he established 
himself in a general mercantile business 
and was for years a prominent factor in 
commercial circles here, continuing in the 
store until 1900, when he sold out and 
retired to private life. He was also 
largely engaged in the coal trade and his 
son, Lyman, subsequently became his suc- 
cessor in this business. The father like- 
wise shipped and handled large cjuantities 
of grain and hay and his business inter- 
ests were extensive, making him one of 
the leading representatives of commercial 
life in Elvaston. He realized that "There 
is no excellence without labor" and his 
unfaltering diligence and determined pur- 
pose proved the basis of a very gratifying- 
success. He married for his first wife 
Miss Sarah McDonald, who died in 1863. 
His second wife bore the maiden name 
of Fannie C. W'ilcrix and was a nati\'e 
of Connecticut, born in the town <if Had- 
dam, March 11. tS3(). This marriage 
was celebrated Xo\-ember 29, 1866. Mrs. 
Watt is still living and resides with her 
son, Lyman W. Six children were born 
of the second marriage, two of whom are 
now living, the younger son being Her- 



man. wh(.) resides in Burlington. Iowa, 
and is coiuiected with the Prudential In- 
surance Company. 

Alexander Watt was a member of the 
]\Ias(.)nic fraternity, who exemplified in his 
life the beneficent spirit of the craft. 
He \-oted with the Republican party and 
as e\-ery true -American citizen should 
do. felt a deep interest in political r^ues- 
tions and issues. He was supervisor of 
Prairie township for several terms and 
whether in ofiice or out of it was thor- 
iiughly trustworthy and commanded the 
esteem of all wIki knew liini. His death 
occurred at his home in lilvaston on the 
27th of July. 1901. when he had reached 
the age of eighty years, five months and 
twenty-three days. He was a prosperous 
and progressive man of his day and had 
the confidence of all who knew him. His 
circle of friends was extensive, a result 
that was attributable to his genial disposi- 
tion, kindly manner and deference to the 
npinions of others. He erected a home 
which is now occupied b)- his widow and 
son — a large and substantial frame dwell- 
ing — and was also the owner of several 
other buildings in the \-illage. 

Airs. Alexander Watt was a daughter 
of Lyman and Emily (Hubbard) \\'ilcox, 
liotli of whom were natives of Middlesex, 
Connecticut, whence the\- came to Illinois 
in 1831;. when their daughter was but 
three years of age. The_\' settled in Han- 
cock county, where Mr. Wilcox followed 
farming on North prairie l)ut after a slmrt 
time he remo\-ed to Diuiiam lownshi]). 
He was one of the committee appointed 
to name that township and gave to it the 
name of Durham. He piuxhased a farm 
there and carried on the work of cnltiva- 



T28 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



timi and iniprdV'cnic-nt up to the time of 
his (leatli, which occurred when he was 
aiiout se\ent_\-nine }-eai"s of age, for lie 
was horn in I7<;3 and he ])asse(l away in 
1S74. lie held nieniljership in the Meth- 
o(hst church and his entire life was 
guided 1)_\- hiinoral)le principles and loft)' 
motives. He was one of the wnrthv. 
pioneer residents of the countv, traveling 
westwar(,l in true pioneer st_\'le. The ])art\- 
Consisted of sixteen people, all of whom 
located in Hancock county. 'rhe\' were 
six weeks upon the wa\- from Connecticut 
to Illinois, making the journey in wagons. 
Mrs. Wilcox died in iSoN. In the family 
were eight children, four of whom are 
now living, namely : Airs, luiiilv I'ershin 
and Mrs. Clara Spencer, Ijoth of Durham 
township; Wilbur, who is lixing in Peoria, 
Illinois; and Mrs. Watt, who makes her 
home with her son in Elvaston. 

In the public schools of the village Ly- 
man W. Watt acquired his education and 
after |.)utting aside his text-books entered 
his father's store in 1887. He was ad- 
mitted to a partnership under the firni 
name of A. Watt & Son and continued 
in the store until March, 1900, when they 
sold the business, having up to that time 
carried a large line of general merchan- 
dise and enjoyed an extensive patronage. 
At that date the father retired from ac- 
tive business, while Lyman W, W'att con- 
centrated his energies upon the coal trade, 
with wdnch he has since been connected. 
He has a large business in this line and 
is numbered among the leading represen- 
tatives of trade interests in his native 
town. 

In his political views Mr. Watt is an 
earnest republican l)ut without aspiration 



for otfice. He belongs to the Modern 
Woodmen camp, Xo. 3153, of Elvaston, 
in which he has held a number of oftices. 
His entire life has here been passed, so 
that his life history is well known to his 
fellow- townsmen and that he enjo}-s the 
good will and confidence of all is an in- 
dication that his has been an hcjnorable 
and straightforward career. In the man- 
agement of his business interests he dis- 
plays keen discernment and arrives quickly 
at correct conclusions. 



SAMUEL GORDON. 

Samuel Cordon, deceased, w-as actively 
connected with agricultural pursuits in 
Hancock count}- for man}- years and the 
place which he occupied in public regard 
well entitles him tc) representation in this 
\-olume. Ele was born in Peterboro, New 
Hampshire, Alay 3, 1825, a son of John 
and Elizabeth (Smith) Gordon, who were 
also natives of Peterboro. The paternal 
grandparents were Samuel and Eleanor 
(Mitchell) Gordon, natives of Scotland. 
John and Elizabeth (Smith) Gordon, 
lea\ing New Hampshire, traveled by 
stage to Pittsburg. Pennsylvania, thence 
down the (3hio and up the Mississippi 
ri\-er, landing just opposite Montebello in 
1831. They were accompanied by their 
two sons, Samuel being the younger. The 
father died soon aften\-ard, but in the 
meantime had in 1839 purchased land 
which he secured under a tax title where 
Hamilton is now- located. His w'ife sur- 



iI.~i.\C(>CK COUNT)'. ILL/XOIS. 



129 



N'ived him, passing away about 1845. The 
land which they owned covered nearly the 
entire site of Hamilton as it is today and 
Mr. Gordon assisted in laying out the 
city. 

Samuel Gordon of this re\iew spent the 
days of his bo}'hood and youth in his 
parents' home and ac(|uired a fair com- 
mon scliool education. He remained with 
his parents until the_\' were called fmni 
this life and l)eing the only heir came 
into possession oi the (ild home [)ropert_\'. 
On the 3(1 of .\pril, 1851, he married Miss 
Permelia .V. Alvord. who was born in 
Warren cnuntv. Penns\'l\-ania, August 3. 
1832, a daughter of rve\'. Samuel and 
Ursula (Smith) Alvord. She was only 
thirteen years of age when Ijrought to 
Hancock count)-, where she was reared 
l)v her parents, remaining at home until 
her marriage, when she went to a home of 
her own. She came ti> this county in 
1845. Air. Gordon had one humlred and 
si.xty acres of land on which a log cabin 
had been built. In later years he erected 
the finest brick residence in this part of 
the country, containing twelve rooms with 
a large cellar under one half of the house. 
In this home, surrounded by the comforts 
ruid mrui\- of the luxuries of life, he spent 
his remaining days, passing away on the 
fith lit (\-tober. 1901. He had for more 
than a decade survi\e<l his wife, whose 
death occurred September 23, 1890. This 
worthy couple w'ere the parents of the 
following named: Eleanor ElizabetlT 
Gordon, living in Des Moines, Inwa, is a 
minister of the Unitarian church. John 
A. Gordon is engaged in the I)ook lousi- 
ness in Hamilton. Alice and .\gnes are 
living at the old Imme in Hamilton. 



Ivdbert Smith (iordon is station agent on 
the Wabash and on the Toledo. Peoria 
& Warsaw railroads at Hamilton. Mabel 
has been a teacher in the schools of Ham- 
ilton since 1894. In August, 1862, Mr. 
(iiinlnn responded to his country's call 
fur triiops. enlisting as a member of 
C'limpany C, One Hundretl and Eight- 
eenth Illinois \'<ilunteer Infantrv. He 
was on continuiius dut)' for three years 
and eight months and participated in the 
battles I if Chickasaw lUuffs, .\rkansas 
Piist, Thomijson's Hill. Champion Hills, 
Ulack Ri\'er, the siege of V^icksburg. 
Grand Coteau Payou and Port Hudson. 
He was a bra\'e and loyal soldier, always 
fiiund at his duty whether on the firing- 
line or the lonel)- picket line. He became 
a meml)er of Black Hawk lodge. No. 238. 
A. E. & A. M.. on the ist of September. 
1857, and ser\-ed as senior warden for 
line year and as junior warden for two 
years. He was also secretary for si.x; 
}ears and treasurer for twenty-two years. 
His political allegiance was given to the 
Republican party and he held the office 
of town and city clerk and police magis- 
trate, city treasurer and councilman. No 
pulilic trust reposed in him was ever be- 
trayed in the slightest degree, for he was 
a brave and loyal soldier, always faith- 
ful to his duty and prompt in the dis- 
charge of any task that tlevol\-ed upnn 
him, bringing U> his work in civic life 
the same loyalty and fidelity that char- 
acterized his military service. Mr. Gor- 
drin was a representative of one of the 
oldest pioneer families of the county and 
was a resident of this part of the state 
fur more than the allotted psalmist's span 
I if three score vears and ten. He watched 



I30 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIFAV 



its growtli and de\-elopment fmm the 
time when it was reclaimed from a fron- 
tier district nntil his eyes were closed in 
death and was a co-operant factor in many 
measures fur the a-gneral o-ood. 



SA^IL'EL R. YETTER. 

Samuel R. Yetter, one of the early 
settlers of Hancock county. Illinois, now 
residing on his farm in Carthage town- 
ship, has watched the de\-elopment of the 
county as it has emerged from pioneer 
conditions, when the land was unculti- 
vated, the timber uncut and the streams 
unbridged to the present era "f progress 
and development when mme i)f the m\- 
vantages and improvements kncjwn to the 
older east are lacking. Mr. Yetter has 
now reached the eighty-second milestone 
on life's journey, having been born in 
Lancaster county, I'ennsylvania, on the 
4th of August. 1824. He is a son of Wil- 
liam and Eydia (Ruck) Yetter. The 
father, also a native of Lancaster county, 
Pennsylvania, \vas of German parentage 
and was reared to manhood in his native 
state. He became a mechanic, learning 
and following the locksmith's trade, his 
attention being dex'oted thereto during the 
period of his residence in Pennsylvania. 
He was married in that state to Miss 
Lydia Rock, and thinking- to enjoy Ijetter 
business opportunities in the new Init 
growing west, came to Illinois in 1837, 
his destination being Hancock count}'. He 
settled in Carthage township, then moved 



to k'ountain Green township, but after two 
years returned to Carthage township. 
Here ^\'illiam Yetter turned his attention 
to the occupation of farming, in which he 
continued throughout the remainder of 
his active business life. In his political 
views he was a democrat and held various 
township offices, including that of county 
treasurer and assessor, the duties of the 
two offices being combined in one at that 
time. On the expiration of his term he 
was elected to the office of justice of the 
peace, in which capacity he served con- 
tinuously until his death, his decisions be- 
ing strictly fair and impartial. He was a 
member of the Methodist church, to which 
his wife also belonged, and he took an 
acti\'e. earnest and helpful part in the 
church work for many years, serving as 
superintendent of the Sunday-school, and 
doing all in his power to promote the 
cause of Christianity here. He is a mem- 
ber of the Masonic fraternity and was the 
tlrst representati\e of the order to pass 
awa_\' in Hancock county, his remains be- 
ing laid to rest with Masonic honors. He 
ilied in 1853., it the age of fifty-three years 
and was Ijuried in Franklin cemetery in 
Carthage township. His widow liing 
survived him and died in 1892, at the very 
x-enerable age of ninety-two years. She 
was also a native of Lancaster county. 
PennsyKania. and there lived until after 
her marriage, or until the removal of the 
familv to Illinois. She was likewise a 
de\'oted member of the ]\Iethodist church 
and at her death was laid to rest by the 
silk' of her husband in Franklin cemetery. 
In the family of this worthy couple were 
eight children, four of whom are now 
living. 



HA.XCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



131 



Samuel R. Yetter spent the lirst tliir- 
teeii years of his Hfe in the place of liis 
nativity, and in 1837 came with his 
parents to Hancock county, IlHnois, living 
in Fountain Green township for two years 
and since that time in Carthage township. 
He remained upon the h(jme place until 
about twenty-four years of age. His edu- 
cation was acquired at Columbia. Lan- 
caster county, Pennsj'lvania, and when 
he permanently left the parental roof he 
rented a farm which he cultivated for a 
number of years, or until he purchased 
his present place, then about two hundred 
acres. This he has improved, making it 
his home continuously throtigh many 
years. He set out many of the trees here 
and a large number of them have now 
been growing here for more than a half 
century. Through a long period he tilled 
the soil, carefully sowing the seed and 
harvesting the crops as the years went by. 
He usually had a good return for his 
labor in the shape of bounteous harvests 
and he continued actively in farm work 
until a number of years ago, when he sold 
a part of his land and is now living re- 
tired in the enjoyment of a rest which he 
has truly earned and richly deserves. 

Mr. Yetter has been married twice. In 
1848 he wedded Miss Marilla Goodrich, 
a daughter of Messech and Rebecca Good- 
rich, who were early settlers of Hancock 
county, Illinois, where they lived and died. 
By this marriage there were three chil- 
dren, of whom William and Marilla died 
in infancy, while Laura is now the widow 
of Lewis R. Tull, and a resident of 
Berkeley, California. She has one daugh- 
ter, Etta. Mrs. Yetter died at the com- 
paratively early age of twenty-five years. 



and was laid to rest in l''ranklin ceme- 
tery in Carthage township. 1m )r his sec- 
ond wife Mr. Yetter chose }kliss Hester 
.A. Halbert, who was born in Lewis 
county. Kentucky, and came to Illinois 
with her widowed mother in 1S50. She 
is a daughter of Stephen and Priscilla 
( W'atkins) Halbert. both of whom were 
natives of Maiwland. whence they re- 
nv i\-ed to Kentucky at an earl}- day. The 
father died in that state in 1848 and was 
there buried, and the mother afterward 
came to Hancock county. Illinois, where 
she passed away at the age of eighty-one 
years, her remains being interred in 
Franklin cemetery in Carthage township. 
L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Yetter have been 
born ten children, four sons and six 
daughters, of whom six are now living. 
Mary is the wife of Richard White, sex- 
ton of Moss Ridge cemetery in Carthage, 
and they have, three children, Florence. 
Ruth and Myrtle. Clara is the deceased 
wife of \Villiam Sowers, a farmer resid- 
ing in Kansas. She died while on a visit 
at the home of her parents, leaving three 
children, Mabel, Hester and Charles. 
The elder daughter. Mabel, is now the 
wife of Walter Moot and resides near 
Lucas, Kansas, and they have one son, 
William. John Yetter, the third member 
of the father's family, resides in Carthage, 
Illinois, where he is a teamster. He 
wedded Mary B. Swain, and they have 
two living sons. Frank and Ferris, and 
lost one son. David, who died at the age 
of two months. Charles S. Yetter, a rail- 
road conductor of the Chicago, Burling- 
ton & Ouincy road, residing at Beards- 
town. Illinois, married Pearl Johnson, and 
has two living children. Howard and 



^32 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFA'ff.ir 



George, and twd deceased, I'earl and 
Guy. Alice \'etter became the wife of 
Alfred M. AIcKee, a g-rocer of Carthage, 
and they have three children. Karl. Ray 
and Helen. ]\Iaggie is the wife of P. H. 
\\ illey. a farmer of Peabodv. Kansas, and 
they ha\-e three lixing children. Bertha. 
I'rank and Mabel, and lost one. who died 
unnamed in infancy, l-'rank N'etter. who 
•was in the United States Navy and served 
in the P]iilip])ine war. died at Wilbur. 
Washington, when twenty- four years of 
age. Ralph is at home. Fidelia died at 
the age of six years. Xora died at the 
age of one year and sixteen days. All 
of the children were liorn in Carthage 
township and were educated here, and 
Alice. Clara and Laura all taught school 
prior to their marriage. 

Mr. \'etter is a luember of the Carthage 
Methodist church and belongs to Han- 
cock lodge, Xo. JO, Ancient iM-ee and 
Accepted Masons. He votes with the Re- 
publican party and has held some of the 
township offices, serving as justice of the 
peace, highway commissioner and con- 
stable. He has seen many of the changes 
that ha\-e occurred and the improvements 
that ha\e been made in Hancock countw 
Almost seventy years ha\e come and gone 
since he arrived here, at which time al- 
most the entire district was a wild ])rairie. 
which he has seen coinerted into ricliK' 
cultivated farms with here and there thriv- 
ing towns and \-illages and progressive 
cities. Deer and other wild game were 
killed in this ])art of the state and onh' a 
few settlements h;id been made, the tniv- 
eler finding it possible to ride for miles 
over the count r}- in .almost an\- direction 
without coming to .-i fi-nce or habit.ation 



to imjjede his progress. The work of 
transforming the wild district into one 
of rich fertility and improxement has been 
an arduous task. Mr. ^'etter, liowe\-er, 
bore his full share in this work and has 
performed an imi)ortant part in making 
the county wh.at it is today — one of the 
richest fariuing districts of western Illi- 
nois. He certainly deserves extended 
and prominent mention in this volume as 
a leading and honored agriculturist, and 
one whose life has at all times been 
worthy of emulation, being charterized 
by fidelity to ])rinciple and bv unfaltering 
allegiance to the rules of honorable and 
manly conduct. Now in the evening of 
life he receives the veneration and respect 
which shiiuld e\-er be .accorded those who 
have advanced far on life's journey and 
who are able to look back over the jxist 
without regret and forward to the future 
without fear. 



FRANK W". WWPKER. 

h'rank W'. Walker is the owner of the 
finest farm home and stock barns in Han- 
cock count\' and is one of the most exten- 
sive landholders of this part of the state, 
having fonrteen thousand acres uuiler 
fence. In the control of his liusiness in- 
terests he displays excellent ability and 
keen discrimination, and his jirosperit)' 
has resulted from judicious management 
;is well as carefully directed industry. 
( )ne of Il.ancock county's nati\e sons he 
was born in Walker townshiii, on the 28th 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



133 



of March, 1858, and now resides on sec- 
tion 32, Prairie township, where liis liome 
farm comprises one hun(h"e(l and ^ixty 
acres of very rich and productive land. 
His parents were Henr}- ]\I. andSophrdnia 
(Rankin) \\'ali<er. Ijoth nf whom were 
natives nf Kentucky, whence tlie\' came 
to IlHnois at an early day. settling- in 
Walker township, Hancock county, whicli 
was named in honor of his grandfather, 
George Walker, who was one of the 
earliest pioneers of the township. After 
working on the farm during the week he 
would preach Sundays, being the first 
Baptist minister in the vicinity. The 
father purchased land and made a home, 
residing upon his farm for t\vent_\'-five 
years, during which ])eriod his attention 
was given to the tilling of the S(jil and to 
the raising of stock. He owned one hun- 
dred and sixty acres of land in ihat town- 
ship and he afterward removed to I'rairie 
township, purchasing a farm upon sec- 
tion 2y. This farm contained three liun- 
dred and twenty acres, which was then 
nnim]iro\-ed, and on which he made all the 
impro\ements. Tt continued to he his 
home place until his death, wliich occurred 
when he had readied the ad\anced age of 
seven t_\'-nine \-ears. In addition to this 
property he owned enough to make his 
landed possessions ten hundred and sixt}- 
acres in Hancock county, all of which is 
now improved. He brought a large part 
of this property under cultivation during 
his life time and was a man of marked 
energy and diligence, whose life activity 
resulted in the acquirement of a measure 
of prosperit}-, making him one of the lead- 
ing citizens of his counl\'. He was one 
of the first men in the count\- to sjive 



thought to better stock, having had regis- 
tered shorthorn cattle, not only bringing 
his own stock up to a line gnide hut being 
the means of im[)ro\ ing the stock in the 
whole Community'. His political views ac- 
corded with the principles of democracy 
.and he w;is a member of the Methodist 
I'^])iscopal clunxh. His wife passed away 
about two years prior to his demise, when 
she was seventy _\ears of age. Of their 
familv of seven children four are still li\- 
ing. Both ])arents lie buried in the El- 
vaston cemeterv and when the\' were 
called from this life many friends 
niomaied their loss. Mr. Walker was one 
of the argonauts who went to California 
in search of the golden fleece in 1849. 
He there engaged in mining and was (|uite 
successful in his operations, accumulating 
a comfortable fortune during his residence 
of three \ears on the I^acific coast. He 
(lied while \isiting in California, on the 
14th of b'ebruary, 1906. 

At the usual age h'rank W . Walker 
began his education in the common 
schools and afterward attended Carthage 
College. He assisted upon the home place 
as a young man and has alwa\-s remained 
ui)on the farm. When twenty-two years 
old he purchased the one hundred and 
sixt\' acres on which he now resides, and 
has erected here all of the modern build- 
ings, including an attractix'e and pleas- 
ant frame residence, which is one of the 
largest and finest country homes in the 
count}'. He also has commodious and 
substantial barns, one barn sixty by sixty- 
four with twent)'-f()ur foot ports is one of 
the finest, if not the finest, b.arn in the 
connt\', it being elegantl_\- and ;Utractively 
planned and finished and is a model barn 



134 



BIOGRAPHICAL REIAEIV 



both for convenience and beauty, and 
altogether his is a model place, in which 
none of the accessories of a modern farm 
are lacking. It is known as the Shadow 
Brook stock farm and Mr. Walker de- 
votes his attentifjn to the raising of high- 
bred stock, making a specialty of short- 
horn cattle and Hambletonian horses, hav- 
ing a large number of each upon his place. 
He raises for sale purposes and has been 
engaged in this business for twenty-six 
years. He now owns a fine Hambletonian 
stallion, Elcho. and he is also the owner 
of the bull, Duke of Iron Hill, a regis- 
tered shorthorn, both of which are used 
for breeding purposes. In addition to his 
home farm ]\Ir. \\'alker has always con- 
ducted the i.>ld homestead farm compris- 
ing three hundred and twenty acres and 
located one mile east. He is an extensive 
feeder, shipping about one hundred and 
fifty head of fat stock per year of his own 
production and in addition to this Mr. 
U'alker bu}'S and ships many carkiads of 
stock annually to the Chicago market. He 
is also the owner of about fourteen thou- 
sand acres of land in Colorado, all under 
fence, which he has used for stock-raising 
and the growing of wheat. Evei^ything 
about his home place is kept in most per- 
fect order and repair, showing his pro- 
gressive spirit and his careful supervision. 
Mr. Walker was married on the loth of 
November, 1881, to Miss Helen M. Jack- 
son, a daughter of Peter Jackson, of 
Prairie township, who was an early set- 
tler of Hancock county. He followed 
farming for a number of years but is now 
living retired. ]\Irs. Walker, like her hus- 
band, obtained her early education in the 
district schools and was afterward a 



studeiU in Carthage College. This mar- 
riage has been blessed with six children, 
of whom five are fixing: Claude C, of 
Prairie township, residing upon the old 
homestead of his grandfather, married 
^'etta Thomas, a daughter of Henr}- 
Thomas. Clyde H. assists in the oper- 
ation of the home farm. Flossie M., 
Bl jssom J. and Ruth, are all at home ; and 
Onlin died at the age of eight years. All 
were born upon the home property and 
have been provided with excellent educa- 
tional privileges. 

Mr. Walker is a democrat without po- 
litical aspiration and he keeps well in- 
formed on the questions and issues of the 
day. Mr. and Mrs. Walker are members 
of the Methodist Episcopal church and he 
is interested in those measures and move- 
ments which tend to advance the material, 
intellectual and moral progress of the 
communit}'. The immber of his friends 
is alm(.)st co-extensive with the circle of 
his acfjuaintance, for he has always lived 
in Hancock county and his histoiw has 
l^een such as would bear close investiga- 
tion and scrutiny, for at all times he has 
lived honorable with due regard to his 
obligations to his fellowmen and with 
conscientious regard for his duties of 
citizenship. 



JAMES HENRY CLARK. 

James Henry Clark, who is engaged in 
farming and also carries on stock-raising 
extensively in Dallas township, was born 



HJXCOCK COUNTY, ILLIXOIS. 



135 



in Brown count}', Illinois, Alay 30, 1863, 
a son of Nathaniel H. and Jane ( Wells ) 
Clark. The father's birth occurred in the 
state of New York in 1835 and the mother 
was born in Ohio in the same year. He 
was a farmer by occupation and at an 
early day came to Illinois, settling in 
Brown county, while subsecjuently he be- 
came a resident of Schuyler county. He 
was killed on the railroad near Clayton, 
October 7, 1902, and his widi_)w still re- 
sides in that county. In their family were 
eight children : Gei_irge, living in Brown 
county, Illinois ; Maggie, the wife of 
George Laughlin, who resides in Black- 
bird, Missouri; James H., of this review: 
Lydia, the wife of Henry Lawson, of 
Fountain Green : Fannie, the wife of Al- 
lan Groscloud: Dora, the wife of James 
Younglove, of Schuyler count}' ; Charles, 
who is living upon the liome farm in 
Schuyler county ; and Jesse, of Dallas 
City.' 

James Henr}' Clark attended the public 
schools of Schuyler count}- but his educa- 
tional privileges were somewhat limited, 
as his aid was needed in the operation of 
the home farm. He remained with his 
parents until nineteen years of age and 
was afterward employed for one season by 
the month as a farm hand. In January, 
1884, he was united in marriage to Miss 
Minnie Bowker, who was born in Schuy- 
ler county, Illinois, in 1865, a daughter 
of Catherine and Frank Bowker, natives 
of New York, and of Scotland county, 
Missouri^ respectively. The father be- 
came a fanner, first of Schuyler county 
and aftenvard of Hancock county, Illi- 
nois, and subsequently removed to Mis- 
souri and thence to Kansas, but is now liv- 
9 



ing retired in Dallas Cit}'. He owned 
land in each place in which he lived and 
is now in comfortable circumstances. 
Unto him and his wife were bom eight 
children and the family circle yet remains 
unbroken by the hand of death. The 
record is as follows: Minnie, now Mrs. 
Clark ; Nettie, who in early life engaged in 
teaching school and is now the wife of 
Sydney Callison, of Boston, Missouri ; 
Roger, of Hancock county ; Kittie, the 
wife of Eniest Rosevvorn, of Barton 
count}-, Missouri ; Maud, the wife of Wal- 
ter Lionberger, of Scntkuid cnunty. Mis- 
souri : Inez Bowker, who is a successful 
teacher; George, who is living in Dallas 
City ; and Mabel, who is a graduate of the 
high school of Dallas City and lives with 
her parents. 

At the time of their marriage Mr. Clark 
and his young wife began their domestic 
life upon a rented farm in Schuyler 
county, where they lived for one year. In 
1885 they came to Hancock county, where 
they have since resided, making their home 
in Dallas and Durham townships. Mr. 
Clark has been extensively engaged in the 
live stock business and this is still a fruit- 
ful source of income to him. In 1904 he 
])urchased ninety-seven acres of good land 
on section 14. Dallas township, and has 
since made extensive improvements in the 
home. He has also erected two good 
bams, one thirty-two by forty feet and the 
other fifty-four by sixty-six feet. He now 
has one of the best improved farms of the 
township, equipped with modern conveni- 
ences and accessories, and he has been one 
of thie heavy stock feeders of the county. 
His business interests are carefully con- 
ducted and his labors are bringing to him 



136 



BIOGRAPHICAI. REJIEW 



a gratifyinj^- measure of success, while liis 
straightfor\\ar<l dealings in all of his 
transactions lia\-e gained for him the trust 
of his fellowmen. 

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Clark has 
heen Ijlessed with foin* children, all hdrn 
in Hancock cnunty: luhel rind Ray. 
aged respectively twenty and eighteen 
years; Katherine and Annice, hoth in 
school. In his political \'iew's Mr. Clark 
is an inlle.xible democrat and has held 
\arious t(.iwnship offices, including that 
of assessor of Durham township. h~r;i- 
ternally he is a Mason 'anfl a Woodman 
and both he and his wife are connected 
witli the Royal .Xeighljors. Without pe- 
cuniary assistance at the outset of his 
career he has made stead}- progress and 
in his home is surrounded by many of 
the comforts of life. He and his wife 
occupy an enxdahle pt)sition in the re- 
gard of friends and neighbors and are 
.accounted worthy and leading citizens of 
Dallas township. 



S.\MUEL S. CH.\PM.\N. 

.Samuel S. Chapman, owning and op- 
erating a valuable farm in Prairie town- 
ship, is a native of Scott county. Illinois, 
born .May 11, 1851. He has, however, 
resided in Hancock county since 1857, 
when, at the age of six years, he came 
to this i)art of the state with his parents. 
Wesley and Elizabeth (Haynie) Cha]i- 
man. The father was born in Maryland, 
near Cumberland, March 24, 1825, and 



Ii\ed in his nati\e state until ten _\ears 
of ;ig(.', when, in 1835. he came ti.i Illi- 
nois ;nid for many _\'ears thereafter was 
a resident of .Scott county. After attain- 
ing his majorit}' he engaged in farming 
on his own account and followed that 
occupation throughout his acti\e business 
career. L'pon his remo\al from Scott 
County to Hancock count\- in 1837. he 
purchased a farm of eighty acres in 
I'rairie township, to which he afterward 
added from time to time .'is his financial 
resources increased until w ithin its liound- 
aries were comprised twn hundred and 
eighty acres. He hail in all four hun- 
dred and twenty acres of land, ;dl in 
I'rairie township. It is upon this tract 
that .Samuel S. Chapman now resides. 
The father placed man\- modern improve- 
ments upon the |.)ro])ert)'. including the 
erection of a large brick residence in 1869. 
He also built a good barn and other out- 
buildings for the shelter of grain and 
stock. It was in 18O2 that he took up 
his abode upon this place, where he en- 
gaged in general farming and stock-rais- 
ing with signal success until iS<)0. when 
he Sold the farm to his son. Samuel S., 
and remox'ed to Carthage, where he lived 
for ten years, or until the death of his 
wife, since which time he has made his 
home with his children. He is a mem- 
bei' of the Christian church at Carthage, 
and his life has been permeated by his 
religious faith. In his political affilia- 
tions he is a re])ublican and has held some 
of the minor offices of the township. His 
wife, who was born in Kentucky, came 
to Illinois in i8_'9, when two years of 
age. She was a member of the Christian 
church, took a xer}- actis'e part ni its work 



HJNCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



137 



ami (lid all in her pdwer for the exten- 
sion of its influence anil the promotion 
of the cause. On the 14th of Xi.n'ember, 
1900, she was called to her final rest and 
her remains were interred in Carthage 
cemetery. By her marriage she became 
the mother of eleven children, eight of 
whom are still living. 

Samuel S. Chapman of this re\iew re- 
mained upon the old home farm until 
1876. and during that period acipiired a 
good common .school education which 
was supplemented liy a three years' course 
at the Agricultural College of the State 
University at L'rbana. while in the sum- 
mer months he was trained to the work 
of the fields, Ijecoming familiar with all 
departments of farm labor and thus gain- 
ing that practical experience which en- 
abled him to carefully and successfull}- 
conduct his own l)usiness affairs when he 
started out in life for himself. On the 
/th of September, 1S76. he was united 
in marriage to Miss Nancy C. Jackson, 
a daughter of Peter Jackson, one of the 
early settlers of Hancock countw who 
arrive here in 1832. and has now l)een 
a resident of the locality for fifty-four 
years. He made his home in Carthage 
until the death of his wife about two 
years ago and is now li\-ing with his 
children. 

Following his marriage Air. Chapman 
purchased eighty acres of land in Prairie 
township north of E1\-aston, This was 
improved and he continued the fiu'ther 
cultivation of the fields until about eight- 
een years ago, when he purchased the old 
home place of his father and has resided 
upon it continuously since. He has one 
hundred and fiftv acres of the old home- 



stead and the farm is well cultivated, giv- 
ing exery evidence in its neat and thrifty 
appearance of the careful supervision and 
practical methods of the owner, whose 
labors have been attended with a gratif}'- 
ing measure of success. As the years 
have gone b}- the home of Mr. and Mrs. 
Chapman has been blessed with four chil- 
dren but the oldest died in infancy. The 
others are John Hurst, who was educated 
in Carthage and is now a Junior at Hed- 
ding College, in Abingdon, Illinois, and 
now resides upon the home farm ; Irene, 
a senior in Hedding College ; and Myrna 
Ma}', who is now attending the high 
school in Carthage. Both Mr. and Mrs. 
Chapman are faithful members of the 
Methodist Episc(.)|jal clnnxdi. in which 
the}' take an acti\'e and helpfid interest. 
He has served as one of the trustees and 
also steward <if the clnu'ch, and for many 
years he has been a stanch prohibitionist, 
a fact which indicates his attitude on the 
temperance cjuestion. Indeed his life has 
been guided by honorable principles and 
has exemplified manly conduct such as 
C( mimands respect and esteem everywhere. 
He has stf.iod for temperance, for I'ustice. 
for truth and uprightness, and he favors 
every mo\'enient that tends to promote 
]irogressive citizensjii]! or u|)lift his 
fellowmen. 



PETER JACKSOX. 

Peter Jackson was born in Ross county, 
Ohio, on August 2~. 1826, and lived there 



13S 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI 'lEW 



until JS52. when he came tt) Hancock 
county, Illinois, in November, coming by 
wagon, and located in Wythe township, in 
the spring of 1852, and there he pur- 
chased land and lived till 1866, engaged 
in farming and stock-raising. In 1866 he 
bought a farm in Prairie township and 
there he lived as a farmer and stock-raiser 
until 1895, when he rented his farm and 
moved to Carthage, where he led a retired 
life until 1904. when his wife died and 
since then he has lived with his children. 

He married Angeline Hanson who was 
bi^rn in Pickaway county, Ohio, May 12. 
1828, and lived there until her marriage 
in 1847. I" 1 85 1 she came west with her 
husband. She was educated in Pickaway 
county, Ohio. She died April 5, 1904. She 
was the mother of seven children, all 
daughters, six of whom are living: Sarah 
R.,wife of Francis A\'. jNIcClellan, of Win- 
field, Kansas; Barbara PL, widow of 
George B. Comstock, nf Omaha, Nebras- 
ka; Mary M., widow of John G. Harris. 
She resides in Oak Park, Cook county, Il- 
linois. She has three children who were 
born in Hancock county. Nancy C, wife 
of Samuel S. Chapman (see sketch of Mr. 
Chapman) ; Matilda J., wife of Lot B. 
Clark (see sketch) ; z\nnie E. died in in- 
fancy: Helen M., wife of Frank W. 
Walker ( see sketch of Frank W. 
Walker). 

The wife of I\Ir. Jackson is buried at 
Carthag'e cemetery. The}' were a \er\' 
worthy couple, who were alwa^-s held in 
the highest esteem by all who knew them. 
Mr. Jackson, who is still living, has at the 
present writing passed the eightieth mile- 
stone of life's journey and still possesses 
a verv retentive memorv. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN CONNOR. 

Benjamin Franklin Connor was born in 
Rome, Perry county, Indiana, in 1832, 
a son of John and Annie (Maine) Con- 
nor. The father was born in New Lynch- 
burg. Virginia, and removed to Bullitt 
county, Kentucky, in his boyhood days. 
In 1813, when a young man he became 
a resident of Rome, Indiana, and there he 
spent his remaining days and reared his 
famil}-. He was a man worthy all trust 
and esteem, for he lived an upright, 
honorable life. Unto him and his wife 
were born ten children, all born within 
a cpiarter of a mile of the place where he 
built his first cabin upon taking up his 
abode in Perry count)' when it was a 
pioneer district. His death occurred in 
1862, and his wife passed away about 
1847 or 1848. She was a faithful and 
devoted wife and mother, and put forth 
every effort in her power ti;> promote the 
welfare and happiness of her familv. 

Benjamin F. Connor is now the only 
surviving- member of the family. He was 
fifteen or sixteen years of age at the time 
of his mother's demise, and for some time 
thereafter he remained with a sister. He 
learned the trade of a tanner and currier 
at Rome, Indiana, where he worked foi 
eight years, and in 1857 he removed to 
Clark county, Missouri, where he resided 
until August, 1861. At that date he came 
to Warsaw. He had engaged in mer- 
chandising in ^Missouri, and following his 
removal to this city he continued business 
as a cooper for some years. Subsequently 
he traveled for eighteen years as represen- 
tative of a portrait house of Chicago, tak- 
ing orders for the enlargement oi por- 



HAXCOCK COUNTY, ILLIXOIS. 



139 



traits. In this he was very successful and 
\vhere\ei" he went lie made many warm 
friends by reason of his genial manner, 
his unfailing' courtesy and the many ster- 
ling traits of his character which are 
easil}- recognized, for such equalities al- 
ways leave their impress upon the indi- 
\-idual. For twelve years, however, he 
has lived retired in the enjoyment of a 
well earned rest. 

Air. Connor enlisted for service in the 
Civil war and was in the battle of Athens, 
Alissdiu'i. He remained in the serx'ice for 
five months, engaged in drilling m<.ist oi 
that time. It was subsecj[uent to his return 
from the war that he brought his famih" 
to Warsaw in August, 1861. His po- 
litical allegiance has always been given to 
the democracy but he has never aspired 
te office. He is one of the oldest Alasons 
in the state and is an exemplary represen- 
tative of the craft. 

On the 1 6th of April, 1855, Mr. Con- 
nor was married to Miss Eliza Lamb, 
wh(.) was also a native of Periy county, 
Indiana, born February 18, 1830, and a 
daughter of Solomon and Elizabeth 
(Shepherd) Lamb. Her parents were 
married May 26, 181 1. Her father was 
born in New York, July 21, 1780, while 
his wife's birth occurred in the south, 
January 13. 1791. He was a farmer by 
occupation and f(_ir twenty-seven years 
resided in Perry county, Indiana, where 
he took an active and influential part in 
public affairs. He was chosen the first 
circuit clerk of the count}', and for twen- 
ty-six years held that office. No higher 
testimonial of his capability and fidelity- 
could be given than the fact that he was 
so long retained as the incunibent in that 



office. He was faithful to every trust 
reposed in him and his life was always 
guided by manly principles and character- 
ized by honorable conduct. He died Feb- 
ruary 5, 1848, and his wife on the 28th 
of October, 1855, both being laid to rest 
on the old homestead farm in Indiana, on 
which he settled about 1810. This was a 
valuable farming property, situated on the 
Ixmk of the Ohio river. At the tirne of 
his demise he was senfing as one of the 
commissioners of the cnunty and he 
passed away in the faith of the Baptist 
church, of which he was a most consistent 
and devoted member. In the family were 
eight children but all ha\'e passed away. 
Air. and Mrs. Connor traveled life's 
journey together as man and wife for 
about twenty-three years and were then 
separated by the death of Airs. Connor, 
who passed awa}- January 28, 1878, and 
was laid to rest in the Warsaw cemetery. 
She was a niember of the Methodist 
church and a lady whose many good traits 
of heart and mind endeared her to all who 
knew her. To her family she was a most 
devoted and faithful wife and mother and 
she was equally loyal in her friendships. 
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Connor were bom 
four children. Ella was bom in Rome, 
Perry county, Indiana, January 12, 1856. 
She was graduated frorn the Warsaw 
public schools and taught several years. 
December 31, 1878, she was married to 
Dr. C. L. Ferris, of Fountain Green, Illi- 
nois, the oldest son of Dr. L. T. and 
Helen Ferris, who are old residents of 
the county. Dr. and Mrs. C. L. Ferris 
ha\'e two flaughters, Helen and Ruth, and 
are living in Carthage, Illinois. Helen 
is a graduate of Carthage College, a 



I40 



BIOGRAPHICA L RE I'lEW 



teaclier, and is principal of the High 
School at Alt. Carroll, Illinois. Ruth is a 
senior in Carthage College. Isabella 
Sacket, the second daughter, was born 
at Luray, Clark county, Missouri. July 
29, 1857, was graduated from the public 
schools of Warsaw, and afterward en- 
gaged in teaching in this city up to the 
time I if her marriage to John B. Worthen. 
who was horn in Warsaw, February 4, 
1855. He is the young-est son of Prof. 
.\. H. and Sarah B. Worthen. Both of 
his parents were old settlers of W^arsaw, 
while the father was state g-eologist for 
twenty }ears. ]\Ir. \\'orthen is an en- 
terprising grocer and business man of 
Warsaw. A\here he has alwavs li\-e{l. Mr. 
and Mrs. Worthen were married August 
21, 1882, and to them six children were 
bom, as follows : Ella Eugenia, born 
October 26, 1883. She graduated from 
the Warsaw public school and the .State 
University at Urbana, Illinois, was prin- 
cipal of the high school ;it Areola, Illi- 
nois, and is an in.structor in mathematics 
at the State L'niversity at Lincoln. Ne- 
braska. James C. ^Vorthen, whd was 
born October 16. 1885. died February i. 
1887; Jeaniiette Lamb, who was ])oni 
Jul}- 13, 1887, and is now a senior in 
the State University at Urbana, from 
which she will graduate in 1907: Evelyn 
Marie, who was born August 18, 1S90. 
and is a sophomore in the W'arsaw high 
school ; Helen Eunice, who was born Oc- 
tober II, 1892. and is in her second year 
in the high school : and John Connor, bom 
February 13, 1899. J. T. M. Connor, the 
third memljer of the family of Benjamin 
1'. Connor, is now living in Chicago, 
where he is auditor for the Clav-Robinson 



Company, live stock commission mer- 
chants. He was married in Kansas City, 
Missouri, December 13. 1885. to Eunice 
Mason, and they have one child, Ella 
Belle, who was born N(,)vember 13, 1886, 
and is a graduate of the Denver (Colo- 
rado) school. Frank H. Connor, born 
Mary jy, 1865, is a live stock commis- 
sion merchant of Chicago, being a mem- 
ber of the firm of Clay, Robinson & 
Co. He was married June 20, 1894, to 
Evelyn L.Hill, and has had three children. 
The twin boys, born June 16, 1897, both 
died at the age of fifteen months, Ron- 
noc Hill was born August 8, 1903. Both 
of Mr. Connor's sons were graduates of 
the Warsaw public schools. 

Wlien Mrs. Connor died the children 
were all single and remained with their 
father until they were married and had 
homes of their i:>wn. Mrs. Worthen was 
the second one married and Mr. Connor 
has since maile his home- witli her and 
her husband. Mr. Worthen has built a 
beautiful modern residence on the river 
bluff, situated on Van Buren and First 
streets in the part of Warsaw called Fort 
Edward. This is a beautiful home known 
as Xehtrow. Here Mr. Connor is most 
pleasantly situated. He is largely a self- 
made man, having had few advantages 
in his youth but his business enterprise 
and diligence enabled him to make steady 
advancement in his Inisiness career. 
Wherever he went he made friends by 
reason of his genial and kindly disposi- 
tion. Fle is a man of good judgment and 
warm impulses and wherever he is known 
he is held in highest esteem, while the cir- 
cle of his friends is almost co-e.xtensive 
with the circle of his acquaintance. 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



141 



WILLIAM JACKSON .\SH. 

William Jackson Ash is one of the ven- 
erable citizens of Hamilton, receiving the 
respect and honor which should be ac- 
corded to one of his years and whose life 
has been worthily spent. He is now 
eighty-one years of age. having been bom. 
in McMinn county, Tennessee, on the 6th 
of June, 1S25, his |)arents being Hugh 
Brown Ash and Xanc}' 1 Jones) Ash, 
natives of South Carolina and Tennessee 
respecti\-ely. His paternal grandparents 
were Robert and Esther Ash, the f(^rmer 
a native of South Carolina .and the latter 
of Ireland. The maternal grandfather, 
Thomas Jones, was a native of Tennessee, 
and in that state married Miss Beckham. 
Robert Ash, leaving his native country, 
ci"ossed the Atlantic and became a resi- 
dent of South Carolina, where he followed 
the occupation of farming for a numl)er 
of years and then removed to eastern Ten- 
nessee, where he and his wife spent their 
remaining days. It was in that state that 
Hugh Brown Ash and Xancy Jones were 
united in marriage and there they lived 
for a number of 3'ears upon a farm. He 
was injured one day while stacking fodder 
and soon afterward died. His wife mar- 
ried again nine years later, her second 
union being with Edwin Pedegrew, \\ho 
at one time owned famous gold mines in 
Georgia. The}- were married in Alabama, 
to which state the mother of our subject 
removed and about ten years later they 
went to Dent county, ^lissouri, where 
they spent their remaining days. 

William Jackson was the eldest of three 
sons and three daughters,' all of whom 
are now deceased with the exception of 



one brother who is residing in Carrollton, 
Carroll county, Arkansas. B}' the second 
marriage there were two daughters and 
two sons, of whom one son is now living 
in Dent county. Missouri. 

William J. Ash was twelve years of age 
when he went with his mother to Chero- 
kee county, Alabama. She there took up 
one hundred and sixty acres of land and 
in 1839 was married a second time. It 
was then that the subject of this review 
started out in life ti^ make his own w^ay in 
the world. He began learning the trade 
of a tanner and leather finisher. He was 
also the owner of three colts, two cows 
and se\'eral hogs, which he gave to his 
mother in exchange for homespun cloth- 
ing. He continued to work at his trade 
until 1846, in which year Benjamin 
White, who ten years before had removed 
to Adams county, Illinois, returned to 
Tennessee on a visit and about a month 
later took three Tennessee lads with him 
to Adams county. He paid their fare and 
they worked for him two years for ten 
dollars a month. Mr. Ash had an uncle 
living in Adams county and after leaving 
]\Ir. White's employ he began operating 
his uncle's farm on shares, being thus en- 
gaged for a year. In 1848 he returned to 
Tennessee and Alabama in company with 
his uncle, driving across the country with 
teams. The uncle soon again came to 
niinijis, l)ut ]\Ir. Ash remained in his na- 
tive state until after his marriage, wdiich 
important event in his life was celebrated 
on the 27th of February, 1849, the lady of 
his choice l.)eing Miss Eliza Ann Culpep- 
per, who was born in McMinn county. 
Tennessee, August 14, 1828, a daughter 
of Joel and Ann Elizabeth (Tyler) Cul- 



142 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAIEW 



pepper, both of whom were natives of 
South Carolina. The former was a son 
of John Culpepper and tlie latter a daugh- 
ter of John Tyler. 

On the 28th of March, 1849, Mr. Ash 
with his bride started b}' wagon for 
Adams county, where they arri\'ed on the 
22d of April, after spending almost a 
month upon the road. They remained in 
that county for one season and Mr. Ash 
engaged in the cultivation of a tract of 
land. He tried to raise a crop of corn but 
the worms took it and he sowed his land 
to buckwheat, raising an enormous crop, 
furnishing large supplies to the city of 
Quincv of buckwheat flour, which he had 
ground at Fletcher's A'lills in Hancock 
county. In the fall of 1849 'ic and his 
wife removed to \\'ythe township, this 
county, where they lived in a log house 
with puncheon floor and fireplace with 
stick and clay chimney. There was but 
one room in the cabin. The following 
season he purchased fort}- acres of 
prairie about a mile nnrtli of where he 
lived, fenced his land with rails and 
raised corn, which was planted on the 
newh- limken sod. The following year 
he liroke more land and also iiurchased 
forty acres additional. He also culti\'ated 
the eighty acres and rented some land, 
adding to his place from time to time un- 
til he was the owner of three hundred 
and fi irty acres in Wythe township, which 
had been improved as well as any place 
in the township at that time. As the 
years passed he added further impriive- 
ments to his property and made it a 
splendidly developed farm. He had two 
large barns, one tliirty h\ eighty feet, 
which he afterward used for sheltering 



his cattle. He kept from twenty to thirty 
cows and conducted a dairy for ten years. 
Thus year by year he continued active 
in business, winning success by his close 
application and strong detemiination. He 
was never idle and indolence is utterly 
foreign to his nature. He has led a busy 
and useful life and as the years have 
gone by has won the success which al- 
wa}-s crowns earnest effort. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ash ha\e been Ixirn 
the following named : Sarah Mulvina, 
the wife of ^^^ H. King, who is acting 
as janitor of the public schools at Hamil- 
ton ; Mary Adeline, the wife of Frederick 
Shrifer, a mail-carrier at Hamilton; Joel 
Brown, of Hamilton; Louisa Ann; 
.\manda Jane, the wife of J. E. Ernst, 
who owns the old homestead farm ; Alice 
Alma, the wife of Charles F. Binderwald, 
of Montrose, Iowa ; and Narcissa Eliza- 
beth, the wife of D. William Wolfe, a 
resident of Hamilton. 

On the 8th of March, 1897, Mr. and 
Airs. Ash removed from the home farm 
to Hamilton, where he purchased a fine 
residence on Broadway. Since that time 
he has lived retired. He rented his land 
for three years and then sold it. He is 
one of the organizers and stockholders of 
the Peoples State Bank, of Hamilton, and 
also of the West Point State Bank, and 
thus his money has been placed in insti- 
tutions where it is bringing a good finan- 
cial return. He has justly earned the rest 
which he is now enjoying, for his life has 
been cliaracterized by unflagging dili- 
g'ence and also by unfaltering honesty in 
all business transactions. Wherever 
known he has won high esteem and more- 
over he is one of the honored pioneer set- 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



143 



tiers of the county, whose efforts have 
been a potent element in promoting prog- 
ress and improvement in this section of 
the state as the count}- has emerged from 
its pioneer conditions. 



AHIMAAZ PUNTENNEY. 

Ahimaaz Puntenney, the owner of a 
well improved and valuable farm in Mon- 
tebello township, where he is engaged in 
general agricultural ]:)ursuits and in rais- 
ing high grade horses, cattle and hogs, 
is a native son of Adams county, Ohio, 
where he was bom February 10. 1833. 
He is a son of John and Arminta 
(Wright) Puntenney, both of wliom were 
natives of Adams county, Ohio. The 
paternal grandparents were George Hol- 
linsworth and Margaret (Hamilton) 
Puntenney, the former a native of New 
England and the latter of Ireland. The 
grandfather was a soldier of the Revolu- 
tionary war. In order to join the army 
in the manner he wished he had to be an 
immune from small pox. He had never 
suffered from the disease, but his uncle 
and aunt, with whom he was living, were 
attending a case of small pox and he 
thought this his opportunity to become 
afflicted with the disease. His relatives 
wished to prevent it and they put the 
clothing \vhich they had worn while at- 
tending the small pox case into a liollow 
tree. There George Puntenney found 
them, took them out, wore them and be- 
came ill with small pox. Thereby he was 



permitted to join the ami)' and he fought 
\aliently for American lil)crty. Later he 
was granted a pension, but he w(iuld not 
accept it, having given his aid freely for 
the cause which he espoused. Subse- 
quently he became a resident of Adams 
county, Ohio, where he died in 1852, at 
the very venerable age of ninety-six years. 
The maternal grandfather of our subject 
was a native of Virginia, while his wife 
was bom in Ireland, whence she came to 
America when about seven years of age. 
The}- were married in Adams county, 
Ohio, the famih- having located there at 
a very early day. 

The marriage of John Puntenne}- and 
Arminta Wright was celebrated in Adams 
county, Ohio, where he settled upon a 
farm, there following general agricultural 
pursuits until his death, which occurred 
in April, 1864. when he was sixty-nine 
years of age. 

When Ahimaaz Puntenne}' was only 
two years old he went to live with his 
maternal grandfather in the northern part 
of Adams county and in 1846 all the fam- 
ily removed to Lee county. Iowa. In 
company with an uncle and J. W. Dry^- 
den. Mr. Puntenney of this review drove 
across the country from the Buckeye state 
to their destination, being upon the road 
from the i8th of September until the 20t]i 
of October. His' grandfather settled on a 
farm in Lee county, where he died in 
1848. Following his death Mr. Pun- 
tenney continued to make his home there 
with his uncle until about 1855, when he 
bought forty acres of land on the east 
line of Montebello township and in 1861 
sold that property, subsequently investing 
in eighty acres on section 23, constituting 



144 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI'IEII 



tlie east half of the southeast quarter. He 
had about fifteen acres broken, but there 
were m) fences r>v l.iuihHngs on tlie place. 
In 1862 he built a frame house of three 
rooms and Ijuilt a half mile of fence on 
the west side of the farm. He continued 
the further develojMiient and impr<ivement 
of the place until Februar}', 1864, when 
he enlisted in the One Hundred and Fifty- 
sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He 
left his wife and two small children, who 
went to Lee county, Iowa, to her niDther's 
home, wdiile Mr. Puntenney went to the 
front ti) aid in the defense of the Union. 
His regiment was consolidated with New 
York and Indiana troops and did guard 
duty near Chattanooga on the Chicka- 
mauga ri\er. They were in different 
places in the south doing- guard duty, and 
Mr. Puntenney continued at the front 
until honorably discharged on the 15th of 
September, T865. He had remained with 
his command for a j-ear and a half and 
had always been loyal to his duty, faith- 
fully discharging e\'en- task that was as- 
signed him in connection with his military 
service. 

Following his return home ]\Ir. Pun- 
tenney began making further improve- 
ments upon his place and in 1880 he pur- 
chased the east half of the southeast cjuar- 
ter, so that he was owner of the entire 
cptarter section. In 1878 he built a large 
lia}- barn, which he remodelerl in 1905. 
He also erected an addition to the house 
in 1890 and now has a good farm prop- 
erty which is enclosed largely with wire 
fence. He has as line a prairie farm as 
can be found in the township and in 
connection with the tilling of the soil he 
is engaged in raising Shire draft horses, 



good cattle and Poland China hogs. His 
business interests are carefully directed 
and his labors have brought to him a 
N'ery gratifying measure of success. 

On the 26th of February, 1861. Mr. 
Pnntennev was united in marriage to 
Miss Isabelle Kerr, whd was born in 
Pennsylania and during her infancy was 
brought to Illinois by her parents, Alex- 
ander Kerr and Isabelle Dunham, who 
located at Peoria. Both her father and 
mother were nati\'es of Scotland and 
after a brief residence in Peoria they re- 
mo\'ed to Lee county, Iowa. L'nto Mr. 
and Mrs. Puntenney have been bom two 
sons and tw'o daughters : John Alex- 
ander, who owns a ranch hear Moscow. 
Idaho: Iowa B., who is the widow of 
Samuel Marshall and resides wdth her 
father: Nettie K.. the wife of James Mc- 
Gaw, of Prairie township, this county : 
and William L.. who conducts the home 
place. 

In his religious views Mr. Puntenney 
is a Presbyterian and since 1880 has been 
elder of the church of that denomination 
at Elvaston. He exercises his right of 
franchise in support of the men and meas- 
ures of the Repul)lican ])art\- and he lie- 
longs to Russell post, Grantl -\rmy of the 
Republic, of Hamilton, of which, he is 
senior vice commander. In all duties of 
citizenship he is as lo}-al to his country 
as when he followed the old flag upon 
battlefields of the south. In his business 
affairs he is reliable, working earnestly 
and persistently for the achievement of 
success and is now the owner of one of 
the excellent fami properties of Monte- 
liello townsliip. where he is pleasantly sit- 
uate<l and ha-^ a comfortable home. 



MAXCOCK COL'XTV. ILfJXOIS. 



145 



JACOB C. BALSLEY. 

Tacob C. Balslev, filling- the position of 
township assessor, his home being in 
Dallas City, was born in Harrisburg. 
Pennsylvania, November ,28, T839. his 
parents being William and Elizabeth 
(Longenecker ) Balslev, who were like- 
wise natives of the Keystone state, the 
former having- been b(jrn in Dauphin 
count}-, and the latter in Cumberland 
county. The father engaged in the coal 
trade and milling (in the Monnngahela 
in Pennsylvania iov a number of vears, 
and was a member of the state militia 
in Pennsylvania. In 1854 he came b> 
Illinois, devoting his attention to general 
agricultural pursuits and merchandising 
in Scott county. In 1869. however, he 
removed to Dallas township, Hancock 
county, where he engaged in horticultural 
business, being one of the early men t<i 
raise berries and small fruits here until 
his death, which occurred ]\Ia}- 17, T898, 
his remains being interred in Dallas Cit}- 
cemetery. At the time of his demise he 
was a member of the Christian church, 
and at one time was an Odd Fellow. The 
mother of our subject still survives him 
and is a hale and hearty lady of eighty- 
nine years, ikjw li\-ing- in Scott county. 
In their family were nine children, of 
whom seven are yet living, namely : 
Jacob C. ; George W., a department clerk 
in Washington. D. C. ; Theodosia. the 
widow of George W. Ebey, living at 
Winchester, Illinois; Miriam, the widow 
of A. C. Dean and a resident of Gales - 
burg, this state; John W.. also living in 
Winchester; Frances, the wife of James 
A. ^^'arren. a prominent lawyer of Win- 



chester : and Sarah, the widow of John 
Kirkjiatrick. li\ing- in Winchester. Of 
this number John W. Balsley was a mem- 
ber of the Sixty-first Illinois Volunteer 
Infantry and took part in several engage- 
nients. including the battle of Sliiloh. He 
served three years and then veteraned or 
re-enlisted, after which he was captured 
and sent to .\nderson\-ille prison, where 
he was held until paroled at the close of 
the war. George W. jjalsley, another 
brother, was also a member of the Sixty- 
eighth Illinois Infantry, serving for three 
months. 

Jacob C. Balsley was a youth of fifteen 
\-ears when in compan}- with his parents 
he removed from Pennsylvania to Illinois. 
He continued his studies in the schools of 
Winchester. In 1861 he responded to the 
country's call for aid but because he was 
under size his seiwices were rejected, and 
he turned his attention to the teacher's 
profession, teaching in the country district 
schools for several terms and also one 
term in the city school. During this time 
he also read law for a time in the office 
of Knapp & Case. In 1863 he left home 
to enter the government service on the 
Mississippi river and went upon a govern- 
ment transport for three months, but re- 
turning home in September on account of 
physical disability. 

Subsequently Mr. Balsley entered the 
postofifice at Winchester in 1863 and acted 
as deputy postmaster there for three 
years, and in 1866 and 1867 he was em- 
ployed as a clerk in a drug store. He 
spent the succeeding seven years in the 
ofiice of G. W. Martin, then county clerk 
at \\'inchester, as his deputy. He after- 
ward entered the postoftice again for two 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'lEW 



years and he was the first to receive the 
news of President Lincohi's assassination 
antl was in the postoftice at the time of 
President Garhelil's death. Later he 
again engaged in teaching scliool in the 
county of Scott and in 1891 he came to 
Hancock count)-, setthng in Dallas Cit}-. 
being engaged with his father in the hor- 
ticultural business until the time of the 
latter 's death. 

On the 24th of Jul}-, 1898, Mr. lialsley 
was married to Mrs. Elizabeth P. Price, 
who was born in Adams county, Illinois. 
Her father was of German birth, while 
her mother was a native of Covington, 
Kentucky. The mother is still living in 
Dallas City but the father, A. Padburg, 
who was a cooper by trade, has departed 
this life. In the family rif Mr. and Mrs. 
Padburg were nine children, se\-en of 
whom are yet living, as follows: Mrs. 
Balsley of this review; May, the wife of 
Alston Giddings, near La Harpe, Illinois : 
Ella, the widow of William Giddings and 
who lives on a farm near Burnside, Illi- 
nois; John, who is engaged in the practice 
of medicine at Francis, Indian Territorv ; 
Charles, living in Dallas City; Alfred, a 
student of medicine of Dallas Cilv; and 
Leah, the wife of Charles Hinckley, nf 
Dallas City. Mrs. Padburg is a member 
of the Methodist church and Mr. Pad- 
burg was a pioneer Mason. He came to 
Hancock county in early life, being but 
ten years of age when he crossed the At- 
lantic to America. His eldest daughter, 
Elizabeth, was married in 1878 to Frank 
Price, a native of Galena, Illinois, wli'i 
was a brick molder by trade and spent 
much of his time in Nauvno, Illinois. He 
died August II, 1894, and was buried in 



Dallas City, Illinois. In the family were 
two children, of whom one is now living, 
Frankie Myrtle, born in Dallas City, July 
17, 1880, died April 4, 1895, '"^'^ was 
buried by the side of her father. Cleo A. 
Price, born in Dallas City March 3, 1886, 
married Miss Sarah Wells, and is a clerk 
in a grocery store in Dallas City. They 
have one child, Genevieve, who was born 
in Dallas City June 30, 1905. Cleo Price 
and his family live with Mr. and Mrs. 
Balsley. 

Following his father's death Mr. Bals- 
ley remained upon the old home place, 
which he inherited, from 1898 until 1902. 
In the latter year he entered the postoffice 
at Dallas City as assistant, there contin- 
uing until 1905 and since that time he has 
been employed as clerk in the Black & 
Loomis lumber office. He is now serving 
as assessor of his township. He has al- 
ways been a republican and has firm faith 
in the principles of the party and their 
ultimate supremacy. His wife is a mem- 
ber of the Christian church and with her 
he attends its sei-vices. They reside in a 
pretty home on Oak street and Mrs. Bals- 
ley takes a very active part in church 
work, serving as one of the teachers of 
the Sunday-school and doing- all in her 
power to advance the various church ac- 
tivities. Mr. Balsley is regarded as a 
trustworthy citizen who discharges even' 
duty de\-ol\-ing upon him in prompt and 
Conscientious manner. He is a careful 
and painstaking man and both he and his 
wife stand high in the community where 
the^• ha\-e made man\- friends and are 
held in the highest esteem by all with 
whom the}- come in contact, either in si- 
cial (ir Ijusiness relatimis. 



HA.XCOCK COiWrV. ILLIXOIS. 



1 4; 



WILLIAM L. KIMBR0L'(;H. 

W'illiani L. Kiml)njug"h was burn in 
Carthage township, where he is now en- 
gaged in farming. His natal day was 
October 27. 1852, and his l)irthplacL' was 
four miles east of the city of Carthage 
and about a quarter of a mile north. 
His parents were William R. and Kliza- 
beth (Dale) Kimbrough, extended men- 
tion I if wh(im is made elsewhere in this 
\olume. In the common schools of his 
township the subject of this review ac- 
quired his educati(.in. In the summer 
months he aided in the work nf the fields, 
early becoming familiar with the task 
of plowing, planting and har\esting. He 
remained upon the Imme place until 
twenty-two years of age and then, leaving 
the parental roof, started out in life on 
his own account by \vi irking as a farm 
hand at a salary nf twenty dollars per 
month. He was thus emplo)'ed for some 
time in the vicinity of La Hari)e and (jn 
his marriage, December 28, 1874, he 
rented a farm in Carthage township, 
which he cultivated for a vear. He after- 
ward spent a year upon a rented farm in 
Henderson count)', Illinois, after which 
he returned to Carthage township. An- 
other year jiassed and he then went to 
Nevada, wi.)rking in the silver mines at 
Austin and later at Leadville. Colorado, 
for two }'ears. \\ hen he again came ti> 
Illinois he was employed at farm lalior 
l)y the month in Henderson count)- for 
f<iur years and with the capital he ac- 
quired through his ecoiiomv and industry 
he then purchased eighty acres of land 
on section 33, Carthage township, for 
which he paid twenty-f:\'e hundred dol- 



lars. Taking up his abode thereon he 
made it his home for ten }'ears aiul he 
still owns the place, which. howe\'er, is 
now being operated by his son. W hen 
a decade had passed he rented a farm 
from F. M. Cutler, which he operated 
for five years and then purchased the 
l>resent home farm of eighty acres on sec- 
tion 22. Carthage township, which was 
well impro\ed. He also owns fort\- 
acres which he purchased from his father 
on section 1 1 of the same township and all 
of his land is under a high state of culti- 
\ation. His home is on section 22, where 
he has a fine modern residence and other 
good buildings in keeping with the model 
farm of the twentieth centur\'. His time 
is de\-(_>te(l to the cultivation of the cereals 
Ijest adapted to soil and climate and also 
to stock raising and both branches of his 
business are proving profitable. 

On the 28th of December, 1874, Mr. 
Kimbrough was married to Miss Marv 
A. Butler, who was born in Monr(.ie, 
Creen county, \\'isconsin, April 26, 1857. 
Her parents were Jesse and Elizabeth 
( Tatham ) Butler. Her father was born 
in Zanesville. Ohio. April 13, 182C1. a son 
of Llenry and Charity Butler, who re- 
moved to the Buckeye state from Mary- 
land. Jesse Butler was reared in Ohio 
and on the nth of A-Iarch, 1847. he 
married Elizabeth Tatham, also a native 
of Zanes\ille. About 1856 they removed 
to ^\'isconsin, settling at Monroe, (jreen 
C(.iuntv, wdiere thev lived upon a farm 
until the autumn of 1864. Mr. Butler de- 
\-oting his time and energies to general 
agricultural pursuits and sheep raising. 
Wdien eight years had passed he remo\-ed 
with his family to a farm near La FIari)e. 



148 



BIOGRAJ'HICAL KEl IFJV 



Illinois, where he li\eil for alxuit tliirt\' 
}'ears, Ijcci lining mie of the best known 
anil most entei'iirising agriculturists of 
tliat localit}'. ( )n selling his i)ro])ert\' he 
took u]) his al)o<le near Blencoe, Iowa, 
where he lixed fur two vears, when on 
account of failing health he returneil to 
Illinois, making his home with his daugh- 
ter, Mrs. Kimbrougii. until his death, 
which iiccurred on the ^otli of ( )ctoher, 
]S(/i, when he had reached the age of se\- 
enty }ears, six months and seventeen d;i\s. 
His widow still sur\'i\-es him and is now 
li\-ing in Ellsworth, Iowa, with her 
youngest daughter at the age of se\ent\- 
sex'en years. Mr. I'lUtler was a man of 
genuine personal worth. While residing 
in Wisconsin he announced hi> faith in 
the Christian religion and ever li\ed a 
life in harmony with his j^rofessions. He 
was honest at all times, reliahle in his busi- 
ness transactions and faithful in his 
friendships. L'nto him ,ind his wife were 
born eight children. Ii\e of whom are 
living, nameh" : Svhester, of H<ilton, 
Kansas: \\'illiam L.. of .Stronghurst. Illi- 
nois: .Vrthur \'., of Alunniouth, Illinois: 
Mrs. Clara Van Zandt, of Roseville. Illi- 
nois; Mrs. Charit\- Mesecher. of P)lencoe. 
Iowa: and Mrs. Kimbrougii. 

The last named was the fourth in order 
of birth in the famil\- and was educated 
in the schools of La Harpe, the academy 
at that ])lace and in the Xormal coiu'se at 
Carthage College. She engaged in teach- 
ing for seven _\-ears in tlie schools of Han- 
cock and Henderson counties and w,as 
wideh' recognized as a capable educatur. 
Cnto Mr. and Mrs. Kimbrough have been 
1)orn three children, of w hi lUi one, Jesse, 
died in infancw Clarence, born iuh' o. 



iiSjf), resides upon his father's home farm 
one section 33, Carthage township. He 
was educated in Cartilage and married 
i\liss Leah Coultas, who was born at 
Winchester, Scott count} , Illinois. The}- 
lia\'e one chilil, Lottie. The \oungest 
member of the Kimbrougii family is 
.\rno. who was born December 17, 1891. 
Mr. Kimbrough exercises his right of 
franchise in support of the men and meas- 
ures of the Republican party but has ne\er 
been a politician 111 the sense of oftice 
seeking, lioth Mr. and Mrs. Kimbrough 
are members of the Baptist church and 
are interested in all that ])ertaiiis to the 
material, intellectual and. moral progress 
of their coiumuiiit}'. Mr. Kimbrough has 
passed almost his entire life in Hancuck 
couiit\'. So that his record is well known 
to his fellow citizens and in his life liis- 
tor\- there is much that is commendable 
and wortli\- of emulation. 



WILLI. \M R. KIMBROrGH. 

William R. Kimbrough, one of the 
eai"l\ settlers of Hancock county, residing 
on his f;irin of eighty acres on section i i, 
L'arthage townshij), is a native of Ken- 
tuckw born in Todd cnuntv. January J4, 
1830. He is a son of William and Susan 
I \\ \att ) Kimbrough, natives of A'irginia. 
whence the\- removed to Keiitnck}- at an 
earlv dav. The father engaged in farm- 
ing ill Todd count V until 1834, when he 
brought his faiiiiU- to Hancock county, 
Illinois, settling in Carthage tovvnsliii). 



H.-iXCOCK COrXTV. ILL/XOIS. 



149 



where he purchased a farm of fort}- acres 
east of the city of Carthage. He Ijuilt 
there a log cabin and Ijegan the de\elop- 
ment of the propert}'. He hved there 
for some _\ears and afterward sold the 
farm, removing t(j a larger farm which 
he rented. A number of years later he 
took up his abode in Carthage, where he 
lived retired, his death occurring there 
when he was eighty-six years of age. He 
was a member of the Baptist church and 
a democrat in poHtical \'ie\\s. A pul)lic 
spirited man, he was an advocate of all 
that tended to imprcne and advance the 
communit}- interests. He was also a 
prosperous and pr(.)gressive resident of the 
county in his day and he was uniformly 
re.spected. At the time of the war of 
1812 he espoused the cause of his country 
and served throughout the period of hos- 
tilities. His widow, who was also a con- 
sistent member of the Baptist church, sur- 
vived him for a numlier of \ears and in 
their famil}- were fourteen children, wh<.) 
grew to maturity, but William R. is the 
only one now Ii\ing, Bi:)th parents lie 
buried in Seckman cemeter_\- in Carthage 
township. 

William R. Kimltrough obtained his 
educati<in in a log schoolhcnise, walking 
six miles over the prairie to school. .-\s a 
3^oung man he assisted his father upon the 
home farm, remaining there until about 
sixteen years of age, when he jjegan \vi irk- 
ing by the month as a farm hand in Carth- 
age township. In 1S53 he crossed the 
plains to California, attracted l)y the gold 
excitement there, journeving with horses 
and o.x teams, the partv numbering six 
men whi 1 had three teams. rhe\' were 
about five and a half months in makint"' 



the trip and Air. Kimbrough remained 
in California for two years, his wife and 
two children spending that time in Han- 
cock county. -Vs he was in limited finan- 
cial circumstances upon his arri\al he be- 
gan operating a threshing machine at five 
dollars per day. He was thus employed 
during the fall, after which he dro\e cattle 
across the country to the market and was 
thus engaged until he returned to Illinois. 
He had made his way to California with 
the idea of mining but he did not spend 
a dav in the mines, Ijeing well satisfied 
with the work which came to him and the 
mone\' which he obtained thereby. I'ol- 
low ing his return to Illinois in 1835 he 
bought a farm southeast of Carthage in 
Carthage township, comprising sixty 
acres. Upon this he made his home for 
twelve years, tilling the soil and raising 
stock, after which he sold the place and 
purchased his present farm on section 1 1, 
Carthage t(jwnship. He has made his 
home in this count\' for se\enty-three 
^•ears and is one of its honored pioneer 
residents. He put all of the iniproxe- 
nients upon his present farm, erecting a 
large and substantial two-story frame 
ilwclling and also go(.id l)arns and nthcv 
outbuildings, so that he now has a model 
farm property. 

In July, 1847, Mr. Kimljrough was 
married to Miss Elizabeth Dale, who was 
born in \\'oodford county, Kentuck}', a 
(Laughter of Lunsford and hanny ( Bos- 
ton ) Dale, natives of Woodford countw 
whence they came to Illinois, settling in 
Morgan county, .\fter some time they 
came to Hancock county in 1S4C1 and 
located in Carthage township, where Mr. 
Dale engaged in f.arming until his death. 



ISO 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



He and his wife and (ine daughter died 
the same week nf fever. The}' were sup- 
porters of the Baptist churcli. Mrs. 
Kimbrough was fourteen years of age at 
tlie time she was left an nrphan. after 
which she hved with an uncle until her 
marriage in 1847. She was Imrn June 
27. 1830. and is now sevent}-six years of 
age. She holds membershiji in the .Meth- 
odist Episcopal church and is a most 
estimable lady. 

Xine children have been born untn Mr. 
and Mrs. Kimbrough. James, wlm for 
many years has been a railroad conductor 
and resides in Denver, Colorado, married 
Nora ^^'hite and their children are James, 
Frank and Corene. \\ illiam I,, is rej)- 
reseuted elsewhere in this work. Sarah 
Frances is the wife nf Jefferson koontz, a 
son of John and Malinda (Smart) 
Koontz, who were early settlers of tliis 
county. ]\Ir. and Mrs. Koontz own ninety 
acres adjoining her father's farm. She 
was first married to James Brilew who 
after fanning several years in Henderson 
countv removed to this county and fol- 
lowed farming in Carthage township. 
He died about seven years after their mar- 
riage, leaving two sons and twr) daugh- 
ters : Frank, a farmer of Carthage town- 
ship, who married Ethel Ervin and has 
one child, Thomas; Thomas, a resident 
farmer of Iowa, who wedded Nellie Clay- 
worth and has a daughter. Beulah : Esta, 
the deceased wife of Ralph Sowers: and 
Elizabeth, the wife of Luther Earls, of 
Carthage, h\ whom she has two chil- 
<lren, Joy and Blossom. Unto Mr. and 
]\Irs. Ivoontz have been born five chil- 
dren, three of whom are li^'ing: Fannie, 
the wife of Wadsworth Earls, b-s* whom 



she has two daughters, Helen and Lois 
1^' ranees: Ross, at school: and Abba M. 
Marinda Kimbrough. the fourth of the 
family, is the wife of Roy h'letcher, of 
Carthage, and had two children, 
Charles and Blanche, the latter deceased. 
Julia Kimbrough is the widow of 
Thomas Ervin. who was a farmer 
and stock bu}'er of Carthage town- 
ship, and she has four children. Bruce, 
Irene, Tressler and Thomas. George, a 
railroad fireman on Colorado & South- 
ern, of Denver, Colorado, married Clara 
Swadley. Nellie Ann is the wife of 
Henry Fleshman, proprietor of a restati- 
rant at Hannibal, Missouri. By her 
former marriage to John Rucker, who 
was a farmer of Carthage township, she 
had two children, Chloris and Rollin. 
Thomas married I-^)irdie Pennock and died 
at the age of thirty-one years, leaving" 
three children, Velna, Shirley and Harley, 
wdio are living with their mother in 
Carthage. 

Mr. Kimbrcjugh is a democrat in poli- 
tics but has never cared for office. He 
has seen man}' changes and improvements 
made in the count}' which in his Ijoyhood 
(la\s was a vast wild prairie, over which 
roamed herds of deer and other wild 
animals. He has .seen the raw rmd un- 
broken prairie land transformed into rich 
fertile farms and has done his full share 
to make the county what it is today — -one 
of the richest and most productive farm- 
ing districts of this great state. His life 
has been a busy one, yet he has found 
time to travel extensively throughout the 
country and acquaint himself with his na- 
ti\'e land. He has just returned from a 
\isit to his old Kentucky home which 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



lie left in chil(lln"iil. Thrdut^h ]jersistent 
effiirt and in<lustr\- he has wnn success 
and has carefulK' reared his family, so 
that they have bec(.)me prominent and 
influential members of society. 



T. E. LOOP. 



J. E. Loop. ])ro|)riet<ir of a meat market 
and also identified with the control of 
municipal affairs as a menilier of the 
board of citv aldermen in I'arthage. was 
boni in Llancock county, in 1858. his 
parents being Simon and Rebecca 
(Schenck) Loop, dhe father was born 
in Virginia and the uKither in Ohio. In 
the vear 1851 or i83_' .Simon Loop, who 
was a Ijutcher by trade, removed to Idan- 
cock county and spent his remaining da\s 
in Carthage, where he resided for thirty 
years or more, passing away in March, 
i88j. while his wife died in i8(/) and was 
laid bv his side in Carthage cemeter_\-. 
He voted with the Repuldican ])art)" but 
had ni) desire for office. His religious 
faith was that of the Methodist church, 
while his wife Ijelonged to the Lresb_\- 
terian church. In their family were se\-en 
children, of whom four are now living: 
Mary, the wife of Samuel Cani]). who re- 
sides in Carthage : Jennie, the wife of Wil- 
liam Ward, of .\drian, Illinois; J. E.. of 
this review : and James M., of this county. 
Joseph. John and William Loo]), uncles 
of our subject, were soldiers of the Civil 
war, enlisting from Ohio as defenders of 
the L'nion. 



Reared under the jjarental roof J. E. 
Loop acquired his education in the pulilic 
schools of Carthage and then entered his 
father's meat market, where he worked 
for three years. ac(|niring a good, prac- 
tical knowdedge of the business. He was 
afterward employed by other butchers 
until 1895, wdien, ambitious to engage in 
business on his own account he opened a 
meat market, wdiich he is still conducting 
on Jefferson street. Tor a }-ear or more 
he was a partner of John llertschi but i.s 
now alone in business and has a well 
equipped market well supplied with the 
latest improved machinery for the care of 
the meats. He keeps a high grade of 
goods, for his patronage is constantly 
growing. He also owns a small pa.sture 
and a slaughter house. 

In 1893 Mr. Loop was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Sarah J. \'an Winkle, who 
was born in Deiner, Hancock county, 
Illinois, a daughter of John ;uid Catherine 
(Shupman) Van Winkle. The parents 
reside at \\'est I'oint, Hancock county, 
Illinois, and Mr. \'an Winkle is a farmer. 
C)f their family of five chihlren four sur- 
vive, as follows: Patience, the wife of 
H. L. Price, of Carthage : Mrs. Loop ; 
Alice, the wdfe of Marion ]Mathew?s, living 
in Augusta, Hancock county : and Frank, 
who lives in Hamilton, this county. Mr. 
and Mrs. Loop have four children, all 
born in Carthage township: Lloyd E., 
Lola B., Lionel, James and Mary V.. all 
attending school. The parents hold ntem- 
l^ership in the Presbyterian church and 
take an acti\'e and heliifnl part in its 
work. Their home is in the northwest 
part of the city. ^Ir. Lo(]p is a repub- 
lican and for the past two years has 



BIOGRAPHICAL RE I IE J I ' 



efticiently serxecl as alderman, i'rater- 
nally. he is coimecled w ith tlie Knights of 
i'ythias and independent Order nf Odd 
Fellinvs. lie is entirely a self-made man, 
who witlinnl family or [jecuniary ad\'an- 
tages to aid him at the ontset of his ca- 
reer has battled earnestly and energetical- 
l)'. Modest in demeanor and in his de- 
mands for public office, his friends, liow- 
ever, recognize his genuine wurth and he 
has a wide and favorable ac(|uaintar-ce 
throughout the city and countx and a 
goMil trade in Carthage. 



CHAI-II.ES II L(Mn"()X. 

The students of history cannot carr_\- 
his investigations far into the annals of 
Flancock county without learning of the 
close, honorable and extended connection 
of the Lofton family \vith the mo\-enients, 
measures and business interests which 
have promoted the growth an<l de\elop- 
ment of this part of the state. The 
grandparents of Charles 1!. Lofton 
arrived in the '40s and Franklin Cotton, 
an uncle of our subject, participated in the 
Mormon war of 1844. He afterward 
went to California at the time of the gold 
excitement in that state, taking with him 
ten or twehe men and a number of o.x 
teams. The grandfather was an active 
factor in the early (le\elopment of this 
countw aiding in reclaiming the wild land 
for the uses of civilization. lie died 
many years ago and was long sur\i\'ed 
1)\ his wife, who bore the maiden name 



of Elizabeth Seals. After her husband's 
death she went to live with her son, Jef- 
ferson Lofton, in whose home she died at 
the very advanced age of one hundred and 
two years and fourteen da}s, Ijeing the 
oldest woman in the county at that time. 

Jefferson Lofton, father of our subject, 
was Ijorn in Washington couiUy, Indiana, 
in 1821 and was thus reared u]jon the 
frontier, early becoming familiar with all 
the hardships and experiences incident to 
])ioneer life. He removed to Hancock 
county in 1848, settling upon a tract of 
land of one hundred and si.xty acres on 
section 26, Dallas township. There was 
only one house between his honie and 
C^arthage at that time and only three 
dwellings in Dallas City. The work (.)f 
improvement and progress seemed scarce- 
ly begun and the most far sighted could 
not ha\e dreamed <if the rapid changes 
which were soon ti.i take place and make 
this district one of the leading counties 
of a great commonwealth in which are 
found all of the evidences of an ad\-anced 
ci\'ilization, together with the \'aried busi- 
ness interests that denote material 
])rogress and prosperity. Settling upon 
his farm, he cleared the land for the erec- 
ti(>n of a home and then continued in the 
work of impro\'ement until he had de- 
\eloped a splendid property. His political 
allegiance was given to the democracy and 
he was prominent and intluential in com- 
munit}' affairs, holding a number of local 
oiifices. He married Aliss Elizabeth 
Richardson for his first wife. They Ije- 
came the ]ia rents of ten children, of whom 
six are now li\ing: Lavina, the wife (jf 
bei'dinand Victor, of Kansas City, Mis- 
souri: I'aulina. the wife of Jonah Cather, 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



153 



of Dallas City; Amanda, the wife of 
Joseph Alarshall. of Kansas City, ]\lis- 
suuri ; John, of Dallas City ; Franklin, 
who came to Hancock comity in 1840; 
and Henry, who is livini^^ in Aliss(.)Ui"i. 
After losing his first wife in 1S55 Mr. 
Lofton was married in iX()[ to Miss 
Sarah ^Merrill, who was born in Adams 
countw Illin(jis. in 1841 and whose father 
was a farmer of Hancock connty. There 
were twehe children in the Merrill family 
but onl_\' t\\<.i are now lix'ing. namely: 
]\Irs. Lofton; and :\Irs. Julia llibbard, 
who resides in Adams county, this slate. 
L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Lofton were born 
seven children, cif whom three yet sur\i\e: 
Rose is the wife of Fred Laxine, of l^allas 
township, by whom she has two children, 
Laveta and Lawrence; M.nifoi'd. who 
li\es in Dallas townshii), and has two 
children, Eldon and Beulah ; and Charles 
B., of this re\iew. Iva Lofton, the elilest 
child of the second marriage, became the 
wife of i\L'irk Bailey and died Ma\- J3. 
1905, in Chase county, Nebraska, leaxing 
seven children : Clara, Alta, l''dna. Rose, 
Velma, Gladws, Lafa}'ette and ('ieorge 
Harlan. The father died .\pril (1. ujni. 
and was buried in the family ceiiieterx on 
his own farm but the mother is still lixing. 
Charles B. I^ofton has always li\ed 
upon the old homestead farm where he 
was brirn and now manages the place for 
his mother. He was reared to the occu- 
pation of farming and his practical ex- 
perience in youth enabled hiiu to carry on 
the work with success when he assumed 
the management of the property. He has 
his fields under a high state of cultivation 
and e\'erything about the place is kept in 
excellent condition. Bv his own efforts. 



energy and honesty he has added nian_\ 
comforts to the home place and has made 
it a valuable farm properlw lie is a 
well read man, keeping in touch with the 
general interests of the day ;uid in manner 
he is genial and jox'ial, h;i\ing man)- 
warm friends, llis ])olitical .allegiance 
is given to the deniocrac}' an<l he has 
served as supervisor of his township. 

July 31, ]9o6, "Slw Lofton married Lola 
G. High, of b'crgus\-ille. West Virginia. 
She was born February (1, 1885, a daugh- 
ter of John and Sarah (Hoffman) High. 
The father was a merchant at Fergusville. 
West Virginia, wdiere he still li\-es. The 
grandfather, Warner P. High, was one 
of the oldest residents of l'"ergus\ille and 
was a farmer by occupation, a rei)ublican 
in politics as is also the father. Aliss 
High was reared at Fergusville and edu- 
cated in the schools and continued to re- 
side in that place until the time of her 
marriaee. 



JACOB G. LUXG 



Jacob G. Lung is numbered auKjng the 
self-made men of FLmcock count}', who, 
starting out in life without ;ui_\- sijecial 
familv or pecuniar)- ad\antages, has 
worked his way ste;idiU' U])wai-d, battling 
earnestly and energeticall)- and coming 
off victor in the strife. He w;is born in 
Germany April 6, 1859, a son of Got- 
lieb and Kate (Say) Lung. The parents 
were also natives of the fatherland and 
were married there October 10, 1838. 
Thev came to America when the subject 



154. 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriEW 



of this review was nul}- almiit a year did, 
landing at Xew ^'Mrk•. whence the\- made 
their way td (>lii'i, where tdr sDnie time 
the father was emplnyed as a dav laborer. 
He was born June (), i^'^^i. and passed 
away in Ohio, while his wife, who was 
born ()ctol)er 25, iS^j, still sin-\'i\-es him 
and is now li\-ing in Dallas City. In their 
famil_\- w ere three children : Christina 
1).. the wife <if I'red Maurer. of Dallas 
City: Jacob (1.; and ( ieorge, who died 
at the age of eight months. 

Jacob C;. Lung was educate<l in the 
]uiblic schools of Dallas City, having been 
brought 1)}- his ])arents to this connt\ 
when a young lad. He remained with 
his mother until after he had attained his 
majority and as a companion and help- 
mate for life's journey he chose Miss 
Louisa Meunzenmeier, to whom he was 
married on the 5tli of .\pril, 1885. She 
A\as born in Eslingen, ( lermany, in 1862, 
a daughter of (iotlieb and Margaret 
Maurer Muenzenmeier, who were like- 
wise natives of Germany, the former born 
September 4, 1820, and the latter [uly 
17. 1S17. The}- came to America in 1882 
and settled in Dallas, w here Mr. Meunzen- 
meier engaged in Imsiness as ;i gardener. 
His wife died in 1897 and he passed awav 
in Alarch, 1903, their graves being made 
in Dallas cemetery. They were members 
of the German Methodist Episcopal 
church, to which the parents of Mr. Lung 
also lielonged. Tn the Meunzenmeier 
family were four children : William, 
now living in (iermany ; Gotlieb, of Dallas 
City; Christian, who resides in biurling- 
ton, Iowa : and Mrs. Lung. 

Following their marriage I\Tr. and I\Trs. 
Lung li\-ed for se\"eral years upon a rented 



farm in Durhrmi township and in 1888 he 
jiurchasetl seventy-eight acres of land in 
the same township, upon which he erected 
a house, making that farm his home for 
nineteen years. He carried on general 
agricultural pursuits and stock raising 
and he brought his fields under a high 
state of cultivation. In X(.i\'ember. 1902, 
l)e bought two hum.lred and ten acres of 
land <_in section i, Dallas township, where 
he ntiw resides, and he has here a ])retty 
two-stor}- frame residence. He has since 
Iniilt a granar}-, a hen house and fences 
and has addetl other modern im])ro\'e- 
ments ti> his farm. He still owns his 
iirst farm, a part of which he now i-ents. 
In his business life he has displayed un- 
faltering energy and laudable amliition 
and has thus worked his wa}' uinwird to 
success. 

L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Lung ha\e been 
l)orn tl\"e children, four in Diu'ham town- 
ship and one in Dallas toWnsbip. These 
are: Laura, who was born August 17, 
1886: Walter, May 17, 1888: Mark. May 
25, i8()0: Edith, h^ljruarv 29, 1806; and 
\'ictor, February 9. 1902. The ])arents 
are members of the ( ierm;m Methodist 
E])iscopal church, in the work of which 
they take a \ery acti\-e and helpful part, 
]Mr. Lung serving as one of the chiuxh 
trustees and also as a teacher in the Sun- 
day-school. He votes with the Republi- 
can party and has filled the oi^fice of 
schoiil director, the cause of education 
finding in liim a warm and stalwart friend. 
Starting out in life empty handed, he has 
through his perseverance and diligence 
made steady progress toward the goal of 
pnisperity and today he is sitrrounded 
1a- many of the comforts of life, secured 



HANCOCK COUNTV. ILLIXOIS. 



entirel\' tlin)Ui;"li his nwii elfnrts. Ijnth 
he ami his wife command and enjn}' the 
respect and esteem of the entire coni- 
munitv. He bears an unassailalile repu- 
tation for straightforward ileahng in liis 
business affairs and that he has l)een most 
(bhgent is inthcated l)y his present \alu- 
able farming possessions. 



LEWIS SACK. 



Lewis Sack, deceased, was a veteran of 
the Civil war and a well known agri- 
cultiu-ist of l\ock\' Run township. \\ hen 
one has passed from the scene of earthl_\- 
activities it is common to rex'iew the life 
record, note its salient characteristics and 
draw lessons therefrom recording the fail- 
tires or successes. In the record of Lewis 
Sack there is found much that is com- 
mendable and worthy of emulation, and 
to his famil}' he left not onl_\' a comfort- 
able competence but also an untarnished 
name, which comes to them as a ])riceless 
heritage. .\ natix'e of St. Charles count\\ 
Missouri, he was born in 1S40, and ac- 
companied his parents on their remoxal 
to Hancock count\', the famiK home 
being established in Rock}- Run townshii), 
where for some years the father followed 
the occupation of farming. Both he and 
his wife are now deceased. In their 
family were eight children, six of whom 
are li\'ing: Jacob, a resident rif Warsaw : 
John, of California: Charles, wIk) resides 
in ^lissouri : \\"illiam, of Riicky Run: 
Louisa, the wife of Jacob Bradshaw. of 



Iiin-Iington, Iowa: and Delia, the widow 
of Henry Herzog. late of Tioga, Illinois. 

Lewis Sack is the second in (jrder of 
liirth in this family and he began his 
education in the public schot.ils of St. 
Louis, Missouri, while later he ci>ntinued 
his studies in Rock\- Run township. To 
his father he ga\e the benefit of his ser- 
\-ices upon the home fai'm until after the 
inauguration of the Civil war, when his 
patriotic spirit was aroused and with loyal 
imptiLse he responded to the country's 
call, joining the bows in blue of Company 
H, One Hundred and iMghteenth Regi- 
ment of Illinois Infantry. He was in 
the ami}- for four years, during which 
time he endured all the hardships, ex- 
periences and prixations meted ( )Ut to the 
soldier, and participated in manx' impor- 
tant engagements which led up to the 
final results of the war. 

\\ hen hostilities had ceased and the 
country no longer needed his aid Mr. 
-Sack returned to his home and resumed 
farming. In iSfx; he was married to 
Miss Anna Eliza Weston, a nati\-e of Illi- 
nois. They tra\eled life's journex- to- 
gether f(.jr al)out sexenteen \-ears, and 
Mrs. Sack then ])assed away in iSSf). (T)f 
their fixe children four are still living: 
Lillian, the xvife of John Brenner, of 
Iowa: Bertha, the wife of John Snyder, 
of Ouincy: Bertram, a twin of Bertha, 
and I'earl, the xxife of Harrv Keith, of 
Missouri, and Rhoda, noxv deceased. 

In March, 78SS, ?\Ir. Sack xvas again 
married, his second union being xvith Mrs. 
Pdizalieth Shaffner, who xvas born in ( ler- 
many in 1851, a daughter of ( ieorge and 
Louisa ( Trautxetter ) Mathes. Her par- 
ents XX ere natix-es of (iermanx and in her 



156 



niouh'.ir/nc.iL RF.ni-.w 



chiklhoud came tn Anicrica. I liev wt-rc 
residents of l\entuck_\- in early lite aiul 
tl'.eiice removed to Warsaw, Illinois, 
where Mrs. Mathes died twenty-nine 
\cars agT). Air. Alallies, ln'nvexer, is still 
living ill Rocky Run township at the age 
of eighty years. In his family were eight 
children, six "f whom survive: (^leorge. 
who is li\ing with Airs. Sack; Fred, of 
Warsaw: Rudolph, who resides in Rucky 
Run township: Airs. Sack: Henry, who is 
with his father in Rock}' Run tnwnship: 
and Minnie, the wife of k'rank Shair, .also 
on the old homestead with the father. 
Airs. Sack was first married in 1.S71. be- 
coming the wife of Jacoh ShalTner, who 
was JHirn in Switzerland. His parents 
l)oth died in (iermany. Coming to the 
new wiirld he was known fur snme yean- 
as a thrifty farmer of Wilcox township 
anil he died there in 1886, leaving one 
son, George J., of Rncky Run township 
who married Aliss Cora (lillham and has 
two children. By her second marriage 
Mrs. Sack had two children, twins, Bessie 
May and Jessie Pa}-. The former is at 
home but the latter died January 25, 
1004, at the age of fourteen years, and 
was buried in Warsaw cemetery. She 
died suddenly although she had long been 
an invalid and during her illness had dis- 
played a most sweet and Inwablc disposi- 
tion, being a most patient sufferer, greatly 
missed by all. 

Mr. Sack was the owner of one hundred 
and twenty acres of land in Ruck}' Run 
township, whereon he built a ci onfi >rlablc 
residence and one of the best bai'us in th;it 
part of the county. He also put u]) other 
good outbuildings ;md developed an ex- 
cellent farm propert\-. which is nmv in 



piissessidu of his widnw. He was a re- 
puljlican in politics and al\\a}s stood 
lo}'ally Ijy the party which was the de- 
fense of the union at the time of the Civil 
war and which has always been a pari}- 
of refurm, progress and impro\-ement. 
An industriiius man, frugal and careful, 
he ihus made a start in life and in later 
\ears was enaliled to enjo}- more of life's 
ciimfiirts and luxuries. In his business 
;dfairs he was thoroughly reliable and 
w-as never known to take adxantage nf 
the necessities of his fellowmen in aii}- 
trade transaction. He w-as regarded as a 
kind frienil, a good neighbor and liwal 
citizen, and thus his death was the occa- 
siiiu I if deep and wide spread regret, when, 
(111 the 27th of Xovember, i<)00, he w;is 
c;i]led to his final rest, his remains being 
interred in Rock}- Run township. Airs. 
Sack still survixes her husband and re- 
sides U])iin the farm Imt rents the land, 
from which she derives a good income, 
and she is comfortably situated in life. 



R. E. GILLHAiA'I, 



R. E. Gillham, one of the substantial 
farmers of Wilcox township, and a native 
son of the county, was born in Rocky Run 
township, January 13, 1855, and is a son 
of John and Ann ( Woodworth ) ( iillham. 
The father w-as born in Kentucky in i8:;j, 
and the mother was a ii;ui\e of Alissouri. 
When a young bo}- lie came to Hancock 
county, settling in Walker townshii), and 
throughout the greater part of his life he 



HAXCOCK COrNTV. ILLIXOIS. 



follriwed tlie occupatii 111 nf fanning. Ik- 
spent six years in Califdrnia, where he en- 
gaged in general agricultural i)ursuits and 
also wiirked in the gi)ld mines. lie then 
retiu'ned to his old home in I lancock 
County and was identilied with its agri- 
cultural interests up to the time of his 
demise which occurred in June. i8<S,S. His 
wife passed away in January. i<Si)0, and 
both \\^ere laid to rest in \\ arsaw ceme- 
tery. Of their five children fcjur \el sur- 
vi\'e. namely: R. E.. of this review: 
James, of Texas: Lemuel, also in Texas: 
and Dr. Charles \\". riillham, of Warsaw, 
Illinois. 

The early educational [jrivileges of R. 
E. Clillham were nhtained in the district 
schools of Rocky Run townshi];, and were 
supplemented b}- a course of study in the 
Warsaw high school. Nothing occurred 
to vary for him the routine of farm life in 
his boyhood days, and the practical train- 
ing which he recei\ed in the work of the 
fields proved of the utmost \-alue when he 
started out in life un his dwu accnunt. 
He was married January 14, 1H75. to 
Miss Anna M. Pell, who was l)orn in 
Michigan, August 13. 1S55, and is a 
daughter of John and Sarah Ann ( South- 
well) Pell. l)oth (if whom were nati\es 
of England. The mother, born Septem- 
ber 21, 1835. was educated in London, 
and when eighteen years of age cmssed 
the Atlantic to the new world. Mr. Pell, 
wdio chose farming as a life work, fol- 
lowed that pursuit for man\- \-ears in 
Lewis County, Miss<:)uri, wdiere he passed 
away, after wdiich his widow' became the 
wife of Jacob Sack, who is still living in 
\A'arsaw. Mrs. Sack, how-e\-er, departed 
this life February 23, 1902. By her first 



marriage she had three children, two of 
\vh(jm sur\ive, namely: Mrs. (iillh;un: 
ILdse}' Pell, of Warsaw: Iw second mar- 
riage there are William Sack, also 
of Warsaw: and Emma, the wife 
of Thomas Daugherty. of Warsaw. 
Robert Southwell, an uncle of Mrs. 
Gillham on the maternal side, was a 
soldier of the Civil war, enlisting from 
Canton, Missouri, wdien he w-as eighteen 
years of age to drive a team. He was 
advanced to the position of clerk- and 
served throughout the war. 

The home of Mr. and Mrs. ( iillham has 
been Ijlessed with three children, all of 
wdiom were born on the homestead farm 
and the family circle yet remains un- 
Ijroken L)y the hand of death. Cora E., 
the eldest, born November i, 1875,, is the 
wife of George SchafTner living in Rocky 
Run township ; and they have two chil- 
dren, Carl Merle and Mary Jeannette. 
Mary A., born May 24, 1882, is with her 
sister. Herschel Edwin, born July 2, 
i8()2, is now a student in the Warsaw 
high school. 

Mr. and Mrs. Gillhani begrm their do- 
mestic life upon his father's farm, where 
they resided until about fourteen years 
ago, when the father died and Mr! Gill- 
ham then purchased his present place on 
section 28, Wilcox township, comprising 
one hundred and eighty acres of rich and 
productive land, on which he is still living. 
He carries on the work of tilling the soil 
after most progressive modern methods 
and each step in his business careei' has 
been a forward one. He likewise raises 
stock and good grades f)f horses : cattle 
and hogs will be seen in his feed lots 
and pastures. In the midst of a busy 



158 BIOGRAPHICAL REFIFAl' 

life he ha.s fniiiul lime ;iiiil Dppnrtunity Later he returned tn Kentucky lucating' 
til kee]) well infoniieil (ui jjolitieal <|ues- in Shelhy euunty, where he reniaineil for 
tiiins antl issues of the daw and he j^ixes fc.nir _\'ears, when he came to Illinois, tak- 
his allegiance to the democracy, lie has iuij up his abode in Sonora township, 
ser\ ed as school director, as hiii'hwa)' Hancock countw where the father pur- 
commissioner and as trustee of the chased a farm of one hundred and sixt_\- 
schools. In his business career he has acres. '1 his he impro\-ed. making;" it his 
made a record such as anv man miijht home until his death, which occnrre 1 
be proud to possess, for it is characterized when he had reached the age of se\enty- 
1)\ sterling honesty and unfaltering fidelity tw'O years, lie was a member of the 
to a high standard of business etiiics. He Methodist church and was actuated by 
started at the bottom I'ound of the ladder high an<l loft}- pur])oses and manK- prin- 
of life and has steadih' climbed upward, ciples. Flis j)olitical support was given 
I'ersonalh' he is a large hearted man, to the deniocrac}' but he had no aspira- 
genial in dis]iosition and kindly in manner tion for ofhce. His wife died in Indiana 
and both he and his wife are esteemed b_\- at the age of forty-the }ears and he later 
man\ friem-ls thi'onghout the towiishi]i. married Miss Mar\- ("lilmore in Putnam 

County, Indiana. She died in Chicago at 
the home of her daughter in i<-)04. Of 

the six children bv the first marriage only 

two are li\ing. Samuel I\. and William 

R.. of Oklahoma. By the second niar- 

SAMUFX R. JONES. riage four are living, one son having died 

in childhood. Those living are James 
Samuel K. Jones, whose home is jileas- A., of Oakwood, Robert, of Washington, 
anth' and con\eniently located on sections Myra, now Mrs. Jeolidon, of Chicago. 
J3 and -'4, Carthage township, has one and I'^rank, of Kansas, 
hundred and sixt\' acres of land that is Samuel R. Jones obtained his education 
well inipr(.i\'ed and in its conduct he dis- in the common schools of Rutnam count}' 
pla\s thorough and practical knowledge and as a }-oung man assisted in the work 
of the best methods of tilling the soil. .\ of the home farm, remaining under the 
nati\e of Indiana, he was born in I'utnam |)arental roof until iN'i.v which year wit- 
count\-, Januar\- r, 1S4C), and there spent nessed his arrixal in Illinois. He first 
the da\s of his bo}-hood and }-outh, li\ing settled in b'ulton count}', where he ])ur- 
upon the home farm of his parents. C'arter chased a small farm, residing there for 
T. ;ui(l b'Jiza (Roberts) Jones, lioth four }'ears. He then renio\ed to Cham- 
were nati\'es of Kentuck\' and in earl}- paign count}', Illinois, where he li\'ed for 
life became residents of Indiana. Sub- two }'ears, and in il^fx) he came to PTan- 
se(|uent to their marriage the}- resided in cock count}', purchasing eight}- acres of 
Putnam count\', where Carter T. Jones land in Sonora township, which he farmed 
engaged in farming for a luimber of years. for some tinie. He sold this antl bought 





/^^^ 



HAXCOCK COUXTV. ILLfXOIS. 



159 



a farm in MDiitebello townsliip. compris- 
ing one hundred acres, on which he lived 
for five ^■ears. When he had again <hs- 
posed of his property he purchased his 
present farm and has since hved thereon. 
It was only partially improved when it 
came into his possession and he has added 
many modern ec[uipments and accessories. 
The fields are now well tilled and bring 
him bounte(jus har\'ests. while the build- 
ings are kept in an excellent state of re- 
pair. He has engaged in general farming 
and stock-raising all ui his life and con- 
centrated his energies upi_)n his lousiness 
interests to the exclusion of active partici- 
pation in politics although he gives the 
support of his ballot to the men and meas- 
ures of democracy. 

Happy is his home life. Mr. Jones was 
married September 7. 1861, to Miss Sarah 
Sublett. who was born in Ptttnam county, 
Indiana, and is a daughter of Da\"id and 
Mary (Marshall) Sublett. The father 
was born in Kentucky and at an early 
day went to Indiana, taking up his abode 
in I'utnam county, where he follnwed 
farming. That pursuit was his life work 
and through his devotion thereto he pro- 
vided a comfortable living for his family. 
He died in Indiana at the age of sevent\- 
years, while his wife passed awa}' dur- 
ing the early girlhood of Mrs. Jones, who 
was one of a family of nine children. 
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Jones were born 
seven children. Ida May, the eldest, is 
the wife of William Crosby, a resident 
farmer of Sonora township, Hancock 
county, and they have one daughter, 
Hattie, who is the wife of Jo.seph 
Shell, a farmer of Sonora township. 
Carter T., the second in order of birth. 



follows farming in Spink countv. 
South Dakota, wedded May Smith, and 
has three children. Robert, I-'lo\il and 
Ethel. Sophia is the wife (jf John 
Sheets, also an agriculturist of Spink 
county, South Dakota, and the_\- ha\-e 
one daughter, Madaline. Edward, who 
is engaged in farming in Spink 
county. South Dakota, wedded Amanda 
Maginn, and has two children, Paul .Alex- 
ander and Opal. Albert is operating the 
home farm. Jennie is the wife of Harvev 
(ioodrich, a resident farmer of Carthage 
township and they ha\e a daughter. 
Helen. \\'illiam died at the age of 
twenty-one years. All of the children 
were born in Hancock C(.iunty with the 
exception of Ida and Carter, who are na- 
ti\-es of Eulton county. Mr. Jones has 
seen man)- impro\-ements made in Han- 
cock county, which was just emerging 
from pioneer conditions when he took 
up his abode here. He has done his full 
share in making the county what it is 
today and though he has not sought to 
figure in pul)lic life he has made a record 
for good citizenship and for honest}' in 
business that is indicati\-e of sterling prin- 
ciples which are the moti\e |)ower of his 
actions. 



HOX. JOHN H.\^'. 

It is given to few men to so fulh' realize 
their ambitions as it was to Dr. Charles 
Ha}-, father of John Ha}', the nobility 
of whose character is indicated in his 
words, when in writing to ()ne of his sons 



i6o 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJIFAV 



upon his seventj'-liftli birthday, he said, 
"i liaxe ne\er been conscious of 1)ut one 
,-iinl)ition and that I ha\e had all my days. 
I ha\e always wished to found a family: 
1 mean this of course not in ruiy aristo- 
cratic, still less in any plutocratic sen.se, 
but 1 have hopctl to leave liehind me chil- 
dren and children's children — and the 
greater the number the better 1 would l)e 
pleased — with whom intellig'ence. honor 
and thrift would be matters of instinct 
and tradition. I would i)refer a certainty 
of this in the future to any amount of 
personal distinction for myself, if the 
choice were left to me." 

From such a stock spran.^;' John Hay. 
author, journalist and diplomat, and cer- 
tainly the father's ambition found reali- 
zation in the life of this honored son. 
The other members of the family, too. 
were a credit and honor to liis name, but 
in this review we have to deal more en- 
tirel\- with the history of John Hay, who 
rose to distinction through the inherent 
force of chanicter through the recog- 
nition of opportunity and to a greater 
extent, through the unfaltering de- 
votion to duty and to high ideals 
of citizenship which were ever recog- 
nized as among his most salient char- 
acteristics. He was born in Salem. 
Indiana, October 8, 1838, and was fortu- 
nate in that his youth and boyhood were 
passed amid the environments of a home 
of culture and refinement, his parents tyi)i- 
f\ing the very best in manhood ami 
womanhood. They realized the value of 
education and spared no effort or expense 
on their part to ])rovide their sons and 
daughters with every advantage in this 
direction. He was but three vears of age 



at the time of the remov.al of the familv 
from Salem to Warsaw. Illinois, and he 
began his education in the "little brick" 
schoolhouse which still stands on l'"ourth 
street in Warsaw and niuil within recent 
years was yet in use for educational ]uir- 
poses. During his early school d;ivs he 
was a diligent and studious boy, with a 
taste for languages and composition and 
versifying, and his sister, Mrs. i\'Iarv 
W'oolfolk, who still li\es in Warsaw said, 
"In his boyhood he had the habit of 
stringing words together into rhymes." 
He attended the little brick schoolhouse 
until he reached the age of thirteen, learn- 
ing literally all there was to learn from 
Mr. Holmes and his successors. He sup- 
plemented his studies in lessons of (jreek 
and Latin from his father. At the age 
of thirteen he was sent to Pittsfield, Illi- 
nois, to attend a private school for a year 
and a half as a preparation for entrance 
at Brown University, and when fifteen 
years of age he became a student in that 
institution, where he passed his examina- 
tion in Greek and Latin so creditably that 
his examiner made special inquiry as to 
where he had received his preparation. 
?Ie answered with great pride that liis 
tutelage in ancient languages was from his 
father. His education, however, was not 
one continuous round of study but for 
\arious reasons sufifered interruptions. 
A^iewed from a financial standpoint per- 
haps John Hay might be termed a self- 
made man. for in his early youth his 
kitlier was in somewhat limited financial 
circumstances, owning to the pecuniar}' 
assistance which he had given to his 
friends and which left him in a somewhat 
crippled financial condition. In his youth. 



HA.VCOCK COrXTV. ILLIXOIS. 



iCn 



therefore, John Hay accepted a position as 
newspaper carrier for the W arsaw Sig- 
nal and his first literary prodnctions. 
written when a boy. appeared in that 
paper, he being enconraged to do the 
work by its editor, the late Thomas Oray. 
Later, as before stated, he had the advan- 
tages of a course of study in lirown I'ni- 
versitv, from which he was graduated 
in JK38. and there he was a general fa- 
vorite with class-mates ;uid instructors, 
prcimising. studious, ([uiet and reserved, 
vet exceedingly loyal and steadfast in 
friendship. 

It was during his student da)-s that he 
produced certain poems and writings 
which in later years made him a world- 
famed author, although it was not until 
several decades later that his innate mod- 
esty permitted him tc_i give these writings 
to the public in published form. Mr. Hay 
was graduated from the un,i\ersity in 
185S with high rank in scholarship. Dur- 
ing the period between his return from 
college and his entrance into public life 
his friends perceived in him an undercur- 
rent of seriousness and religious enthu- 
siasm. He had been reared in the Baptist 
church but had leatrings tow-ard the Pres- 
byterian faith and he appeared to have 
entertained the idea of entering the mim's- 
try. At the time when his family wdshed 
him to become a student of law he sai<l 
to one of his intimates "ldie_\' woul<l spoil 
a second class preacher to make a third 
class lawyer out of me." However, he 
fell in with the plan of studying law l)ut 
before lieginning his studies he passed 
sfimetime at Pittsfield, Illinois, where 
John Nicolay had a newspaper office. .\t 
this time he made the acf|uaintance of 



( ieneral Clark E. Carr. whi> afterward 
served as minister to Denmark, and < ien- 
eral Carr gives an account of their first 
meeting in his recently puljlished book., 
The mini. Describing a visit to I'itts- 
fiekl and his meeting with Air. Hay, (Ien- 
eral Carr writes: "A bright, rose-faced 
young man arose and greeted us. 1 had 
never seen a young man or boy who 
charmed me as he did when he kxjked at 
me with his mischievous hazel eyes from 
under a wealth of dark brown hair." He 
had just completed w riting something at 
the time the jiart}- entered the newspaper 
office." ]Mr. Carr contiiuies, "We all 
joined in urging him to read wdiat he 
had written and he did so. I can give 
onh" the substance of the eilitorial from 
memor}- but 1 doubt whether its author 
ever wrote a l>etter one when editing the 
Xew Y(irk Tribune. 

Jolm Hay took nji the study of law in 
the office of his uncle, Milton Hay, one of 
the most distinguished attorneys that e\'er 
practiced at the bar of Illinois, and a law 
partner of Abraham Lincoln in his office 
;it Spring'field. Becoming a student in 
that office, Mr. Hay thus formed the ac- 
quaintance of the mart\red president. 
The story of friendship has become a mat- 
ter of history. The young man was in- 
vited to continue his law studies in Mr. 
Lincoln's office and he entered heartily 
into the work of supporting the Illinois 
presidential candidate during the cam- 
paign of i860. That his effective ser- 
vice was appreciated by Mr. Lincoln is 
shown by the fact that on going to 
Washington the president invited Mr. 
Hay to become assistant secretary to John 
G. Nicolav, and from that time forward 



i6j 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



he was the able assistant of Air. Lincdln 
in important work lia\-insi' direct liearin.L;' 
upon the administration and the nation. 
He was entrusted with the bearing' of 
messages too momentous to commit to 
paper. Ahhough a warm achnirer of 
President Lincohi, it was witli a certain 
reluctance and regret that he had turned 
from law to enter politics, but the great 
leader of the Republican party had 
recognized his discernment, his judg- 
ment, his tact and discretion, and realized 
that his services might ])ro\e of utmost 
value to him in Washington. He was 
constanth' with Mr. Lincoln in close con- 
ference through<int the four years of his 
administration sa\e for the lirief period 
when he ser\-ed, more as the president's 
personal representati\e. on the staff's of 
Generals Hunter ami (iilmore and was 
brevetted lieutenant colonel therefor. 
Speaking of this period in the life of 
Mr. Hay, Cirandon Ne\-ins has written 
"Xo man in the president's official house- 
hold was more o\-erwi>rked than the 
young major. He slept when he could 
and ate when he had the chance, and 
when he was not at the front he lix'.ed at 
the White House always at the call of 
the president." 

Mr. Hay was but twent}"-six years of 
age at the time r)f Mr. Lincoln's <leath 
but so thijroughly had he proved his 
worth that it was decided to retain him 
in the employ of the go\-ernnient and 
he was sent abroad lirst as secretary of the 
legation at Paris under Minister Ihge- 
low, in which capacity he ser\'ed from 
1863 until 1S67, while during the suc- 
ceeding \-ear he was charge d' affaires in 
X'ienna and later secretar\- of legation 



at Madrid under Minister Sickles, where 
he ser\ed until 1870. 

About this time Mr. Hay gave proof 
of public-spirited citizenship and loftv 
patriotism in refusing a very ad\-anta- 
geous offer from Horace Greele\- then 
editor of the Xew York Tribune, sa\ing 
that he did not think it proper to turn 
his work o\er to other hands until it was 
com])Ieted. When he again found him- 
self in his natixe countrx' free to accept 
the i)roftered position extended b}- Mr. 
( ireely he became editorial writer for the 
Xew N'ork Tribune. In the meantime, 
bowexer, he was for a few months con- 
nected witli the S[)ringfield (Illinois) 
Journal, after which he succeeded Lharles 
Dana as editor of the Republican at Chi- 
cago, h'or h\e _\ears he was connected 
with the Xew York Tribune, where he 
demonstrated his right to rank with the 
leading ji>urnalists of the countr\- and also 
as an author of considerable literarx' 
merits and abilit}'. It was at this period 
in his career that he ])nblished the well 
k'nown poems. Jim Tlludso and Little 
ISreeches, together with other \erses 
which were gi\en to the ])ublic under the 
title Pike County iSallads. llis retire- 
ment from the 'Tribune was followed hy 
his reniinal Xo Cle\eland, ( Jhio, where he 
remained for some }ears. and he declined 
a most remunerative position offered him 
as editor in chief of the New York- 
Herald, then iniblished \)\ James C-ordon 
Pennett. He was .again for a brief period. 
howe\er. acti\'eh' connected with journal- 
ism, haxing charge of the Xew ^'ork 
Tribune in 1 SS 1 , during a brief alisence 
of W hitelaw Ueid in Lurope. Much of 
his time during fifteen xears was de\<ited 



HAXCOCK COi'XT)'. IIJJXOIS. 



163 



to the CDinpilaticjn and writiniL;'. in ccillabn- 
ration with John G. Nicolay. of the vol- 
ume entitled. Abraham Lincoln, A His- 
tory, which is undoiil)tedl\- the mc)st ex- 
hausti\'e, most accurate and authentic bi- 
ography of the mart}'red [jresident. As 
a financial xenture it was a lirilliant suc- 
cess and nioreoxer, it will al\\a\s remain 
the line authoritati\e wnrk of the life of 
Abraham Lincoln. The writings of Mr. 
Ha}' have embraced a wide field, as he 
was the author of \-arious works, pi.ilitical 
and otherwise, and many attribute to him 
the authorship of a no\el which appeare<l 
anonymousl}' in 1893 under the title of 
The Bread Winners. His influence as 
a journalist is immeasurable. In this 
fieUl of labor, however, he became recog- 
nized as one of the master mimls of the 
nation, a man of great erudition and 
learning, of broad investigation and origi- 
nal thought. He never looked at great 
questions efifecting national and interna- 
tional relations fruni a narrow, contracted 
or partiscui standpoint. He \'iewed the 
whole subject broadly and the correctness 
of his conclusions, time has demonstrated 
and wisdom has acknowdedged. 

From his retirement in Cleveland, Mr. 
Hay was called in 1879 to ser\e as as- 
sistaiit secretary of state under l'^\-art,-. 
and continued in this oflice tci the end of 
the administration. It was sixteen years 
later that he was again in political office, 
having, in March, 1897, been appointed 
by President McKinley ambassador to 
England. His diplomatic service is a 
matter of history. Perhaps one secret 
of his success lay in the fact that he recog- 
nized wdiile handling the afTairs of in- 
ternational importance he had to treat 



with the in(li\i<lua] and he displayed 
a courtesy and a deference fur the 
opinions of others, while rigidl\- uphnld- 
ing his own honest c'unictinns and \iews, 
that Won for him the warmest personal 
regard and esteem. He managed inter- 
national affairs during the Spanish-Amer- 
ican war \\ith a delic;ic_\- and tact ci im- 
Ijined with force and discretiim that 
gained for the Lnited States the support 
of England, while I'jigland held in check 
the other powers of the world. The then 
Prince of Wales, now reigning sovereign 
in luigland, recognized his great ability 
and power and accorded him not only ad- 
miration but strcmg personal friendship. 
Xear the close iif the Spanish-American 
war he returned to this country and be- 
came secretar}- of state in the cabinet of 
President McKinley, in wdiich position he 
was continued I)\' President Roosevelt, 
thus serxing w hen stricken Iiy death. Al- 
though he secured the abrogation of the 
Clayton-Bulwer treaty l)rought about by 
reference of the most far-reaching ques- 
tion in the recent \'enezuela dispute 
(priority in payment for a belligerent 
claimant ) to the international court o^^ 
The Hague and arranged for the peace- 
able adjustment of the Alaskan boundary 
question, he is known throughout the 
world principally for the breadth and 
foresight of his policy in Asia. Llis long 
experience in the diplomatic ser\ice 
coupled with his natixe abilities, his su- 
perior attainments and his wholesome hu- 
manity, of which he always possessed .an 
abundant store, made him not only a val- 
uable man to the nation but to all the 
world. He achieved much for his coun- 
trx but more for all mankind and raised 



164 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI AEIT 



diplomacy oiU of the sluugh of deceit ami 
hvpocrisv. placing it upnii the high plane 
of sincerity, integrity and plain dealing 
and relegating to things ohsolete and de- 
testable and precepts and maxims of Tal- 
leyrand, so long accepted as the essentials 
of the successful diplomat. 

There were other pha.ses in the life 
record of John Hay that pcrhajjs were 
not so well known. While in Europe in 
the early da^s of his legation service he 
mastered the h'rench langtuige. which he 
spoke with fluency, and he became a lin- 
guist of such sui)eriority that one of the 
leading educational institutions of .\mer- 
ica offered to him the chair of languages. 
He was always a man of studious hal)its 
and the breadth of his reading and the 
extent of his knowledge were marvelous 
but it was udt these distinguishing char- 
acteristics alone which won foi- ^Ir. Ha)' 
the position which he held in public re- 
gard. There has lieen perhaps no man 
in Washington or in diplomatic circles 
more greatl}' lo\-ed because of his ])er- 
sonal traits than John Hay. Xevins ha> 
said. "To know John Hay was to lo\-e 
him. His was one of those extremel) 
sensitive natures, which, comljined with 
firmness, go to make up the ideal man. 
( )f all the ambassadors and ministers sta- 
tioned at \\ ashington. not une, from the 
Ja])anese minister. Mr. Takahira. tn Mr. 
T.akahira's deadl\- political enemy. Count 
Cassini. but was on terms of intimate 
friendshiii with the .\merican se,:retary. 
and it was not merely these foreign dip- 
lomats who were drawn irresistibl\' to- 
ward this magnetic man. his cabinet 
associates, his sul)ordinates in the state 
de])artment. his soci.al ac(|uaintances — 



e\-ery one — regarded him with deep attec- 
tion. Xo man in all Washington was the 
object of more general affection th.an was 
Mr. Hay." 

Reared in a home where all that is 
ideal in the family relation found e.x- 
emplihcatifjn, it was not surprising that 
John Hay, like his father, found his 
greatest source <jf pleasure at his own fire- 
side. He was married in 1S74 to ^liss 
Clara L. Stone, a daughter of .\.masa 
Stone, a wealthy and prominent citizen 
of Cleveland, (_)hio, and his re]>ly "All 
through life," to the (juestion of a frieiid 
on the night of his bachelor dinner: 
"Hriw long is the h<.ine3'moon going to 
last. Hay?" proved most true. The mar- 
riage was blessed with four children and 
those who knew Mr. Hay most intimately 
recognized the fact that his great sorrow 
o\'er the death of his son, Adelbert, who 
was killed bv falling from a window in 
Xew Haven on the eve of the \':\\c com- 
mencement, proved a blow from which 
he never reco\'ered. He withdrew him- 
self from social life fmm that lime sa' e 
when it ^vas dem.anded in his official 
capacity. He spent his e\'enings with 
Mrs. Iday. between wdiom there existe 1 a 
most ideal companionship. His daugh- 
ter, Helen, is now the wife of Payne 
Whitney, while Ab'cc is the wife of James 
\\'. Wadsworth, Jr.. and it w.as to IMr. 
Hay a matter of great rejoicing that his 
daughters as he exjtressed it. "had lieen 
sought b_\' two .Vmerican jirinces of whose 
titles to nobility I am ])ronder than T 
w<iul(l be of those that come f n mi ri)};d 
ancestry." l^^or several months ])rior to 
bis demise Secretary Hay w.as in ill health 
and sought relief through tra\el and med- 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXO/S. 



165 



ical attendants in Enrcjpe. He returne.l 
to Washington t(_) take up again the acti\e 
work of tlie hnsiness of his department 
and the discussion with the president of 
important pending (piestions. But the 
tide of hfe was ebbing" fast away and at 
his summer home on Lake Sunapee, Xew 
Hampshire, his laljors were brought to a 
close on the first of July, 1905, when he 
was in the sixty-se\-enth year of his age. 
Xo man in public life perhaps has liad 
so few enemies. Even those opposed to 
him politically entertained for him the 
warmest personal regard and admiration. 
It is said that he never forgot a friend: 
the playmates of his bo}-hoo<l. the asso- 
ciates of his early manho<id, thnse with 
whom he labored in diplnmatic circles, 
in joiu'nalism, and in the department of 
state were alike remembered through all 
the years with their added responsibili- 
ties and hcjnors. His life record finds 
embodiment in the words of I'ope : 

"Statesman, yet friend t(.> truth; <>f ^oul 

sincere, 
In action faithful and in honor clear: 
A\'ho broke no promise, ser\ed no private 

end, 
\\"ho gained nn title and whu lost no 

friend. ' 



HEXRY WEBER. 

Henry \\'eber, win 1 for many years was 
an acti\-e, energetic and prospertms farm- 
er of Hancock count}-, spent the last }'ear 



cif his life in honnrable retirement fmm 
labor in Carthage, passing away mi the 
2y\ of October, 1905. As the da_\- with 
its morning of hope and promise, its 
noontide of acti\it_\', its exening nf ac- 
complished and successful effort, ending 
in the grateful rest and quiet of the night, 
so was the life of this man. Ci:irn in 
Appanoose township, Hancock county, on 
the 17th of September, 1858, he spent his 
entire life in this part of the state. His 
parents were Samuel and Rosa ( Bertchi ) 
Weber, both of wdiom were natixes of 
Switzerland, coming to America about 
fift}- }'ears ago. The father, who was 
Ixirn in ^larch, 1816, was a baker by 
trade, learning and following that pur- 
suit in his natix'e country, but in Han- 
cock cotmty he turned his attention to 
farming. He died about 1892, at the age 
of se\'cnty-six vears, his remains being 
interred in a ccmeter_\- in this cnunty. 
Both he and his wife were deviated Chris- 
tian people, holding membership in the 
Alethodist Episcopal church. After the 
father's death the mother remained u])on 
the home farm with her children until 
they were all married and then went to 
Eort Madisim, Inwa. ti> li\e with ime ni 
her daughters. Ele\'en children survive 
the father, namely: Rosa, the wife of 
Charles Buerich, of . ^lanier, Illinois: 
Fred, who is living in Denmark. Iowa: 
Carrie and Will, twins, the later living- 
near Xauvoo, while the former is the wife 
of Da\-id Seguin, of Fort ^Madison. Iowa: 
Elizabeth, the wife of J. AIcKaig. of Fort 
Madison : Alary, the wife of Alva Cowles, 
of Fort ]\Iadison : Henrv of this rc\-iew : 
Albert, of Headlin, ?vIissouri : Sophia, the 
wife iif Herman Hess, of Xenta, Illinois; 



1 66 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAIEW 



and John and Edith, twins, the former 
a resident uf Lebanon. Nebraska, while 
the latter is the wife of Reuben Hummel, 
of Nauvoo. 

Henrv W'elier of this re\'iew was edu- 
cated in the district schools of Xauvoo. 
minimis, and remained upon his father's 
farm until he had attained his majority. 
(Jn the 3d of January. 1884, he was mar- 
ried to Miss Sarah Luella Thomas, who 
was bom in Sonera township. Hancock- 
county, February 2t,, 1855. a daughter of 
Isaac T. and Louisa (Xichols) Thomas, 
both of whom were nati\'es of Kentucky. 
The father was a farmer and took up 
his abode in Hancock county, Illinois, 
about fifty-three }'ears ago, settling on a 
tract of land in Sonora townshii), where 
for many years he carried on general 
agricultural pursuits. His death occurred 
in 1899 and his remains were interred in 
that township. His widow, \vho is two 
years his junior, is living in Carthage, 
Illinois. ]\Ir. Thomas was a democrat 
in politics aivd served as school director 
and in other local offices. He belonged 
to the Christian church, of which he was 
a deacon and elder and he was widely 
known as a worthy citizen, faithful in 
friendship and lijval to his home ties. 
He was a large landowner, prospering 
in his business undertakings until he had 
six hundred acres of land at the time of 
his death. Mrs. Thomas also belongs to 
the Christian church. Li the family of 
this worthy couple were nine children, of 
wIkjui si.\ are now lixing. namely: IJl- 
burn Thaddeus. who married Fdizabeth 
Honce. of Elvaston : Laura, a twin sister 
of Lilburn and now li\ing with her 
mother: W'illi.am LTcnr\\ who died in Feb- 



ruarv. i<)04: Mrs. Sarah Luella Weber; 
Xaomi Jane, who is with her mother; 
3.1artha Emily, the wife of Orville Honce, 
of Montebello township : James Harvey, 
also at home; George Milton, who died 
at the age of two and a half years; and 
Purliett. now deceased. 

At the time of their marriage Mr. and 
?\Irs. Weber began their domestic life 
in Appanoose township, where they lived 
for a year and then removed to a farm in 
[Nbmtebello township, where tliey resided 
for fi\-e }ears. Later they spent a year 
and a half upon a farm west of Ferris, 
taking up their abode there in 1890 and 
making it their place of residence until 
1904. He remodeled the house, built a 
fine Ijarn and all the necessary outbuild- 
ings for the shelter of grain and stiick 
and was always ver_\- successful in his 
business affairs. He raised stock quite 
extensively and this l)ranch of his business 
pro\'ed profitable. Coming to Carthage 
in November. 1904. he retired from active 
life on account of ill health, having had 
to lea\e his farm for two seasons pre- 
vious to this. He purchased a beautiful 
modern home on North ^lain street, 
where his widow now resides and there 
he spent his remaining days. He was 
in ill health for about four }-ears prior 
to his death and was a great sufYerer dur- 
ing the last year and a half. He died 
October 23. 1905. his remains hieing in- 
terred in Moss Ridge cemetery. 

L'nto Mr. and ^Irs. Weber were born 
but two children. Ijoth born in Hancock 
countv. namely : Grace ]\Iay. the wife of 
Frank Thornberg. who is living on her 
father's old farm near Ferris: and Jessie 
\'iol;i. the wife of Dr. Claude Thomas, 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



167 



a practicing dentist of Keokuk. Iowa. 
They have one child, Lowell \\ eber 
Thomas. 

Mr. Weber started out in life empty 
handed, his possessions consisting at the 
age of twenty-one years of but one horse. 
He possessed instead good mental and 
physical activity and his energies and 
labor brought to him gratifying success, 
making him one of the substantial citizens 
of the community. He was never known 
to take advantage of the necessities of 
his fellowmen in any business transac- 
tion, but was straightforward and reliable 
in all his dealings and thus won the un- 
qualified confidence of those with whom 
he was associated. He was a devoted 
member of the Christian church, in which 
his wife still holds membership and for 
a number of years he served as deacon of 
the church at Ferris. In politics he was 
a stalwart democrat and filled the posi- 
tions of township trustee and road su- 
pervisor, while for several years he was a 
school director. A man of quiet and 
unob>rusive nature and at all times v.n 
ostentatious in his demeanor, his genuine 
personal worth nevertheless gained him 
the esteem and honor of all with whom he 
was associated. He was interested in 
the welfare of the community, was a good 
neighbor, a kind husband and loving 
father. His name was above reproach, 
for his religious belief permeated his 
everyday life and actions. His word 
was as good as any bond ever solemnized 
by signature or seal and he stood high 
in public estimation. He left behind an 
honored name and a memory that will 
long be cherished, not only by his im- 
mediate family but also by many who 



knew him. Mrs. Weber still resides in 
her beautiful home in Carthage and in 
addition owns the old home farm and 
forty acres of good land in Sonora 
township. 



ECGENE ADRIAN WALLACE. 

Eugene A. Wallace, one of the most 
enterprising and highly respected agricul- 
turists of Durham township, is a native 
of Missouri. He was born in Knox 
county February 20, 1874, of the mar- 
riage of James H. and Nancy L. (Lati- 
mer) Wallace. Both parents were natives 
of Kentucky and the mother is still living 
in Missouri but the father passed away 
in 1873. He was a minister of the Chris- 
tian church while living in Kentucky and 
his life was a potent influence for good in 
the various communities where he resided. 
In the family were four children : Ida 
E., the wife of Henry Childers, of Mem- 
phis, Missouri ; Mary, deceased : Alvin 
E., of Chicago; and Eugene A., of this 
review. 

In the public schools of Missouri 
Eugene A. Wallace acquired his educa- 
tion. He remained upon the home farm 
until nearh' twenty-one 3-ears of age, his 
time being largely occupied with the 
duties and labors of the fields. After 
arriving at man's estate he was married 
on the 1 2th of September, 1900. to Miss 
Martha Byler, who was born March 24, 
1871, in the house which is now her home. 
Her parents were Jacob and Martha 
(White) Byler. Her father was bom 



1 68 



BIOGRAPHICAL RE]'IE]\- 



in AIcMinn cinintw 'Tennessee, February 
23, 1830. anil when Init five years of age 
was brought to Ilhnois by his parents, win 1 
settled in Adams county. He was reared 
til the (iccupaliiin nf farming and at the 
age (if twenty-fiiur years came to Han- 
cock ciiunty. taking up his abode on a 
f.irni i)f (ine hunih'cd and sixtv acres of 
pranie land in l)nrhani townshi]). which 
he cleared. Here he built an attractive 
residence which he \et occupies, together 
with Mr. and Mrs. Wallace. As the 
years passed his labors brought him a 
good financial return and, making furthei' 
investment in ])roperty, he is now the 
owner of four hundred and fort}' acres 
of \aluable land and his farm is one of 
the best in Durham townshi]). He made 
man\- excellent impro\ements thereon and 
has long l)een known as an enter|)rising 
agriculturist and good citizen, as honest 
as the dav is long. In his political \iews 
he is a stalwart democrat and he is ;i 
member of Dallas City Lodge, Xo. .233. 
also a memljer of Dallas Chapter, R. iS: S. 
M., as well as of the Council of Dallas 
Citv.' All who know him esteem him 
for his genuine worth and he well de- 
ser\es mention among the re])resentative 
men of Hancock count\ . In i8c)6 he 
wns called upon to mourn the loss of his 
wife, who died on the 4th of September 
of that year and was laid to rest in I'nion 
cemeter\- adjoining the home faian, which 
tract of land .\lr. llyler deeded to the 
trustees for cemetery ]iurposes. L'nto 
this worth}' couple were born riiiie chib 
dren. of whom fixe are now li\'ing; \\ il- 
liam IT., who resides near Wheeling, Mis- 
souri ; .\ndrew J., of Dallas City: Daura, 
the wife of .\dolph Herweg, a resident 



of Nebraska ; Sarah, the wife of Humbert 
Vass, of Durham township ; and Mrs. 
Wallace. 

Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
Wallace took up their al)ode u])on her 
father's farm, for her mother had passed 
away and they took charge of the home 
and farm for the father. Mr. Wallace 
rents the land and he has made man_\' 
inipro\'eiuents upon the property, which 
presents a splendid appearance, being one 
of the best farms of Durham township. 
Large and substantial outbuildings ha\e 
been erected for the shelter of grain and 
stock and e\'er\'tliing is in keeping with 
ideas of modern agricultural ]:rogress. 
He built a barn, sixty b\' se\'ent\' feet, 
for hay ari<l cattle and also a hog bouse 
at an expense of three hundred (k.illars. 
This is one of the best in the county. 
iA'er\'thing aliout the ])Iace is ke])t in neat 
and thrifty condition and Mr. Wallace 
is regarded as a most enterprising and 
successful farmer. 

l'nto our suliject and his wife haxe 
l)een Imrn three children, but Beulah \'i- 
<ila, the eldest, who was l)orn Decemljer 
15. i()Oi, died September 13, \(-)02. 
Pearl Irene, born May 1, 1903, and 
Hernian Le Ro}-, born No\-ember 28. 
1905, are both lix'ing. .Ml of the children 
were born in the same house where their 
mother's birth occurred. The ]iarents 
are consistent and \'alued members of the 
Christiari church and Mr. Wallace is coii- 
nected with the Modern ^Voodmen of 
-\merica. while bis political allegiance is 
gi\-en to the democracy. He occupies 
an enviable position in agricultural circles 
and has made a creditable record. Air. 
Rvler. the father of Mrs. Wallace, is a 



HANCOCK COUXTY. ILLIXOIS. 



169 



self-made man. wlin in an early dax' i:)ai(l 
about fi\'e hundred dcjllars for his farm. 
Neither ^Ir. Byler nor Mr. Wallace ever 
inherited anything nf any consequence 
antl the success of both gentlemen is due 
tci their own energy, perse\erance and 
capable management. They are highly 
esteemed in the d immunity and bnth ha\e 
a host of warm friends. Mr. liyler 
worked his way steadilx" upward from 
a humble financial ])osition tn one nf 
affluence, being now recognized as a 
wealthy resident of the count}', and Mr. 
\\"allace is displaying the same sterling- 
traits of character, which promise well 
for his future success. 



J.\COB P. L.A MOXTE. 

The stock raising interests of Hancock 
ciiuutv tind a worthy representati\'e in 
Jacob P. La Monte, who is engaged in 
raising filack (iallowax' cattle, good horses 
and Duroc Jerse\" and Poland China 
h(jgs. His business interests are carefully 
conducted and he carries on general farm- 
ing in addition to his stock interests. Mr. 
La Monte has now passed the se\enty- 
eighth milestone on life's journey, but yet 
gives acti\e sui)er\ision to his business 
affairs. His liirth occurred in Schoharie 
Count}'. Xew York, in the tow'n of Cbar- 
lotteville, October 15, 1827, and he is a 
representative of one of the old faniilies 
of the Empire state. His paternal grand- 
parents were William and Jane ( Stilwell ) 
La ]\ronte, who were Ijorn on Long Is- 



land. The grandfather was a rei)resen- 
tati\'e man. acti\'e and successful in busi- 
ness. He followed merchandising, also 
owned and operated a water mill and 
dealt in land. He also held various prom- 
inent official positions in the county in 
which he lived and was a \'ery influential 
resident of his section of Long Island, 
where his death occurred. His wife be- 
longed to one of the most represeiitative 
families of that island. Their son, 
Thonias W. La Monte, was born in Xew 
^'(Jrk and hax'ing arri\'ed at years of nia- 
turity was niarried to Miss Elizabeth M. 
Payne, likewise a nati\'e of that state 
and a daughter of Jacob and Lucy 
( .\ustin ) Payne, natives of Xew York 
and of Xew England respectively. The 
maternal grandfather was a farmer b}' 
occupation. He held membership in the 
Baptist church and was a strong temper- 
ance man and was recognized in his com- 
munit}' especially in those lines of actix'ity 
resulting in intellectual and nioral prog- 
ress. .\11 of the grandparents of Mr. La 
Monte of this review, as well as his jjar- 
ents, lie buried at Charlottexille, Xew 
\'ork. 

Jacob P. La Monte is the eldest in a 
famih' of si.x sons and se\en daughters. 
His brother. George, who was engaged 
in paper nianufacturing in Xew York, 
invented the safety banking paper and 
now has a large establishment in Xew 
York city. Four sons and three daugh- 
ters of the familv are \'et li\'ing. 

In the state of his nati\'ity Mr. L;i 
Monte of this review sjient his Ijoyhoi.id 
da}s and accpiired a district-school educa- 
tion. He began teaching when onl}' sev- 
enteen \'ears of age and followed the \wo- 



BIOGRAPHICA L RE J -IE 1 1 ' 



fession for four years during the winter 
seasons and for one summer term. Sub- 
sequently he turned his attention to agri- 
cultural pursuits upon the farm which he 
had purchased in the town of Davenport 
in Delawai'e county. New York, compris- 
ing two hundred and twenty-seven acres 
of land. There he carried on farming 
for some time, but at length traded his 
property and made a sale, for he had come 
to the west in 1854 and decided to locate 
in Montebello township. Hancock county. 
Illinois. Here he took up his abode in 
1855. He traded his property in the east 
for five buggies and one two horse car- 
riage and in the spring" of 1856 all these 
were shipped to Keokuk, where he sold 
all of them with the exception of one 
which he kept for several years for his 
own use and then disposed of it for more 
than he gave for it. On coming to Han- 
cock county he invested in one hundred 
and sixty acres of land in ^^'ythe town- 
ship which he afterward sold, but he has 
acquired more land from time to time 
in Montebello township until he has five 
hundred acres in all, the entire amount 
lying within the city limits of Hamilton. 
L'pon his farm in Wythe township he had 
the best orchard in that part of the county 
and in 1875 he set out an orchard of 
apples and peaches, covering thirty acres. 
He carries on general farming and in ad- 
dition is quite extensively engaged in 
stock raising, making a specialty of 
horses, black Galloway cattle and Duroc 
Jersey and Poland China hogs. He is 
thoroughly familiar with the best methods 
of cultivating the soil and raising stock 
and his business interests have been so 
carefullv conducted that although he 



started out in life empty handed he is now 
one of the substantial citizens of his 
adopted county. 

On the 9th of March, 1848, Mr. La 
Monte was married to Miss Eli7,;d)eth 
Ruth Hinman, who was born in Delaware 
county. New York, and was educated in 
Cazenovia Seminary of that state. Her 
parents were Amos and Electa (Clark) 
Hinman, natives of New York, the 
former a son of Titus Hinman and the 
latter a daughter of David Clark, both 
of New York state. There was one child 
born unto ilr. and Mrs. La Monte, Wel- 
lington, whose birth occm-red in 1S51 and 
who died in Hamilton in 1893. The wife 
and nidther died alxnit rS^i and in Jan- 
uary, 1877, ]\Ir. La ;\Ionte married Ce- 
celia Wiggenton, who was born in La- 
Grange, Lewis county, Missouri, and was 
educated in a convent in St. Louis. She 
was one of the finest musicians in this 
part of the countr)-. At the time of her 
marriage to ]Mr. La ?iIonte she was a 
widiiw and had one son. \\ eston At- 
wood, who is now engaged in the lumber 
Ijusiness in the city of Oklahoma. She 
died about fourteen years ago. 

Mr. La Monte exercises his right of 
franchise in support of the men and 
measures of the Republican party, but has 
never been a politician in the sense of 
office seeking. He has. however, held 
office in the Methodist Episcopal church, 
of which he is a devoted and loyal mem- 
ber. He has acted as steward of the 
church and for about ten or fifteen years 
was superintendent of the Snndaj'-school. 
He has lived a life of uprightness and 
honor and therefore can look back over 
the past without regret. Few men of his 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



171 



years continue actively in business, Ijut 
in spirit and interests he seems yet in 
his prime and possesses much of the vigv)r 
and enterprise of man}- a man of mucli 
vounffer A-ears. 



WILLIAM A. BIDEAUX. 

^^'illiam A. Bideaux. who is engatj'ed in 
farming in Durham township, in wliich 
locahty he was born in 1868, is a S(jn of 
Francis and Catherine (Whistler) 
Bideaux and in the paternal line comes 
of Scotch ancestry. The father was born 
in Stark county, Ohio, December 26, 
1838, and was married on the 5th of Oc- 
tober, 1862, to Catherine Whistler. He 
was a carpenter by trade and took up 
his abode in Hancock ccjunty ()\er a half 
century ago. For a long period he was 
identified with building operatimis but in 
his later life he carried on farming, mak- 
ing his home in Durham township. There 
his death occurred on the 9th of January. 
1895. He was an honest, upright man, 
possessing the confidence and trust of all 
who knew him. Conscious that death 
was approaching, he made his peace -with 
God and bade adieu to friends and family. 
He was a loving husband, a good father 
and a kind hearted neighbor and he left 
behind an e.xample that is in many re- 
spects well worthy of emulation, Mrs. 
Bideaux still survives her husband and 
is a resident of Rock Creek townslii]>. In 
the family were eight children: Delia, 
now the wife of Thomas Shaw, of Dallas 



township; Emma, the wife of William 
Worden, of Fort Madison, Iowa ; Wil- 
liam A., of this review ; Frank, who is 
living in Utah: Kate, the wife of Lemuel 
Bartlett. of Durham township: Jacob and 
French, both of whom are residents of 
Dallas City ; and Lina, who was the wife 
of Carl Mendenhall. of Colusa, and died 
in January. 1903, her remains being 
interred in Myers cemetery. There were 
two children of that marriage, Carl and 
Catherine, and the\' and their father ni>w 
live with Mrs. Bideaux. mother of our 
subject. 

\\'illiam A. Bideau.x was educated in 
Durham township as a public-scliool 
student and assisted in the work of the 
home farm until after he had attained his 
majority. As a compani(jn and help- 
mate for life's joiu'nev he chose Miss 
Henrietta Harris, whom he wedded Oc- 
tober 9, 1892. She was liorn in Durham 
township in 1874. a daughter of Eusebius 
and Rebecca (Avery) Harris, both of 
whom were natives of Illinois and now 
residents of IMonmouth, this state. I\Ian- 
ford Harris, the oldest brother of Euse- 
bius Harris, was a soldier of the Civil 
war and her grandfather Avery was in 
the war of 1844 when the iMormons were 
expelled from Hancock county. Eusebius 
Harris followed farming in Durham 
township, this county, until 1901, when 
he practically retired from business life 
but now conducts a barber supply house 
in Monmriuth. He has voted the re- 
publican ticket since the organization of 
the party and in this count^■ was recog- 
nized as a most worthy and respected citi- 
zen. Unto him and his wife were born 
four children: Cora, at home: Mrs. 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAAFAT 



Bideaux ; (juy, wlio is living near Adrian. 
Illinois; and Bertram, of Monmouth. 

Mr. Bideaux s[)cnt the first two years 
of his marrieil life as a farmer near 
Colusa and after a residence of se\'eral 
^■ears upon \aricius farms he located in 
Durham township in 1899 and has since 
made his home here. Liito Air. nad Airs. 
Bideaux ha\e heen horn three children; 
T^awrence. who was Ixjrn in Pilot (iro\e 
in 1893; Niri^il. in Dallas township in 
1896; and Cecil, in Durham township in 
1899. 

Mr. Bideaux exercises lu's rij^ht of 
franchise in support of the men and meas- 
ures of the Repuhlican party, lie and 
his wife ha\ e worked together persist- 
ently and energetically in order to make a 
start in life and .gain a comfortahle com- 
])etence and the (|ualities which die\' ha\e 
displayed are such as commend them to 
the coniidence and good will of ,dl with 
whom the\" h;i\e heen Ijrouijht in ront;ict. 



GEORGE A. TRAUTVETTER. 

Creorge .\. Trautvetter is a retired 
farmer residing in Warsaw and he has 
\;dual)le and extensi\-e landed possessiiMis, 
which are an indication of his well spent, 
active and Imnorahle business life. He 
derives therefrom a handsome income 
that enables him now to ])ut aside further 
business cares ;ind to enjoy in (|uiet the 
fruits of his former toil. .V native of 
Germany, he was liorn in Sa.xonv on 
the 16th of August. 184J. a son of John 



George and Sophia Elizabeth (Derle) 
Traut\'etter, who were likewise natives 
of ( iermany, whence they sailed for 
America in 1853, landing at Baltimore, 
Maryland, on the 3d of July, after forty- 
nine days spent u])on the water as pas- 
sengers on one of the old-time sailing 
\-essels. The father was a miller In' 
trade, and making his wa}- from the east 
into the intericjr of the country, he settled 
on section 3, Rock\- Run township, Han- 
cock county, Illinois, where he resided 
conlinuousl)' until June. 1870. He then 
returned to his native countr}- for a \-isit 
and there died in the fall of 1871. his re- 
mains being interred at Rota, Germany. 
His wife, wdno was born in 1808, passed 
away in this count}- at the age of seventy- 
sex-en x'ears and w;is burietl in Tioga, 
Walker tow-nshi[). cemeter\-. Mr. Traut- 
vetter was sevent)--one )'ears of age at 
the time of his demise, his birth ha\-ing 
occurred in 1799. Ibex- were the parents 
of h\e children, of whom three are living; 
John M., a resident of Walker township; 
Ge(->rge A. ; and Theodore Frederick, who 
li\-es on section 3, Ixockv' Run township. 
George A. Traut\-etter w-as a lad of 
about ele\-en }-ears when he came with his 
parents to the new world and his educa- 
tion, which was liegun in the fatherland, 
was continued in the schools of Rocky 
Run township, and of Warsaw-. He re- 
mained upon the honie farm until be had 
attained his majority, as did his two 
brothers, and he assisted in the farni 
work, early becoming familiar with the 
duties of field and meadow". In Alarch, 
1863, bow'e\-er, he put aside all business 
and ]iersonal considerations and, respond- 
ing to the call of his ;idopted country for 



HAXCOCK COUXTV. JLLIXOIS. 



aid. he ioined the Fourteentli lUiiiois Vol- 
unteer Infantry, and was attached to the 
armv coi'ijs commanded Ijy (General Sher- 
man. He followed that intrepid leader 
durins;' his last campaigns and was under 
his command in the grand review in 
Washington. Mr. Trautxetter afterward 
went to Fcrt Lea\enw(irth and was mus- 
tered out in Kansas, suhsecpient to which 
time he returned to Hancock county. 

In 1863 Mr. Trautxetter had le.arned 
the saddler's trade in Ouinc}', and fi_)r a 
time he followed that pursuit in Warsaw 
but subsequently he again tnnk up his 
abode upon his father's farm, where he 
remained until the 26th of January, i86y. 
That was his wedding day. Miss Anna E. 
Shiklman beccjming his wife. She was 
bom in Germany, Jaiuiary it,. 1S4S, and 
in 1858 came with her parents to .\mer- 
ica. Her father was a carpenter by trade 
but after crossing the .\tlantic turned his 
attention to agricultural pursuits in 
Walker township, Hancock county. 
Later he li\-ed in Rocky Run township for 
a time but his last da\s were spent in 
Walker township. In the family were 
fixe children, of whom three are lix'ing: 
Mrs. Trautx'etter ; Hannah, the wife of 
Theodore F. Trautvetter: and Elizal:)eth, 
the wife of Henr_\' \\ emhaner, of 
War.saw. 

Following his marriage Mr. Trautvet- 
ter of this review, in 1867. purchased the 
old home place from his father and there 
lived until March 9, 1906, when he pur- 
chased his present beautiful residence in 
A\'ar.saw and took up his abode in the city. 
For man}- years he had carefully carried 
on general agricultural pursuits and ca- 
pably managed his business interests, and 



as the result of his enterprise, diligence 
and persistent effort, ac(|uired a goodly 
measure of success. As the years passed 
he embraced his opportunities for jucli- 
cious inx'estments in land and now owns 
o\er si.x hundred acres, from which he 
derixes a splendiil income. 

On the loth of September, 1903, Mr. 
and Mrs. Trautvetter celebrated the fif- 
tieth anniver.sary of his residence upon 
the home farm, to which he had gone with 
his parents in 1833. He still owns the 
fixe acres, also another farm of one hun- 
home place of three hundred and fortx- 
dred and ninety-five acres and a third 
one of ninetx'-fix'e acres. His realty pos- 
sessions include tenement Ikiuscs in War- 
saxv beside his .oxvn residence. ITito him 
and his xvife haxe been Ijorn si.x children, 
four of xxdiom were born in the home 
xvhich he erected in 1874 to replace the 
log cabin which had been liuilt liy his 
father and which xvas destroyed by fire 
in ]\Iay of that )ear. The family record 
is as follows: Theodcire X.. the eldest, 
bcirn March 2, 1870, married Matilda 
Woolbrink, and lixes in Warsaxv. Eliza- 
beth, I)orn January 22. 1872, xvas married 
in 1890 to Fred Harold, a farmer living- 
north of Hamilton: .Vnna Sfjphia. Imrn 
September 9, 1874, xvas n-iarried in 1895 
to John Xagel, an agriculturist of Wythe 
toxvnship and they noxv ha\-e txvo chil- 
drei-|, Malinda and (ieorge Truman 
Kolatzky Xagel. Henry Herman, born 
(October 9, 1876, has since 1904 been liv- 
ing in Omaha, xvhere he is running an 
electric car. Lillie Frances, born Sep- 
temlier 11, 1879, is the xvife of Harry 
Elder, xvho resides two and a half miles 
north of Elderville. Illinois. William 



174 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



Adolph, bora August 29, 1882, is a grad- 
uate of the Gem City Business College 
of Quincy, uf the class of 1905, and is 
now a student in the medical college at 
Valparaiso, Indiana. The children have 
all been given good educational privileges, 
and Theodore N. was also a graduate of 
the Gem City Business College, while 
later he attended a college in Omaha to 
learn shorthand, banking, etc. He is 
now in partnership with Mr. Sharp as a 
dealer in grain and stock at \\'arsaw. 
In his political views J\Ir. Trautvetter 
is a stalwart republican and has been 
honored with several positions of pulilic 
trust. He ser\-ed for twelve _\ears as 
school director, was for ten years levee 
commissioner and for three years high- 
way commissioner. He and his wife, 
who has indeed been a most faithful com- 
panion and helpmate to him on life's 
journey, are members of the Evangelical 
church. The many comf(irts which the)' 
are now able to enjoy in their home ha\-e 
been gained thrDUgh their own labors 
and careful management. The business 
record of Mr. Trautvetter should serve 
as a source of inspiration and encourage- 
ment to others, showing what may be ac- 
complished by determined effort when 
guided by sound judgment and charac- 
terized by linnorable dealing. 



ERASTUS A. HAZEN. 

Erastus A. Hazen is the owner of val- 
ual:)le farmin"' interests and in connection 



with the tilling of the soil engages in 
raising Poland China hogs, Shropshire 
sheep and cattle, displaying excellent busi- 
ness ability in the management of his 
farm and his stock. A native of Ohio, 
he was born in Trumbull county on the 
25th of January, 1843, and is a represen- 
tative of old New England families. His 
paternal grandfather, Nathaniel Hazen, 
was a native of Connecticut, while the 
father, James B. Hazen, was born in 
Allegheny county, Pennsylvania. The 
latter, having arrived at years of maturity, 
was married at Brookfield, Trumbull 
count}-, Ohio, to Miss Elizabeth C<jon. 
who was born in Easton, Penns\l\ania, 
and was a daughter of William and Cath- 
erine (De Forest) Coon, of New Jersey. 
Mr. Hazen was a cabinet maker and un- 
dertaker and resided in Brookfield, Ohio, 
until 1832, when he removed to Pike 
county, Illinois, where he engaged in 
business on his own account. There he 
remained for five years and in 1857 he 
came to Hancock county, Illinois, pur- 
chasing and trading his property in Pike 
county for sixty acres in Sonora town- 
ship. This was timber and prairie land, 
all unimproved. He turned the first fur- 
rows in the fields and began the task of 
cultivating a farm, whereon he lived until 
his death. His wife afterward sold the 
property and bought a farm in Montebello 
township, where her last days were 
passed. 

Erastus A. Hazen. the fourth in order 
of birth in a family of seven children, 
of whom four were daughters, was edu- 
cated in the public schools of Youngs- 
town, Ohio, was for five years a student 
at Perrv, Pike county, Illinois, and con- 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



175 



tinued his studies in the district schools of 
Sonora township, Hancock county. He 
remained at home until eighteen }ears 
of age, when his patriotic spirit was 
aroused and he otlered his services to the 
government, enlisting as a memher of 
Company C, One Hundred and Eight- 
eenth Illinois Infantry. The regiment 
was assigned to the Army of the Missis- 
sippi and he participated in the attack 
at Chickasaw Bayou, where the L'nion 
troops were repulsed. He was afterward 
in the battle at Arkansas Post and sub- 
sequently went to Young's Point and to 
Vicksburg, where he engaged in digging 
the canal through a long stretch of wet 
land. The following spring the troops 
proceeded to Richmond, Louisiana, mak- 
ing their way to the Perkins plantation. 
Soon the battle of Grand Gulf followed, 
after which they proceeded to Bruins' 
Landing, crossing the river on gun boats. 
There they procured three days rations, 
which was all they received for eighteen 
days. C)n the succeeding day they 
fought the battle of Thompson's Hill or 
Port Gibson, and they were in numerous 
skirmishes. For two days they were at 
Raymond 'with Pemberton and they 
camped at Edwards depot. The follow- 
ing day they attacked the rebels at Black 
ri\'er bridge and captured the fortifica- 
tions. On the succeeding day they made 
a charge upon Vicksburg and invested the 
city. A\'hen tw^o days had passed they 
returned and fortified Black river, at 
which point the regiment to which !\Ir. 
Flazen belonged was mounted mid did 
cavalry duty from that time on. They 
were engaged in scouting and Mr. Hazen 
was in the second battle of Tackson, after 



which he returned to \'icksl3urg and later 
was transferred to the gulf department. 
At Grand Cateau Bayou the_\' were at- 
tacked by the enemy and three hundred 
of the Union troops were taken prisoners, 
but Mr. Hazen fortunately was not 
among the number. With the remainder 
of the command he returned to Vennil- 
lion, where a battle ensued and Captain 
Arthur Marsh, who was commanding the 
regiment, was killed. The l'nion troops 
withdrew from the field and the rebels 
followed. After a time the L'niun forces 
turned upon their pursuers and sixty of 
the members of the Confederate army 
were captured. When the war was over 
Mr. Hazen received an honorable dis- 
charge at Baton Rogue, Louisiana, on 
the 13th of October, 1865, and returned 
to his old home. He was a brave and 
lo^•al soldier, displaying \'ali)r e(|ual to 
that of manv a veteran of twice his years. 
He experienced the usual hardships, pri- 
vations and dangers meted out to the sol- 
dier and his military record was alto- 
gether a very creditable one. 

After living with his parents for a year 
following the close of the war Mr. Hazen 
was married in the fall of 1866 to Miss 
Mary A. Layman, who was born in Dela- 
ware county Ohio, a daughter of Elias 
and Eva (Wolford) Layman, the former 
a native of Virginia and the latter of Ohii5. 
Unto Mr. and ]\Irs. Hazen have lieen liorn 
seven children, Imt Elsie, the fourth in 
order of birth, died in infancy. The 
others are: Almon L., who is a mail 
clerk on the Chicago, Burlingt'in & 
Ouincy Railroad, running from Chicago 
to Ouincy, married Lulu Radclifif and 
lives in Ouincv; Eldred E.. residing in 



176 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'lEU 



Wythe tiiw-nsliip : (iissella, who married 
Clarence C Outliier. of Okeene. Oklaho- 
ma : luhie L.. the wife of Delancey 
Higby, who resides on secti(.)n 5. Monte- 
bello township: Eva ()., and Zella, both 
at home. 

I'ollowing his marriage Air. Hazen 
li\ed for one year in Montebello town- 
ship upon his father-in-law's place and 
then leased one hnnclred and sixt\' acres, 
constituting the southeast ijuarter of sec- 
tion _:;. Alontebello township. Six years 
later he removed to Clark county, Mis- 
souri, where he remained foi- a year and 
on returning to this township he bought 
eight}' acres on section 4, which was im- 
proved. He has rebuilt the house, w hich 
now contains ten rooms and cellar. He 
has .also added sheds to the barns and 
has made many other substantial impr(j\-e- 
ments. Two years after making the first 
purchase he addetl forty acres to his farm 
and four }'ears later sixty acres. Subse- 
quently with his son, Eldred E., he 
bought eighty acres in \\')-tlie township 
and he now owns one hundred and eighty 
acres of rich prairie land and ten acres of 
timber land, while his wife owns sixty 
acres of prairie and ten acres of timber. 
Mr. Hazen carries on general farming in 
addition to wdiich he raises Poland China 
hogs. He also has on hand sixty head 
of Shropshire sheep and good cattle. 

In his political views Mr. Hazen is an 
earnest republican believing firmly in the 
principles of the party, yet ne\er seeking 
office. He belongs to Russell post, Xo. 
86, G. A. R. ,at Hamilton, Illinois, which 
he joined on its organization, and he takes 
much ])leasure in meeting with his old 
army comrades. When the grand re\ iew 



occurred in Washington in 1865 a banner 
swung across Pennslyvania a\enue bore 
the words, "The onh' del)t which oiu" na- 
tion cannot pay is the national debt which 
she owes her soldiers" and each }ear 
emphasizes the truth of this remark as 
the number ui the \eterans is growing 
less and less and the feeling of gratitude 
increases. In times of peace Mr. Ha/en 
has been e(|ually lo_\al in citizenship arid 
has ever lieen deeph' anil helpfully in- 
terested in communitv affairs. 



ZEBDIAPI WARD. 

Zebdiah \\'ard, now deceasetl, was born 
in the state of Xew York, March 20. 
1 8 16, and resided there until he reacheil 
early manhooil. He afterward accompa- 
nied his parents on their rem()\'al to In- 
diana, where he li\-ed for several years, 
subsequent to which time he came to Illi- 
nois, settling in Dan\-ille, X'ernnlion 
cr)unt}-. He was a wagon maker by trade 
and followed that pursuit after his arrival 
in this state. Ide remox-ed from \'ermil- 
ion t(j Hancock county, locating at W elj- 
ster, where he resided for about fifteen 
\'ears, continuing to wurk at his trade 
during that period. He next purchased 
the farm on which his \vidow- now resides, 
making investment in this property in 
May. 1854. The farm comprises sixty 
acres of rich and ]>roductive land, \vhich 
he impro\'ed. erecting thereon buildings 
and adding other modern equipments and 
,'iccessories. Air. ^^'ard engaged in tlie 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



tilling i->f the soil fnun that time torwanl 
until his death, and as the years passed 
he prospered in his undertakings. 

On the 13th of January, 1848, was 
celebrated the marriage of Mr. Ward and 
Aliss Arzilla Wright, a daughter of Hick- 
erson and Cynthia (Dunnoln)) Wright. 
The parents were lioth nati\-es of \'ir- 
ginia, whence thev reninxed tn Tennessee, 
and from that state came to Illinois in 
Mav, 1834, settling in Hancock county 
among its earh' residents. They li\ed 
one half mile north of Webster in I'oun- 
tain Green township, where Mr. Wright 
entered land from the government and 
developed a farm, residing thereon until 
his death, which occurred when he had 
reached the venerable age of eighty-seven 
vears. He was a democrat in his political 
\-iews. His wife had passed away many 
years liefore. In the family are twelve 
children, seven of whom are li\-ing. 
The family record is as follows: Mrs. 
\\'ard is the eldest. Seabern A., born 
October 9, 1824, is a farmer re- 
siding in Fountain (ireen townsliip. 
Seneta D.. born October 19. 1826, was a 
prominent farmer of the same township 
but is now deceased. Martha E., who 
was born September 14, 1828, has passed 
away. Patrick W'.. born August 28, 
1830, is also deceased. Bazil, born Au- 
gust 16, 1832, died at the age of sixteen 
years. Henr}- D., born July 2/. 1834, is 
living in California. Thomas (r., born 
May 9, 1836, has departed this life. 
Letha J., born ]March 14, 1838, Charles 
G., born June 21, 1840, and Cynthia A., 
born September 30, 1844, are all living. 
The youngest of the family died in 
infancy. 



Airs. Ward was born in Smith count)', 
Tennessee, September 24, 1822, and was 
nine vears of age when her parents left 
that state and removed tii Hopkins 
c^)unt^', Kentucky, where they lived for 
three \ears. The}' then came to Illinois 
in Maw 1834. .She obtained her educa- 
tion in the early subscription schools of 
the count}- and remained at home until 
her marriage. She became the mother 
of three children, two of whom are li\'- 
ing. Wrigiit, the eldest, a farmer now 
residing in Arkansas, married Elizabeth 
Prior and they have one daughter, C(_)ra. 
who is now the wife of Sanford Francis, 
bv whom she has three children. Mark 
Ward, a farmer residing near Alemphis, 
Missouri, wedded Letha A. Thurber and 
they have one daughter. Fay. Lorinda 
became the wife of Benton Alton and died 
at the age of forty-four years, leaving a 
daughter, Anna B. 

The death of Mv. Ward occurred Feb- 
ruary 26, i8c)5, when he was almost 
eightv vears of age, and his remains were 
interred in [Middle Creek cemetery. He 
voted with the democracy, held menilier- 
ship in the Christian church and was one 
of the progressive men of his day. His 
life period covered the greater part of 
the ninteenth century during which time 
he witnessed many changes, including the 
building of the railroads, the introduc- 
tion of the telegra])h and telephone 
and the reclamation (jf the wild lands 
of the west for the purposes of civiliza- 
tion. He did his full share in the work 
of public progress and improvement in 
this county and was known as one of its 
most prominent pioneer citizens. Airs. 
Ward still survi\-es her husband and lives 



178 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IEW 



upon the old farm liomestead. She too, 
is a representatixe of one of the oldest 
famihes of the county and n(_) historv of 
this section of the state would be com- 
plete without mention of her. 



LEE SMITH. 



Lee Smith, of Colusa, a son of William 
and Mary Ann ( Drauch ) Smith, was 
born in Pennslyvania April 7, 1863. His 
parents were also natives of the Keystone 
state and the father is a farmer living- in 
Monroe county, Pennsylvania, at the age 
of sixty-three years. His wife died in 
1870. They were the parents of four 
children, of whom three are now living: 
Lee, of this review : Anes, a resident 
of Tioga county, Pennsyhania : and 
Ephraim, also living in Pennsylvania. 

Lee Smith was educated in the district 
schools of his native state. When his 
mother died the children of the family 
went to live in various homes of the 
neighborhood and his early opportunities 
were accordingly somewhat limited. 
After his school days were o\-er he 
worked by the- month as a farm hand for 
about four }'cars and was afterward em- 
ployed in the lumber regions of the north- 
ern part of the state for four years. On 
the 22d of July, 1890, he arrived in Co- 
lusa and through the succeeding year was 
employed by Henry Howard. 

On New Year's eve (December 31, 
1890) Mr. Smith was united in marriage 
to Mrs. Flora Wildrick. who was born 



in Pontoosuc township, Hancock county, 
September 14, 1864, a daughter of John 
and Mary (Littlefiar) Robinson. Her 
father was a native of New Jersey and 
her mother was born in Durham county, 
England, in 1822 and came to America 
in 1852. The year 1856 witnessed the 
arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Robinson in 
Hancock count}-, and the father Ijegan 
farming in Pontoosuc township, where 
he also purchased a mill, carr}-ing- on his 
dual occupation until his death, which 
occurred in 1873, ^vhen he was fift^--nine 
years of age. He was a democrat in 
politics and a worthy citizen, progressive 
in public affairs and reliable in business. 
L^nto John and Mary Robinson were born 
two children, of whom Mrs. Smith is the 
sur\-iving member of the family. Her 
mother was twice married and loy her 
first husband, Peter Kelly, had four chil- 
dren, of whom two are living: i\Iary C, 
the wife of James Creswell. of Da\-enport, 
k)wa ; William, died at Davenport, Sep- 
tember I, 1906; and Michael R., of 
Adrian. Illinois. 

Flora Robinson, reared to womanhood 
in this county, gave her hand in marriage, 
in 1882, to Henry C. Wildrick, who w-as 
born in Dallas township on a f;irm of two 
lumdred and fort}' acres on section 35, 
which is now the jiropertv of AL's. 
Smith and where she and her husl)and 
still reside. Mr. Wildrick was a son of 
George and Abigail (King) \\'ildrick. 
well known and representative farming 
]3eople of their commuiiitv. Henry C. 
\\ildrick was a republican in his ])olitical 
faith and held a number of township 
offices, to which he was called 1)_\- the \-ote 
of his fellow citizens, who recognized his 



HA XCO CK C UN TV. ILL L\ 0/.S'. 



1/9 



worth anil aljility. He died Septemlier 
28, 1889, respected by all who knew liim, 
and his remains were interred in Pleasant 
Hill cemetery. In his business affairs he 
was industrious and enterprising. He 
always lived upon the old home farm of 
the famih', and in the care of his property 
displayed sound judgment and keen dis- 
crimination. Morenver he was tlmr- 
oughly reliable in all trade transactions 
and conimainled the crmfidence and trust 
of all with whom he came in contact, lie 
left two children, Roxie I\lerle and 
George Clayton, the latter, now nineteen 
}"ears of age, at home. The daughter 
died February 19. 1906. at the age of 
twenty-three years, and her remains were 
laid to rest by the side of her father. She 
passed away after three weeks of the most 
intense suffering, (iccasiijned by a clot of 
blood under the knee. All that money, 
professional skill and loving hands could 
do was in vain in staying the hand of the 
grim reaper and this beautiful young 
lady, the only daughter of Mrs. Smith, 
passed from this life. She was a most 
beautiful character, li\ing a life in har- 
mony with the Christian spirit, and re- 
maining firm and steadfast in the faith 
of the church in which she held mem- 
bership. Hers was a hai)p\' disposition 
and sunshiu}- nature. She c<iuld readil}' 
adapt herself to any circumstance or ci_)n- 
dition and this trait made her lieloved by 
all with whom she came in contact. On 
Saturday an operation was performed 
and on JNIonday afternoon she passed 
away, perfectly resigned and happy, bid- 
ding mother, father and brother goodby 
with undimmed eyes, and making all 
arrangements for her funeral, selecting 



the following friends to act as pall bear- 
ers : Maggie Bailey, Daisy Lamb, Hope 
\^ass, Orpha H. Jamison, Virgie Owings, 
and Maude Jacobs. Six gentlemen acted 
as honary pall bearers: Roscoe Gracey, 
Fred Swanson, Bern Bass, Clarence Jen- 
nison, George Hubbard and Clark 
Jacobs. The funeral service was con- 
ducted by the Rev. J. B. King wh(j paid 
a beautiful and deserved tribute to. one 
who was so loved and faithful in her 
home, church, Sunday-school and sr)cial 
circles, where she is greatly missed. Rew 
King said : "There is no death for such 
an experience as hers, and" as it is the law 
of Nature that the fairest and worthiest 
forms of life shall most surely survive, 
so we feel that a life, so manifestly sprung 
from (Jod, and nurtured by him as this, 
cannot die but still survives in a still high- 
er development in the beautiful paradise 
of God, by the power of divine right to 
be and live forever and by the pledge of 
the loving Saviour, who conquered 
through faith that we may have a right 
to the tree of life and enter in through 
the gates into the city." The death of 
Roxie Merle Wildrick cast a gloom 
throughout the entire community fiut her 
memory will long be cherished in the 
hearts of nil who knew her and the re- 
membrance of her loving deeds, kind 
ways and many acts of thoughtfulness 
will be a blessing for years to come tu 
her mother and the other members of the 
family. 

By the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. 
Smith there has been bom a son William 
Reine, born in Dallas township, Decem- 
ber 8, 1896, and now in school. The res- 
idence now occupied bA' Mr. and Mrs, 



i8o 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllFAV 



Sniitli ami their fainil\' was erected 1)\- 
her former husbaiul. who made man\- im- 
provements upim the place, which he in- 
herited from his father. Mr. Smith cim- 
tinues the work of development and cul- 
tixation alont;' lines of modern a.L;ricnl- 
tural progress and is an enterprising busi- 
ness man. His political allegiance is 
given the democracy and he is a mem- 
ber (if the Idanciick Cnnntx' Mutual In- 
surance .Association and of the Modern 
W Hodmen of America. He was a mem- 
l)er of the Dutch Reformed church in 
I'ennsyhania. Mrs. Smith is an intelli- 
gent, cultured lady and in the cimimunit}- 
where thev reside this wiirth\- couple ha\'e 
man\- warm friends. 



MATTHE\\' MASOX JOHXSON. 

Matthew Mason Johnson, deceased, 
was a stockman wlm, ])rosperiug in his 
undertakings, was accnnnted one of the 
enter]M'ising' business men of Carthage 
and his acti\-it)' in public affairs made him 
a' citizen of \'alue, so that his tleath, which 
oci-urred on the 7th of .\pril, \qQ(\ was 
the occasiiin of ijee]) and widespread re- 
gret among his many friends in Hancuck 
county. He was Imrn in Champaign 
county, C)hio, in 1843, his ])arents being 
John 1". and Maria (Wright) Jnhnsiin. 
The grandfather, the great-grandfather 
and the great-great-grandfather, were all 
soldiers of the l\.evolutionar\' war and the 
same s])irit of loyaltx' and niilitar_\- ardor 
was dis|)la_\'ed by \-ariiius cmisins n\ ciur 



subject in the Civil war. while his Limtlier, 
J. X. Johnson, was a soldier of the One 
Hundred and Eighteenth Illinois Infantry 
(Imdng the last year of the strife between 
the north and the south, being stationed 
most of the time at Baton Rouge, 
Li.iuisiana. 

Jolm T. Johnson was born in Cham- 
])aign county. Ohio, in 1813. and his wife 
was born about eight miles from St. 
L()uis. Missouri, in 181 8. He was a 
farmer by occupation and on coming to 
Hancock county, Illinois, in 1839, settled 
near St. Mary. He had t(i clear the land 
in order to ha\e space enough on which 
to build a log cabin. He was the first 
man to mo\-e onto the prairie, for the pio- 
neers in those da_\s always settled near the 
timber. As the years passed he impro\-ed 
his property, building a fine barn, good 
sheds and a modern residence. As the 
\'ears passed he prospered, l)ecoming one 
of the most extensive land owners of the 
county and when he died, in 1883. his 
Ijossessions aggregated eighteen hundred 
acres of land now worth one hundred 
dollars ]ier acre. His wife died in 1808 
and they slee]> side b)' side in the cemetery 
at St. Mar\-. Mr. J'.jhnson was a repub- 
lican who held x'arious township ofiices, 
for his fellow citizens recognized his 
worth and abilit)' and thus ga\e evidence 
of their confidence in him. The}' were 
belie\ers in the Baptist faith and Mr. 
Johnson held \-arious offices in the church. 
Their faniih' numbered eight children, of 
whom ti\e are yet living: Matthew M. : 
Hiram B). and Joseph T., l)otli residents 
of l']\-month, Illinois: J. X., who is lixing 
on the old faniih' homestead; and .\urilla, 
the wife of J. W. Botts, who resides upon 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



tlie prairie farm which was originally 
owned b}- her parents. 

Matthew M. Jolmson attended the pub- 
lic schools of St. Mary and was after- 
ward a student in Abingdon (Illinois) 
Hedding's College. Before attaining his 
majority he was married, in 1863, to Miss 
Mary Bacon, \\\v> was born in 1843 in 
McDonough ctnuity, Illinois, a daughter 
of Larkin and Honor (Durbin) Bacon. 
Her parents were of southern extraction, 
the father burn in Tennessee and the 
mother in Kentuckw Mr. Bacon came to 
Illinois at a ver}- early day. settling on a 
farm in McDonough county in 1834. It 
was wild and uncultivated laml but he 
converted it into a productive farm and 
there he died in 1877. having for several 
years surxived his wife, wIki [jassed away 
in February, 1 864. Both were Ijuried 
near Hill's Grove in McDonough county. 
Isaac Bacon, the paternal great-grand- 
father of Mrs. Johnsiin, was a Revolu- 
tionary soldier and Joseph Barnes Bacon, 
her grandfather, was a captain in a Ten- 
nessee regiment in the war of 181 2. Her 
father was an unfaltering ad\-ocate of 
democracy, but though always loyal to 
the party, never aspired to public office. 
He and his wife held membership in the 
Methodist church, in which he served as 
steward, while for many years he was 
superintendent of the Sunday-schdol, fill- 
ing that office at the time of his death. 
Mr. and Mrs. Bacon had ten children, of 
whom eight reached adult age, while five 
still survive, namely: Mrs. Johnson: 
Sarah, who is the widow of Judge Tunni- 
cliff, of Macomb, Illinois, and now re- 
sides at No. 6018 Jackson Park avenue, 
Chicago : Dr. J(tseph B. Bacon, a surgeon 



of St. P^rancis Hospital <>f Macomb. Illi- 
nois; James H. Bacon, president of the 
Pacific Coast Trust Company of San 
Francisco. California: and Harvey M. 
Bacon, vice president of the Pacific Coast 
Trust Company with offices at No. 708 
Market street. San P^rancisco. The father 
prosijered in business and at his <leath lett 
f(jurteen hundreil and thirty-six acres of 
land. 

Mrs. Johnson was a student in Hed- 
ding College at Abingdon, Illinois, at 
the same time Mr. Johnson attended 
there. The)- had been reared within six 
miles of each other, Inu it was in their 
college tla\'s that their friendship ri])ene(l 
into l(.)ve and was followed by marriage. 
The\- began their domestic life on the old 
Deniing farm of one hundred and sixt_\' 
acres, which was gi\-en Mr. Johnson by 
his father and which is still in possession 
of the family. There they resided for 
se\-enteen years, after which the\' silent 
two years in Hill's (irove. but later re- 
turned to St. Mary and purchased and im- 
pro\'ed another farm, whereon the}' re- 
sided until 1893. In that year they took 
up their abode in Carthage, Mr. Johnson 
purchasing a pretty home at the corner 
of Walnut and Washington streets. 
After his removal to the city he engaged 
in business as a stockman, buying and 
selling cattle on an extensixe scale. He 
also belonged to the Cattle Exchange and 
his Iiusiness interests were carefully con- 
ducted and netted him a \er_\- gratifying 
profit. 

Mr. John.son was a soldier of the Civil 
war, enlisting in the Se\'ent_\-first Illinois 
Infantrv. For a time he was in the hos- 
]>ital at Cairo. .\Ithough reared in the 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEir 



republican faith lie was independent in his 
poHtical views. He serx-ed as supervisor, 
school director and r(iad trustee and 
several years ago acted as alderman of 
Carthage for two years. His name was 
on the membership rolls of the Masonic 
fraternity, the jNIodern Woodmen camp 
and the Grand Army Pnst. nf all of which 
he was a worthy representati\e. His 
widow is one of the charter members and 
a director of the Daughters of the .Vmer- 
ican Revolution, belongs to the AA'oman's 
Relief Corps and to the \\'< iman's Chris- 
tian Temperance Union. lioth Mr. and 
Mrs. Johnson were devoted members of 
the Methodist church, in which he held 
all of the ofifices. Mrs. Johnson was a 
steward in the church for twelve years, 
or until she reared a son to take her place. 
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were born 
four children, of whom three are now liv- 
ing: Drenon M., born in Hancock 
county, July 4, 1864, is a farmer of this 
county. He married Miss Ella A. Can- 
non, of this county, December 28, 1887. 
and has a daughter, Ruth M. John 
Bacon, born March 4, 1866, in this 
county, is a stockman and cattle feeder, 
carrying on business near Carthage. He 
was married to Stella Walker, of this 
county, October 18, 1894. Damon J., 
born January 11, 1872, is a real estate 
dSaler of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He 
was graduated from the Northwestern 
University at Evanston, Illinois, in 1892, 
and on returning to Carthage read law 
with Berry Brothers and Judge Mack. 
In 1898, he enlisted for service in the 
Spanish-American war in the Fiftieth 
Iowa Infantry. He became a corporal 
and served for seven months. In 1899 



he enlistetl in the Thirt}'-second I'nited 
States Volunteers and went to the Philip- 
pines, where he remained for two years, 
being mustered out as sergeant. May 9, 
1901. He was wounded in the knee at 
the first battle of Angeles and was in the 
hospital for a long time. Mr. Johnson 
was a representative of a prominent pio- 
neer family of Illinois, as is his wife. 
Their respective parents were in limited 
circumstances on coming to this state but 
by wise investment in land and carefully 
directed business affairs became wealthy. 
Both Mr. and Mrs. Johnson had a wide 
acquaintance in Hancock county and were 
gladly received in those homes where in- 
telligence and culture are accepted as the 
passports into good society. When called 
to his final rest the funeral services were 
conducted at his home in Carthage by 
his pastor, Rev. Edwards, of the Metho- 
dist Episcopal church, assisted by Rev. 
Young, pastor of the Presbyterian church. 
At the conclusion of the services the re- 
mains, escorted by the Masonic lodge and 
Alexander Sympson post, G. A. R., were 
conveyed to Moss Ridge cemetery, the 
interment being made under the auspices 
of the Masonic fraternity. Mr. Johnson 
was highly respected throughout the 
county, where he had a wide acquaintance 
and all who knew him gave him their 
friendship and regard. WHiile taking an 
active part in politics and holding radical 
views on many of the questions of the day, 
he probably had as few political enemies 
as any man of equal political prominence. 
As a citizen he was public spirited and 
his co-operation could be counted upon 
for the betterment of conditions in mu- 
nicipal and county affairs. His life was 



MAX COCK COUNTY. I LUX 01 S. 



183 



upright and honorable, characterized b)- 
high moral principles antl many admirable 
tjualities, by a benevolent spirit antl hu- 
manitarian disposition. All who knew 
him recognized his many good traits of 
character, but his best qualities were re- 
served for his own home and fireside, 
where he was a UKjst devoted husljand 
and father. 



OBITUARY. 

^Matthew Mason Johnson, son of the 
late John T. and ^Nlaria Jc)hns()n, was 
born July 7, 1843. near L'rbana, Ohio, 
and died April 7, 1906, aged sixty-two 
years and nine months. 

He came with his parents in infancy 
to a farm in St. Mary's township, Han- 
cock county, Illinois, where he resided 
until 1893, when he became a resident of 
Carthage, Illinois. 

He was married to Mar}- A. biacon, 
of Hills Grove, McDonough county, Illi- 
nois, on October 2~, 1863. To this union 
were born four sons: Drenon ]\I. and 
John B., of this city; Damon J., i'>f Pitts- 
burg, Pennsylvania, and George L., who 
died in infanc}-. The widow, three sons, 
one granddaughter, three brothers. Hi- 
ram, Joseph and Nelson, one sister, Mrs. 
Orilla Botts and many other relatives and 
friends mourn his departure. 

He was converted and united with 
the Methodist Episcopal church at St. 
Marys, Illinois, in the year 1871, of which 
church he remained a member until he 
transferred his membership to the Meth- 
odist Episcopal church of Carthage. 

A few weeks before his death he ex- 



pressed his belief that bis time on earth 
was drawing to a close and that he was 
prepared to meet his God. While on a 
visit to the old neighborhood with his 
brcjthers and sister, he died very suddenly 
at the home of his brother. Nelson. 

He was a member of the Masonic lodge 
of Carthage, "Grand y\rmy of the Re- 
pubhc" and the Modern Woodmen of 
America. 

The funeral was held at the residence 
Monday at 2 p. m., ci.Miducted Ijy Rev. 
Edwards, pastor of the ^vFethodist Epis- 
copal church, assisted by Rev. Vovuig, 
pastor of the Pre.sbyterian church. 

At the conclusion of the services the 
remains, escorted by the Masonic lodge 
and Alexander Sympsim Post, G. A. R., 
of this city, were conx-eyed to i\Ioss Ridge 
and placed in the vault, the last sad rites 
being conducted by the Masons. 

The floral ofiferings were very profuse 
and beautiful, noticeable among them be- 
ing a wheel with one felloe missing from 
the Stockman's club of this city of which 
deceased was an honi.ired meml)er. He 
carried $4,000 insurance, $2,000 in the 
Modern Woodmen of America and 
$2,000 in the Banker's Life of Des 
Moines, Iowa. 

Deceased was a man highly respected 
all over the county, throughout which he 
had a wide acquaintance and his friends 
were limited only by his acc|uaintances. 
While taking an active part in politics 
and was rather radical in his views, he 
had probably as few political enemies as 
anv man of equal political prominence. 
As a citizen he was public-spirited and 
in speech and in deeds was always con- 
sistently in fa\-or of an\- movement look- 



i84 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl AEW 



ing to tlic Ijetterment of comlitiims in 
municipal or county al'lairs, 

lie was a man nf clean morals and 
possessed manv admirable (|ualities, al- 
ways willing to lend a helping hand to 
those in need and as a husband and father 
was an example worthy of emulation, and 
the entire community mourns with the 
sorrowing family in the loss sustained 
through his death. 



JOHX S. COCHRAN. 

John S. Cochran, editor and proprietor 
of the Hancock County Journal, which 
is the largest paper published in the 
county, has since 1894 been thus cmi- 
nected with the newspaper interests of 
Carthage, where he is also conducting a 
good job printing establishment, lie is 
one of the native suns of the cnunty seat, 
born March 14, 1873. his parents l;)eing 
L. B. and Emily ( Symonds ) Cochran. 
The father was l)orn in Kentucky in 1844 
and the mother's birth occurred in Xew 
Hampshire in 1846. At a very early day 
j\Ir. Cochran came to Hancock count}' 
and for a long period was identified with 
business interests in Carthage as a mer- 
chant. He enlisted in Company D of the 
Sixteenth Illinois Regiment in the Ci\il 
war and ser\ed throughout the period of 
hostilities, taking part in a number of im- 
portant engagements, the most sangui- 
nary of which was the l:)attle of Mission- 
ary kidge. For a time he was engaged 
in recruiting service in Hancock county. 
In his ])olilical affiliation Mr. Cochran has 



always been a stalwart republican and for 
twelve years served as postmaster of 
Carthage, beginning about 1870. Before 
their marriage both he antl his wife 'were 
teachers in the first public school in 
Carthage and the building is still stand- 
ing on Wabash avenue and Fayette street. 
In his fraternal relations Mr. Cochran is 
a Mason and passerl all of the chairs in 
the local lodge. His wife is a member of 
the I'resbyterian church. Her parents 
were Re\'. Frederick and Abbie S}'monds, 
the former a minister of the gospel, while 
he and his family were auKjug the found- 
ers of the Presbyterian church in Cai"- 
thage. In the family of Rew S^nionds 
were seven children, five of whom are 
now living: Sarah, the widow of J. W". 
Hawley, of Holton, Kansas; Edwin, who 
died in Chicago about a year ago, his 
family, liowe\er. still lixing in this 
county: ]\Iary. the widow of J. \\'. Haw- 
le\'. who was congressman from the old 
fourteenth, or Rock Island, district of Illi- 
nois and was coniplroller cjf currenc}' at 
\\'ashington during the Hayes adminis- 
tration. His widow is now living in 
Omaha. Nebraska. Emil}- S. is the wife 
of L. B. Cochran. Judge W". .V. Symonds 
is living in Carthage. A. F. Symonds 
makes his home in Peabody, Kansas, and 
John died while serving in the Civil wax 
as a member of the regiment commanded, 
by Major McClaughrey. Unt() ]Mr. and 
Mrs. L. B. Cochran were born four chil- 
dren : Mary, the wife of Professor R. C. 
Crum, of Ouincy. Illinois: Isabella, a 
popular teacher of .Sioux City, Iowa; 
Robert, who died in 1891, at the age of 
twenty years and was Iniried in Carthage 
cemeterv: and fohn S.. of this review. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



185 



At the usual age John S. Cochran 
entered the public schools ami passed 
through successive grades until he com- 
pleted the high school course and after- 
ward studied in Carthage College. He 
was later associated in the newspaper 
business with his father for a year or so, 
they purchasing the Journal in 180-. In 
1894. Mr Cochran bought his father's 
interest and is still engaged in the ])ubli- 
cation of the Hancock County Joiu'nal. 
which is a weekly [)apcr ami the largest 
published in the county, being the otficial 
organ of the Repulilican party. Its cir- 
culation e.xceeds that of any other news- 
paper and it is well worthy the public 
patronage, being conducted along modern 
lines of journalism. The office is on 
\\'abash avenue and in connection with 
the department for the publication of the 
paper he also conducts a large job print- 
ing department and has a good patronage 
in this line. 

On the 28th of June, 1898, Mr. Coch- 
ran was united in marriage to Miss Kmily 
M. Johnson, who was born in (_)m<aha. 
Nebraska. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Cochran 
has been born a little daughter, Sarah 
Evelyn, who was born in Carthage, Feb- 
ruary 8, 1902. 

In his political views Mr, Cochran is a 
republican and has been city clerk of 
Carthage. He has been greatl_\- and 
actively interested in local and county 
politics and has continuously ser\'ed on 
some committee in connection with the 
management of the party affairs. Fra- 
ternally he is connected with the Knights 
of Pythias and the Court of Honor. He 
has in Carthage erected several houses, 
all of which he has sold with the excep- 



tion of the last one, which he built at the 
corner of Locust street and Ouincy road. 
He is an acti\-e, energetic man and is 
very prosperous for one of his years. 
His success moreover is attributable to his 
own labors and keen business discernment. 
He is a young man of strong intelligence, 
who has been a student of the signs (jf 
the times relating to business and polit- 
ical devel(.)pment and he stands for prog- 
ress and improvement at all times. Both 
he and his wife are consistent and helpful 
members of the Presbvterian church. 



DR. BRIGGS JUDD FULLER. 

Briggs Judd Fuller, formerly identilied 
with the dental profession of Hancock 
county but now living retired in Warsaw, 
is a native of I^ee, Berkshire county, 
Massachusetts, his birth haxing there (oc- 
curred on the Sth of December, 1843, His 
father, Albert Fuller, came to this county 
in 1856, and here spent his remaining 
days, his death having occurred February 
6, 1880. His widow, who Ijore the 
maiden name of Julia Judd, still survives 
and now makes her home with her son, 
Briggs J., in W'arsaw. 

Dr. Fuller was a lad of twelve years 
when he accompanied bis ])<arents <)n their 
removal to Hancock comit}-, and in the 
schools of Warsaw acquired his early 
education. In 1864 he enlisted for ser- 
vice in the army, joining a company which 
was organized at ^^'arsaw and which was 
mustered in for service at Ouincv. The 



i86 



BIOGRAPIIICAL RET I Ell' 



company was assigned tn dut\- witli the 
.\rniy of tlie Tennessee and at once went 
to Memphis, where, in the first battle in 
which Dr. I'^nllcr w^as engaged he was 
captured and taken as a prisoner of war 
to Cahaha, Alabama, to Castle Morgan 
prison, and then went to Vicksbtu'g. 
where he was parolled and where he was 
granted a furlough and went to Spring- 
field, being there mustered out of service. 

Choosing" the profession of dentistr) 
as a life work, he entered the Missouri 
Dental College, at St. Louis, from wiiich 
he was graduated in 1871 with the degree 
of D. D. S. He afterward pursued a 
course in the St. Louis Medical College. 
Following his graduation he returned to 
his home in this city, where he opened 
an office and successfully engaged in the 
practice of his profession for a number 
of vears in Warsaw, since which time 
he has lived retired, now making his 
home with his mother and sister in this 
cit\'. He has here formed a very wide 
acquaintance both professionally and so- 
cially and is highly esteemed, for he has 
ever been straightforward and honorable 
in every relation of life. 

A brother. Dr. Albert Homer T'uller, 
was also in the Civil w-ar, and -enlisted in 
1862, and served for three years. He 
resides in St. Louis, ^lissouri. where he 
is a practicing dentist. He was for many 
years Dean of Missouri Dental College 
of Washington University, at St. Louis, 
Missouri, but has now retired from the 
college. While connected with the col- 
leg'e his work was veiy satisfactory, not 
only to the faculty, but also to the stu- 
dents, many of whom have becc_>nie 
(listineuished. 



JAMES W. McKEE. 

James W. McKee. now living retired in 
Carthage, was born in Ohio, near Ripler, 
April 30, 1840. His father, James McKee, 
Sr., was born in McKeesport, Pennsylva- 
nia, in 1777. and removed to Ohio wdien 
about thirty-five years of age, after which 
he regularly visited his old home in Penn- 
syhania once a year, walking one way 
and riding horseback the other way. He 
was an enterprising farmer and a diligent 
man, whose life was always characterized 
by integrity in all business transactions. 
ITe served his country as a soldier in the 
war of 1812 and his life at all times con- 
formed to a high standard of conduct. 
He was married twice and there were 
ten children by the first marriage and 
nine by the second, while his sec(ind wife 
had five children by a prior marriage. 
One of the sons. Nathaniel McKee, was 
a soldier of the Civil war, enlisting in 
the Seventh Missouri Cavalry under 
Cajitain Miller. 

James W. McKee spent the days of 
his boyhood and youth in Ohio, and at 
the age of seventeen years came to Illi- 
nois with his parents, settling on a farm 
in Carthage township, where he owned 
one hundred acres. He has followed 
general farming and stock-raising for 
many years, giving his attention to that 
calling until 1895, when he retired. He 
made good and substantial improvements 
upon his land, placing the fields under a 
high state of cultivation, adding modern 
improvements and using the latest im- 
proved machinery for plowing, planting 
and harvesting. As the years passed he 
prospered in his undertakings and in 1895 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



187 



he removed to Carthage, where he l)uilt 
a modern home on Schofield street and 
is now spending the evening" of life in 
comfort, for in former years he acquired 
a competence sufficient to supj)!}- him with 
the necessities and many of the kixuries 
of Hfe. October 13. 1859, Air. McKee 
was married to Miss Margaret Weir, whu 
was born in Washington cnunt}", IiKbana. 
August 21. 1840. a daughter of Cieorge 
Weir, who was a successful farmer. 
George Weir, cne of the sons, was a sijl- 
dier of the Civil war, enlisting in the 
One Hundred and Eighteenth Illinois In- 
fantry, and died while in service, becoming 
ill at Jefferson Barracks. Both Mr. and 
Mrs. Weir have passed away. Mr. and 
Airs. J. \\'. Mclvee ha\e become the par- 
ents of five children, who are now li\'- 
ing. Ida is the wife of Edward Arm- 
strong, who occupies a position in the 
piistoffice in Chicag(j, and they ha\e three 
children, Ruth, Edna and Harry. Albert 
Xathaniel is proprietor of a grocery store 
in Carthage. Margaret is the wife of 
Emanuel Gildner, a wholesale clothing 
merchant of Chicago. EfHe is the wife 
of Charles Peirson, of Chicago, and Maud 
is also in Chicago. 

Mr. and Airs. McKee are loyal and 
consistent memljers of the Presbyterian 
church, in which he has ser\-ed as ;in elder. 
They take a very active and helpful ]>art 
in church work and Airs. AIcKee has been 
president of the Ladies" Aid Society. 
They have a pleasant home in Carthage, 
and in addition to this property Air. AIc- 
Kee owns a house, which he rents and 
also two large farms in the county, one 
in Carthage township and one in Hancrick 
township, from which he derives a grati- 



fving income. In a review of his life it 
will be seen that he had no assistance 
when he started upon his business career 
but the spirit of self-help is the source of 
all genuine worth in the individual, and 
placing his reliance on the substantial 
qualities of industry and close application. 
Air. AIcKee worked his way steadily up- 
ward until he reached the plane of aHlu- 
ence. Intlustry antl economy constitute a 
safe basis on which to build prosperity — a 
fact which he early recognized and which 
he has utilized in his business career. His 
political allegiance is given to the Repub- 
lican party and he served as road com- 
missioner and as school director for a, 
number of years. Both he and his wife 
are jjleasant, genial people, interested in 
all that ))ertains to the welfare of their 
city and state and to the interests of 
mankind, and they number their friends 
in Carthage and Hancock count}' b}' the 
score. 



ALBERT NATHANIEL AIcKEE. 

Albert Nathaniel AIcKee, engaged in 
the grocery Inisiness in Carthage, was 
born in Hancock county, in iSr^. a son 
of James W. and Alargaret (Weir) AIc- 
Kee, who are represented elsewhere in 
this work. His education was acquired 
in the district schools and he entered upon 
his business career as proprietor of a res- 
taurant in Carthage, which he conducted 
for a year. He then accepte<l a position 
as fireman on the Chicago, Burlington & 
Ouincv Railroad, being thus employed for 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI'IFA 



three years, after which he was a brake- 
man for. a year on the Keokuk & Western 
Raih-oad. Me next went to Qumcy. Ihi- 
nois, spen(hng- a year in the Electric 
\\'heel Works, after w-hich he returned to 
Carthage, where he devoted the succeed- 
ing year to looking after various prop- 
erties. Going to Chicago he operated a 
motor car of the Chicago City Railway 
Company for eight years, and on the e.xpi- 
ration of that period he removed to Ren- 
nick, Missouri, where he devoted three 
years to farming. He next went to 
Moberly. Missouri, where he was em- 
ployed in a machine shop for about a year. 
In 1905 he returned to Carthage and pur- 
chaged the corner property on Schofield 
and Buchanan streets, opening the only 
grocery store in the northern part of the 
city. He has a well appointed store, car- 
rying a carefully selected line of staple 
and fancy groceries and also a well se- 
lected stock of muslins, prints, notions 
and no>elties, it l)cing a great convenience 
to the entire neighborhood to have such 
an establishment in their midst. 

On the 28th of August, i88g, Mr. yic- 
Kee was married to Miss Alice Yetter, 
who w'as born September 21, 1867, in 
Carthage township, Hancock county, a 
daughter of S. R. and Hester (Halbert) 
Vetter. The father was Ijorn in Lan- 
caster county, Peimsyhania, in 1824, and 
the mother in Kentucky, in 1836. Mr. 
Vetter was a farmer by occupation and 
was only twelve years of age when 
brought to Illinois, where he has devoted 
his life to agricultural pursuits. He still 
lives on his farm but is now practically 
living retired. His political allegiance is 
gi\-en to the Republican ]>arty and he has 



served as justice of the peace for many 
years, proving a fair and impartial of- 
licer. Fraternally he is a Alason. In his 
family were ten children, of whom seven 
are now living, as follows: Laura, the 
wife of Lewis Tull, a resident of Berke- 
ley. California : Mary, the wife of Rich- 
ard White, of Carthage, who is men- 
tioned elesewhere in this volume: John 
C, of Carthage; Charles, wdio is living 
in Beardstown, Illinois; Alice, now Mrs. 
McKee; Margaret, the wife of P. H. 
Willey, of Peabody, Kansas; and Ralph, 
at home. Mr. and Mrs. Yetter are de- 
voted members of the Alethodist church 
and in his younger }ears he tilled at 
ditterent times all of the church offices. 
Tbev are people of the highest respecta- 
bility, their upright, honorable lives hav- 
ing gained for them the esteem and con- 
fidence of all with whom they ha\'e been 
associated. 

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. INlcKee 
has been blessed with four children. 
Earl, who was l)orn October 23. iS<)0, 
in Keokuk. Iowa, and is attending the 
high school; Ray. who was l)orn in Keo- 
kuk, in 1892; Helen, born in Chicago, in 
1893: and Harold, who was born in Chi- 
cago in i8t)6, and died in 1897, being- 
laid to rest in ]\Ioss Ridge cemetery at 
Carthage. The three living children ;n-e 
all in school, the parents givin.g to them 
good educational privileges. Mr. and 
Mrs. McKee are faithful meml)ers of the 
Presbyterian church and he belongs to the 
iSIodern Woodmen camp and to the Chi- 
cago Mutual Aid, while his political al- 
legiance is given t<j the Republican party. 
Lie has depended upon his own resources 
from an earlv age and whate\-er success 



HAXCOCK COUNTY, ILLIXOIS. 



189 



he has achie\ed has resulted from his 
perseverance, labur ami ready adaptabil- 
ity. He has attained a credital)le meas- 
tire (if success for one of his years and 
is now proprietor of a good store, in 
which he is enjo}ing a large patronage. 
He is located on a very pretty corner 
which he has impro\-e<.l by the erection of 
a handsome and commodious modern 
residence on Schofield street adjoining the 
store and he contemplates building a new' 
store building in the near future. He is 
courteous and accommixlating and his 
business is constantly growing. He pos- 
sesses laudable amljition and energy and 
his wife has Ijeen (if much assistance to 
him. 



FREDERICK A\". ^^lEYER. 

Frederick A\'. Meyer, who is living in 
Walker township, was l.iorn in Adams 
county, Illinois, January 18, 1856. and is 
of German lineage. His parents, Got- 
lieb and Henrietta Yetter ( Homer ) 
^leyer, were Ijotli nati\'es of the father- 
land. The former, born in 1829, died in 
1895, but Mrs. Meyer is still living at the 
home in Adams county. He was a 
farmer, and in 1854 crossed the Atlantic 
to the new world, making the voyage in 
a sailing vessel, which was three weeks 
in reaching the American port. Unto 
him and his wife were born eight chil- 
dren: Caroline, the wife of Gotlieb 
Roskamp, of Walker township: F. W., 
of this review; Fredericka, the wife of 
Ernest Distlehorst, of Horton : Augusta, 



the wife of Henry Slitman, of Adams 
count}', Illinois: Louisa, the wife of Ed 
Cook, of Mendon, this state : Emma, the 
wife of James Knox, of Adams county ; 
Anna, at home; and Gotlieb, who for 
eight years was in the Philippine Islamls, 
but is now in St. Louis, Missouri. 

F. W. Meyer pursued his education in 
the public schools of Quincy, Illinois, and 
at Fowler, this state. In his youth he 
largely assisted his father in the work of 
the home farm and eventual!}- began earn- 
ing his living by working as a farm hand^ 
for two months in the eniplo}- of Mr. 
Buckeder. He was married in 1883 to 
Miss Minnie Althede, who was l)orn in an 
old log house standing on the farm which 
is now the home of Air. Meyer. Her 
natal year was i860, and her parents were 
Gotlieb and Rickie (Hocker) Althede, 
both natives of Germany. Her father 
]jrovided for his family by following 
farming and feeding stock in Walker 
township for many years but in early life 
he learned and followed the tailor's trade. 
He died m 1902, and his widow is now 
living at her daughter's, Mrs. Wiebrock, 
in Walker township. Mr. Althede served 
in the German army in his native country 
and was also a soldier of the Civil war 
in this country for eight months. In his 
family were six children who are yet liv- 
ing: Fred, who resides in Wythe town- 
■ship; Mrs. Meyer; Henry and Gotlieb, 
who are farmers of Walker township; 
Mrs. Carrie Wiebrock, of Walker town- 
ship: and John, living in the same town- 
ship. 

About a year after his marriage Mr. 
Meyer purchased his present farm home 
of his father-in-law, and now has eighty 



190 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllE]]- 



acres mi section 4. Walker township. He 
built his .present residence in 1892, taking 
possession on the 14th of June. In 1888 
he built a good barn thirty-two by forty- 
tour feet and has also put up other sub- 
stantial buildings on the place. He like- 
wise owns eighty-three acres of land near 
Hamilton, Illinois, which is improved, 
and sixtj'-two acres of [jasture land in 
Bear Creek township, beside a store build- 
ing in Sutter which is occupied by Wil- 
liam Shipe. and two houses in Sutter 
which he rents. His attention is mainly 
given to general agricultural pursuits and 
stock-raising, and upon his place he has 
a young orchard of six acres of peaches 
and apples, only about three years old. 
He is entirely a self-made man. who 
started out in life in limited circumstances. 
In his earlier years he practiced frugality 
and industry and as the result of his 
earnest labor he and his wife are now 
enabled to enjoy man}' of the comforts 
which go to make life worth living. 

L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Meyer have been 
bom ele\en children, of whom nine sur- 
vive: Lydia, the wife of Charles Mur- 
rav, who li\xs on her father's farm near 
Hamilton, b\' whom she has two daugh- 
ters, Elise and lulna : Carrie, the wife of 
Gotlieb Humke, of A\'ythe township; 
Alice, will) is witli her parents; Ceorge. 
eighteen years of age, at home; l'>ertha, 
Rosa. Sophia, Dora and Sadie, all yet 
under the ])a rental roof. 

Mr. ]\[eyer is a repul>lic;ui. inflexible 
ill sup])ort of the principles of his part}' 
}'et without aspiration for oiifice. Both 
he and his wife are memljers rif the Ger- 
man church and are intelligent, well re- 
spected citizens. He is now ipiite an ex- 



tensive landowner and all his property 
has been acquired through his own efforts. 
It is a record of which he has every reason 
to be proud and it shows what may be 
accomplished in this countr}' where labor 
is unhampered by caste or class and 
where opportunity is open to all. 



FRED N. MI LEY. 



Fred N. Milby, editor and proprietor 
of the Carthage Weekly Democrat, has 
made a notable success for one of his 
years, and in his career as a journalist 
has kept abreast with the modern prog- 
ress which has been manifest in late years 
in the newspaper field. He is a native 
son of Hancock county, having been born 
near Carthage, March 1-5, 1873, his par- 
ents being David W. and Catherine 
(Curry) ]\Iilb}'. Tlie father was born in 
Delaware, July 12, 1831. and the 
mother's birth i/icurred in Louis\ille, Ken- 
tucky, March 13, 1834. Mr. ^ililby was 
a farmer by occupation and was brought 
to Illinois in his childhood days, settling 
with his parents at Rushville in Schuyler 
count}', whence he came to Hancock- 
county about thirty-five years ago. He 
died in Carthage, December 22, 1895, 
respected b}' all who knew him and his 
reniains were interred in Moss Ridge 
cemetery. His political views were in 
harmonv with the ])rinciples of democ- 
racy. His wife, a member of the Chris- 
tian church, is now living with her son 
Fred. The^■ had a familv of sex'en chil- 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



191 



dren. all of wliDin yet sur\i\e. namely; 
Albert B., residing near lulip, MissDinn: 
Jennie, the wife of I'erry l^^ancher, resid- 
ing" in Carthage Alissouri ; Laura, li\-ing 
with her mother; Thomas G., of Car- 
thage; Anna D., the wife of E. L. Yates, 
of Perkins, Oklahoma: Fred M. : and 
Carrie \[.. \\hi> is assisting her brother 
Fred in his office. Thomas J. Curry, a 
brother of Mrs. David ^^'. Milby. was a 
soldier in the Ci\'il war, ser\-ing through- 
out the period of hostilities as captain of 
Company C, One Hundred and Eight- 
eenth Volunteer Infantry. Two other 
brothers, James and Duncan Curry, were 
also members of the same regiment, si 
that the famil}- was well represented in 
the anil}'. 

In the public schools of Carthage I'red 
N. Milby acquired his education and after- 
ward learned the printer's trade, which 
he followed in this city as an employe until 
1899, when he estaljlished a printing of- 
fice of his own in the Ouinby Block on 
Jefferson street. He is also editor and 
proprietor of the Carthage Weekly Demo- 
crat, a paper which has a large circulation 
in the city and county. This is one of 
the strong democratic organs of the 
county and in connection with its pul)li- 
cation he also conducts a prosperous job- 
bing printing business, having an office 
well equipped for turning out first class 
work, so that a liberal patronage is ac- 
cijrded him. 

On the 29th of November, 1900. ^Ir. 
Milby was married to Miss Mabel G. 
Linn, who was born in West Point, Illi- 
nois in 1883, a daughter of George \\'. 
and Irene (Browning) Linn. Her father 
was a native of Adams count\'. Illinois. 



and the mother was also bom in this 
state. ^Ir. Linn is a blacksmith b_\ trade 
and followed that pursuit until his death, 
which (jccurred January 4. 11)05. His 
wife had passed awav in Jul}'. 1896. and 
they were buried near West Point. Illi- 
nois. His political allegiance was gi\-en 
to the Republican party. Mrs. Milby 
was the youngest of their family of four 
children, the others being (ieorge IL. 
of Carthage; Cora (_'r.. the wife of Ed- 
\\ard Fletcher; and Xora. All .are still 
residents of Carthage. Mr. Milby pur- 
chased a prettv home on Locust and 
Washington streets, where he now resides 
and unto him and his w ife ha\e been born 
two children. Ivatherine Irene and Ken- 
neth Richmond, the former Ijorn L)eceni- 
l.)er 22. 1901. and the latter June 10. 1903. 
Kenneth died March 11, 190O. In con- 
nection with his home property Mr. Milby 
also owns several vacant lots in Carthage 
and a lousiness h(_)use. The spirit of self- 
help is the source of all true worth in 
the individual and it has been the domi- 
nant factor in the life record of Mr. Milby 
who had no assistance as he entered upon 
the task of providing for his own su])port 
and making for himself a place in Inisi- 
ness circles. His upright life, his energy 
and the exercise of his native talents con- 
stitute the material from which he has 
luiilded his present prosperity and he has 
won a creditable place for one ot his 
\'ears, while his talents bespeak for him 
still greater achiexements in the future. 
He takes a most acti\e interest in public 
aft'airs and as a pri\-ate citizen and 
through the columns of his paper as well, 
he labors efi^ectivelv for the welfare of his 
citv and countv. He has alwavs been a 



192 



BIOGRAPHICAL RE I 'IE J I ' 



chaiiipion of the democracy and is con- 
nected with Knights of I'_\thias fraternity, 
exemplifying in his hfe its benehcent 
spirit. 

Mr. Milby has erected a line Ijusiness 
Iniilding un the east side of the s(|uare, 
and the second story is now the home of 
the Democrat, the lirst story l)eing nsed 
as a store. 



WILLIAM A. SYiMONDS. 

W ilham A. Symonds. who is now ser\-- 
ing for the fifth term as justice of the 
peace in Carthage, is one of the represen- 
tative citizens of the county. Few men 
are more widely known in Carthage, fin- 
he has been an im])ortant factor in pro- 
fessional, political and church circles and 
his popularity is well desen-ed, as in him 
are embraced the characteristics of an 
unbending integrity, unabating energy 
and industry that never flags. He is public 
spirited and thoroughly interested in 
whatever tends to promote the moral, in- 
tellectual and material welfare of the 
county. 

A native of New Hampshire, William 
A. Svmonds was born in Hillsborough 
county on the 31st of October, 1844, his 
parents Ijeing Frederick W. and Aljbie 
(Lawton) Symonds. The father was also 
bom in Hillsborough county and the 
mother's birth occurred in one of the 
eastern states. Coming to Illinois in 
1847, Frederick W. Symonds settled near 
Carthage and carried on general agricul- 
tural pursuits up to the time of his death. 



Both he and his wife passed wa_\' in [853 
and were buried in the Carthage cemetery. 
In their family were seven children, of 
. whom five are yet living. Two of the 
sons were soldiers of the Civil war. Ed- 
w in K. enlisted for three years in the One 
Hundred and Nineteenth Illinois Infantry 
and Continued with the army until the 
close of hostilities. He died a few yeavs 
ago. John L. Symonds, who was a mem- 
Iicr of the One Flunth-ed and Eighteenth 
Illinois Infantr}-, became ill while in the 
ser\ice and died near X'icksburg. ^^'il- 
liam L. Rand, a cousin of Judge Symonds, 
was also a member of the One Hundred 
and Eighteenth Illinois Infantry and now 
li\es in Carthage. Another relative, L. 
B. Cochran, a husband of Emilv S. Sy- 
monds, ser\-ed throughout the war in the 
Sixteenth Illinois Infantr}- and is now in 
Alissouri. John B. Hawley, who married 
jMary V. S}'monds, another sister, also 
ser\-ed in an Illinois regiment and was a 
captain of his company. Fie took part 
in the Ixittle of I'ort Donelson and lost 
his health there on account of exposure 
ami had t(.) resign anti practiced law at 
Rock Island, Illinois, and was elected 
congressman from that district. He 
served as assistant secretary of treasury 
under Sherman. .\n old shot gun which 
was used b}' an ancestor in the Revolu- 
tionary war is still in possession of the 
Symonds family. 

Judge Symonds of this review, being 
brought to Hancock county when only 
three years of age, was educated in the 
public schools of Carthage and also at- 
tended college in Jacksonville, Illinois, for 
a year. He afterward engaged in teach- 
ing school for several vears in this count\'. 



H.-^XCOCK COi'XTV. ILLIXOIS. 



193 



Imt in the fall of i8(;4 put asiile his pm- 
fessional duties and personal interests in 
order to espouse the L'nion cause, enlist- 
ing when twenty years of ai^e as a mem- 
ber of the One Hundred and h'orty-sixth 
Infajitrv. with which he continue<l until 
peace was restored. He then returned 
to Carthage and again taught school. 
while later he dev<ited his summer mouths 
to farming and in the winter sea.sons con- 
tinued in the profession of teaching. In 
i86() he tiHik up the study of law with 
David Mack as his preceptor, reading 
with him for two years and afterward 
practicing with him for a similar period. 
He then entered upon ])ractice alone in 
Carthage, being city attorney for two 
years when the cit)' almlished saloons, and 
followed his profession fur sexeral years, 
when on account of ill health he retired 
from active practice and turned his at- 
tention to farming. belie\ing that the out- 
door life W(_)uld prove beneficial. Crad- 
uallw however, he resumed his law work 
and throughout much of an actix'e busi- 
ness career his attention has been gi\en 
to the practice of law in probate court, 
but principally in settling of estates. 

In his political views Judge Symonds 
has always been a stanch republican, sup- 
porting the party since age conferred ui)ou 
him the right of franchise. In 1S74 he 
was chosen school clerk and continued 
in the office until his removal to the farm. 
Later he was again appointed to the same 
position and was treasurer of the school 
board for tweh'e or fifteen years, although 
his ser\'ice was not consecutive. He is 
now filling for the fifth term the pijsition 
of justice of the peace, so that his in- 
cumbency covers almost twenty years. 



For many years he has been public ad- 
ministrator of the county, lie has also 
been notary public throughout his con- 
nection with the Hancock county bar and 
no public trust reposed m him has 'ever 
lieen betrayed in the slightest degree. In 
connection with his business affairs and 
official duties he has also been insurance 
agent for many years. 

Mr. Svmonds was married Xo\eni1>er 
26, 1 878, to [Miss Alary Spangler. a daugh- 
ter of William M. and Sarah E. Span- 
gler, whose sketch is also in this review. 
Five sisters of the family are still living. 
L'nto ]\Ir. and ]\lrs. Symonds have been 
born seven children, all natives of Car- 
thage : The eldest, Abbie, died in infancy, 
the rest are: Frederick \\'., who was 
twenty-two years of age on the loth of 
January, 1906, is a graduate of the Car- 
thage high school and is now studying 
engineering under the direction of Scran- 
ton ( Pennsylvania) Correspondence 
School. Emily Clare, also a high school 
graduate, is now assisting her father in 
his office. James S. is a high school 
student. Raymond H., Alar}- E. and John 
H., the youngest now lune years of age, 
are all in school. Air. and Mrs. Symonds 
reside in the southwest part of the city 
and since purchasing his home he has 
remodeled both the exterior and interior 
and now has a \er)- comfortable and at- 
tractive property. Mr. Symonds has 
been a Mason for many years, belonging 
to Hancock Lodge, No. 20, Ancient 
Free and Accepted Masons. He likewise 
holds membership relations with the 
^^'oodmen and with Alexander Post, No. 
455. Grand Army of the Republic, in 
which he has been adjutant foi- fi\-e or 



194 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriEW 



six years. Both he and his wife are 
members of the Presbyterian church, in 
whicii lie acted as clerk fur many years, 
while for ten or twebe years he has jjeen 
a ruling- elder, takin.s^' a most active part 
in church work and dning- all in his prnver 
to promote its ^rdwth and extend its in- 
fluence. He is widely and favorably 
known throughout the county. The terms 
progress and patriotism might well l;)e 
considered the key note of his character, 
for throughout his career he has labored 
for the impro\-ement of every line of fnisi- 
ness or public interest with which he has 
been associated and at all times has been 
actuated b}' a tidelitv to his country and 
her welfare. 



JOHN H. HORXEY. 

John H. Hi)rne}', who fur man_\' }'ears 
was identified with agricultural pursuits 
in Hancock county but is now li\'ing re- 
tired, is numbered among the earl_\' set- 
tlers of this part of the state and has been 
an active factor not onh- in business circles 
btit also in ])ublic life, several official 
duties having been bestowed upon him, 
the duties of which be has faithfulh' and 
promptly discharged. He is now ser\- 
ing as rural mail carrier and he likewise 
proved his loyalty and his devotion to his 
country by active service in the Civil war. 
The years of his residence in Hancock 
county co^■er the period fr(jni 1851 to the 
present time. 

A native of Warren couiit\', Illinois, 



Mr. Horney was born on the 3d of Au- 
gust, 1 84 1, his parents being Lemuel and 
Cynthia (Brunton) Horney. The father 
was jjorn in North Carolina in 1809 about 
thirty miles from Raleigh, the capital of 
that state. There he resided continuously 
until r8_'7, when, at the age of eighteen 
vears. he became a resident of Schuyler 
county, Illinois, having made the journey 
to the west with his parents. He lived 
in that count}" for some years after his 
marriage and was there engagetl in farm- 
ing. Later he removed to Warren 
countv, Illinois, where he carried on gen- 
eral agricultural pursuits and in 1831 he 
came with his family to Hancock county, 
settling on section 12, Wythe township. 
There he purchased one hundred and sixty 
acres of land, which he transformed into 
a good farm, making his home thereon 
until his death, which occurred in Au- 
gust, 1863, resulting from the kick of a 
mule. He was at that time fift\-four 
^'ears of age. He had serxed in the 
Black Hawk war and was one of the pio- 
neers of the state, closeh- associated with 
its earl_\" (le\'el(-ii)ment and progress. He 
shared in the har(lshii)s and pri\ations in- 
cident to life on the frontier and as the 
vears passed contributed to the develop- 
ment and upbuilding of the localities in 
which he lived. He was a devoted mem- 
lier of the ]\Iethodist Episcopal church, in 
which he ser\-ed as a trustee and class- 
leader for many years. He was also a 
pros])erous and progressi\'e citizen whose 
well directeil business affairs brought to 
him a gratif\'ing competence. His po- 
litical allegiance was given to the denioc- 
rac\- and for a number of years he served 
as sujierx-isor from that township. He 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



195 



also acted as justice of the peace for 
some time and during his residence in 
Warren count}-, Ihinois, he served as ma- 
jor in the state militia. His wife, who 
bore the maiden name of Cynthia A. 
Brunton, was born in Hamihon county, 
Ohio, and was also a ^lethodist in her re- 
ligious faith, taking an acti\e and help- 
ful part in the work of the church. She 
survived her husband for man}- }-ears 
her death ocurring in 1900. and her re- 
mains were then interred l)y the side of 
his grave in the cemetery at Basco, Illi- 
nois. In their family were nine children, 
four of whom are yet li\-ing but John H. 
Horney is the only one now residing in 
this state. 

Mr. Horney of this review was a lad 
of about ten years when he accompanied 
his parents on their removal to Hancock 
county. He began his education at the 
place of his birth and continued his studies 
in the public schools of \\'ythe township. 
After completing his own education he 
engaged in teaching in the district schools 
and in the village of Elvaston. success- 
fully following that profession for 
twenty-one years. He also carried on 
farming in Wythe township, having pur- 
chased a tract of land, adjoining the old 
homestead property. He resided thereon 
for a number of years and then went to 
North Dakota, where he spent nearly four 
years. Oir the expiration of that period 
he returned to Hancock county, making 
his home upon the farm belonging to his 
father-in-law in Wythe township. There 
he continued to reside until about five 
years ago and was accounted one of the 
enterprising" agriculturists of the com- 
munity. Since 1901, however, he has 



resided in the village of Elvaston, having 
retired from farm life but indolence and 
idleness are utterly foreign to his nature 
and in order to have some occupation he 
became rural mail carrier on the onl\- 
route out of Elvaston. He has also done 
considerable surveying for individuals and 
railroad companies and also for the drain- 
age committee and he acted as count}- 
surveyor for ten }-ears. while living uiion 
the farm. In his political \-ie\\s he is an 
earnest deniocrat and for some time held 
the office of president of the town board 
of Elvaston and was assessor of Prairie 
township for one term. No public trust 
reposed in him has ever been betrayed in 
the slightest degree and his efficiency and 
capability have long been recognized. 

yiv. Horney has always been a loyal 
and public-spirited citizen and his de- 
votion to his country was earl}- manifest 
l.iy his ser\-ice in the Civil war. for when 
but twenty-one years of age he enlisted 
on the 1 2th of August, 1862, as a member 
of Company H, One Hundred and Eight- 
eenth Illinois Infantry, with which he 
served for about one year, when he was 
discharged at Black River Bridge, Mis- 
sissippi. He participated in the siege of 
Vicksburg and an engagement at Arkan- 
sas Post and was sergeant of his com- 
pany but illness compelled him to leave 
the army. He is now a member of the 
Grand Army of the Republic and thus 
maintains pleasant relations with his old 
army comrades of the Civil war. 

Mr. Horney was married on the 30th 
of January, 1868, to Miss Clara E. Berry, 
a daughter of Joshua C. and Mary B. 
(Barker) Berry, the former a native of 
New Hampshire and the latter of ]\Iassa- 



196 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriEJJ- 



chusetts. They went to Ohio at an early 
day and in 1854 came to Hancock connt}-, 
Ilhnois, setthng in Wythe townshi]), 
where the father followed farniini^" and 
surveyinii'. His abilit}' in the latter di- 
rection led to his election to the office of 
county sur\evor for a number of terms. 
He died at the advanced age of eighty- 
two years, while his wife reached the ripe 
old age of eighty-six years. L'nto Mr. 
and Mrs. Horney have been b(_>rn li\e 
children, four of whom are now li\ing. 
Frank B.. residing in I-^haston, married 
Miss Kate Daw and they have two chil- 
dren. Nellie !•". and Frank ]). ; Ettie A. is 
at home. Charles H. died at the age of 
tliree weeks. Eola is now the wife of 
J. Frank Cameron, of Elvaslon, and has 
one child, Glenn. Jessie M., the y<iung- 
est, is a student in the [niblic schools. 
All of the children were l)orn in \\'}the 
township. The parents are members of 
the Presbyterian church, in which Mr. 
Horney is serving as an elder. There are 
many chapters in his life histor_\' that are 
worthy <.if emulation, for he pro\e(l a 
bra\e and loyal soldier, has been equalK' 
faithful in citizenship in times of [leace, 
has been straightforward in his business 
dealings and in public office has pro\ed 
himself fully worthy of the trust of his 
fellowmen. 



CHARLES H.GARXETT. A. M.. LT.B. 

Charles H. Garnett. one of the promi- 
nent law\ers of western Illinois. wlKJse 



abilit}- is indicated by his extensi\'e client- 
age not only in Carthage but in other 
cities as well, was born in Colmar, Mc- 
Donough county, Illinois. Januar\' 12. 
1873, his parents being Robert K. and 
Annie E. ( Hunter) Garnett. Robert K. 
(iarnett was a grandson in the maternal 
line of Reuben Graves, who served as 
a soldier of the war of 181 2. The ma- 
ternal grandparents of our subject came 
to America from the north of Ireland 
near Colerain when about twenty years 
of age. Robert K. Garnett was Ijorn at 
St. Marys, Hancock county. Illinois. Au- 
gust 4. 1844. and for manv \'ears has lieen 
a successful farmer in his native tmvn- 
ship where now he (_)wns a line farm of two 
hundred and forty acres. He has ser\-ed 
as justice of the peace for ten or twelve 
years and was also township collector, 
discharging his duties of his different of- 
fices with promptness and fidelity. His 
political allegiance is given to the democ- 
rac\' and he is recognized as a local leader 
in the partv ranks as well as an influential 
factor in agricultural circles. He married 
Miss Annie E. Hunter, a daughter of 
James and Martha (Logan) Hunter, who 
was liorn in Catasauqua, I'ennsyl\-ania, 
Octi.iber IQ, 1845, and is also li\'ing. 
They have eight children: Mary \'.. the 
wife of J. Minor P.otts. of St. Marys, 
Illinois: Lulu O., the wife of \\'il!iani G. 
Botts, of Carthage; Charles H.. of this 
review; Grace A., who is a grailuate of 
the L'niversity of Illinois of the class of 
1 90 1 and was for four years princij^d 
of the high school at I'lano. Illinois, but 
is now teaching in the high ■ school at 
I'rescott, .\rizona ; Elmer L., who is a 
eraduate of the Illinois L'ni\ersit\- of the 




CLAUS ALBERS 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS 



197 



class of 1904 and the Northwestern Law 
School of Chicago in 1906 and is now 
with his hrother, Charles Id. : T^ercie E., 
a student in the State I'niversity at Cham- 
paign. Illinois; Robert E.. who is also 
studying in that institution : and Harriet 
E., a student in the L'niversit}' nf lllin(.iis 
at Urbana, Illinois. 

Like the other members of the family 
Charles H. Garnett was afforded excellent 
educational privileges, supplementing his 
preliminary course by stud}' in the I'ni- 
versity of Illinois at Champaign, frnm 
which he was graduated with the degree 
of Bachelor of Arts in the class of 1S96. 
He was elected tn a fellowship in eco- 
nomics in the uni\-ersti}', lioldng the same 
for one year. This fellowship is a scholar- 
ship, which enabled Mr. (iarnett Xo teach 
at a salary of fcjur hunilred dollars |ier 
year and also pursue post-graduate work, 
at the end of which time he received the 
degree of blaster of Arts. He afterward 
spent two years in the law. department 
at Yale College, from which he was 
graduated in 1S99 with the degree of 
Bachelor of Laws and in Decemljer of the 
same vear he was admitted to the Illinois 
bar. After spentling the winter in Chi- 
cagi) he came to Carthage in .Vpril, 1900, 
and in Xo\'ember of the same year was 
elected state's attornev of Hancock 
county, which position he filled for the 
full term of four years. He is now one 
of the most successful lawyers of this city 
with a large clientele, connecting him w ith 
much important litigation. His political 
allegiance is gi\en to the democracv and 
he was nominated f(jr the seci.)nd term 
but was defeated. In 1906 he was n(.)mi- 
nated bv the democratic senatorial con- 



vention to represent his district in the 
general assembly, subject to the general 
elections held in November. 

]\Ir. Garnett belong's to Hancock Lodge, 
No. 20, Ancient Free and Accepted Ma- 
sons, in which he is now junior warden: 
Bentley Lodge. No. 412. Independent 
Order of Odd Fello\^•s: and Occidental 
Lodge. No. 38S, Knights of Pythias, in 
which he is a past chancelk.ir commander 
and also belongs to the Carthage Baptist 
chinxh. His offices are located in the 
]\kAIahan Building", where he occupies a 
nice suite of rooms. He is yet a yoinig 
man Ijut has attained prominence in his 
profession that many an older practitioner 
might well envy, and a growing Inisiness 
is indicati\'e of the confidence rei)Osed in 
him by the public. June '). 190'). ]\Ir. 
Garnett was married, his wife being 
Ermine Williams, of F(jrt Stockton, 
Texas, a daughter of Oscar W. and .Sarah 
(^^'heat) Williams. He was an attornew 
a graduate of Harvard Law School and 
for some \ears a judge of Pecos county. 
Texas, while her grandfather. Jesse C. 
W'illiruns, has been in l)usiness in Car- 
thage about a half century. Miss Wil- 
liams was educated at Carthage College. 



CLAUS ALBERS. 



Claus Albers. numbered among War- 
saw's honored dead, was for man}- years 
a prominent citizen. As the da\' with 
its uKM-ning of hope and promise, its 
noontide of acti\•it^^ its e\'ening of com- 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



pleted and successful effort, ending in the 
grateful rest and quiet of the night, so was 
the life of this man, and when death 
claimed him a most useful, active and 
honorable career was ended, in which he 
had labored nut alone for his own ad- 
\ancement but had contributed in large 
measure to the upbuilding of the city. 

Claus Albers was born November 25, 
18 1 7, in Hollenhof, Amt, Zeven. in the 
kingdom of Hanover, Germany, and was 
the eldest son of John Dietrich and Sophia 
Albers. He emigrated to America in 
1836, when a young man of nineteen years 
and became a resident of Ohio. He was 
married in Cincinnati, on the 5th (if Alarch, 
1839, to Miss Rebecca Knoop, who came 
to this country with her parents in 1838. 
She was born in Oldendorf, in the king- 
dom of Hanover, December 26, 1818. 

Following their marriage the young 
couple removed to St. Louis, Missouri, 
where Mr. Albers was engaged in the 
grocery business and .subsequent!}- they 
took up their abode upon a farm in Ben- 
ton county, Missouri, becoming pioneer 
residents of that locality. ]\Ir. Albers de- 
voted his time and energies to general 
farming there for nearly eight years and 
while living there he and his wife joined 
the German Methodist church in 1S44, 
having previously been members of the 
Lutheran church. Their home became a 
preaching place for Methodist ministers 
until a little societ}-, consisting of about 
eight families, built a log church on Air. 
Albers's farm. Li 1847 he left Missouri, 
and with his family removed to Alilwau- 
kee, Wisconsin, and thence to Racine, re- 
maining only a few weeks in each place. 
He afterward came tn Hancock count\'. 



Illinois, settling in Nauvoo, after making 
the journey in a covered wagon drawn by 
an ox team. In Xau\-oo he dealt in gen- 
eral merchandising and traded with the 
surviving Mormons, all of Avhom had not 
been expelled from the state. Their mag- 
nificent temple in Nauvoo was burned 
during JMr. Albers's residence there. In 
1 85 1 he removed to Warsaw, where he 
again engaged in general merchandising 
for a brief period. In 1854, however, he 
built a flouring mill on the site of the 
present Grace Mills, ha\ing a capacity 
of two hundred barrels daily. In 1855 
this mill was'destroyed b}- fire and he at 
once made preparation for rebuilding. 
The mill, which was called the Grace mill, 
was established in 1856 and had a capacity 
of from two hundred and fifty to three 
hundred barrels of flour per day. It was 
managed by Mr. Albers with the assist- 
ance of his sons and at times with differ- 
ent partners until 1883, when he retired 
from that business and took up the man- 
agement of his farm on Main street, to 
which he had devoted many leisure hours 
through a long period of }-ears. He was 
pleased to term it the preserver of his 
health and he delighted to retire to this 
farm, watching the growth of the crops 
there and living near to nature's heart. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. -Vlbers were born 
seven children, who survive the parents: 
Henr_\-, a resident and prominent Inisi- 
ness man of Los Angeles. California; 
Sophia, the wife of Dr. J. (j. Van Marter, 
of Rome. Italy; .\nna. the wife of Pro- 
fessor J. L. Kessler, of \\'arrenton. Mis- 
souri ; Anna Rebecca, the wife of A\'illiam 
Zuppan ; Charles and AX'illiam E., of War- 
saw ; and Homer, of Boston. 



HAXCOCK COrNTY. ILLIXOIS 



199 



The death of the father, Claus Alhers, 
occurred January 23, 1892. when he was 
seventy-four years of age. A local jour- 
nal said of him: 'Tn the death of JNIr. 
Albers Warsaw lost a citizen who gave 
the best years of his life to an enterprise 
that contributed largely to the upbuilding 
of the city and made it for four decades 
the grain market for a large scope of ter- 
ritory. It lost a citizen who thus prac- 
tically demonstrated the vast benefit, a 
man of enterprise, energy and capacity 
can be to a community 'when he so directs 
those attributes. It lust a citizen whose 
accjuaintance was as wide as the commer- 
cial reach of the city — made so by a long, 
active and useful life." His wife sur- 
vived him until July 9, 1896, and passed 
away at the age of seventy-se\en years, 
six months and thirteen days. Mrs. Al- 
bers was a gentle, kindly woman, char- 
itable in her estimate of ever}- one and of 
uniform affability in the treatment of all. 
She never spoke evil of any one, and 
always insisted that every person had his 
good side and redeeming cjualities if one 
would only seek them. Even her re- 
proofs were so tempered with sweetness 
they left no sting of bitterness, and in 
all her life it is said she never gave way 
to temper. Patient in her consideration 
of others, self-sacrificing and thoughtful, 
her greatest ambition seemed to be to 
serve her family and her greatest fear 
that she might be a care or a burden. All 
who knew her are full of her praises and 
all mourn the loss of a good woman. 
They can well sympathize with the house- 
hold from which such a light has gone 
out forever. 

Of their family Homer Albers has at- 
13 



tained national distinction. He was born 
in Warsaw, Illinois, February 28, 1863. 
He was educated in the public schools of 
\\ arsaw ; at Central Wesleyan College 
Warrenton, Missouri, from which college 
he was graduated with a degree of Bache- 
lor of Arts in 1882. He then went to the 
Boston University Law School and was 
graduated Magna Cum Laude from this 
institution in 1885 with the degree of 
Bachelor of Laws. He was admitted to 
the bar in the summer of 1885 in Boston ; 
was associated in business before his ad- 
mission, and subsecjuently with George 
L. Huntress until 1888, when he became 
a partner with Mr. Huntress which part- 
nership has continued up to the present 
time. Soon after receiving his degree of 
Bachelor of Laws he was appointed an 
instructor in the Law School, continuing, 
however, his law practice. A few years 
later he was made a professor and ap- 
pointed a member of the faculty of the 
Boston University Law School, which po- 
sitions he continued to hold until 1902, 
when the increasing demands of his law 
practice made it necessary for him to cur- 
tail his other work. At the request of the 
university he consented to deliver a few 
lectures each year in order that they 
might retain his name in their list of 
lecturers. In 1900 Mr. Albers began a 
short course of lectures on Business Law 
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technol- 
ogy, and has continued to the present time 
in the charge of this course in this famous 
institution. He has been offered profes- 
sorships in the Law Schools of University 
of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, and at the 
Northwestern University, at Chicago, but 
declined, preferring the active practice of 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllFAV 



law. In 1899 Mr. Alhers was by (jdv- 
ernnr \\'olc()tt appointeil a niemher of the 
Alassaclnisetts State Ballut Law L'uniniis- 
sion, and by reappointments from suc- 
cessive ,q;o\-ern<irs continued U< h(.)ld this 
jmsition until 1905. He was married 
June 2(i, 1SS9, to jNIinnie I!. Alartin. of 
Fredonia, \ew York. 'Idiey reside in 
Brookline, a most attractive \'illage near 
Boston. In 1903 lie was bv ( ioxernor 
Bates appointed a judge of the Massaciiu- 
setts superior court. In Massachusetts 
the judges are appointed h\ the go\-ernor 
for Hfe. and an appointment to tliis l>ench 
had, up to the time of the selection of Air. 
Albers for this position, been refusetl only 
once in the history of Massachusetts. The 
judges must, however, sit in different 
places throughout the state, and Mr. Al- 
Iiers was unwilling to ha\e his happy 
home life interferred with, and therefore 
declined the proffered, unsolicited honor. 
In an intei'view published in tlie ISoston 
Journal on September 15, 1903, his law 
partner, Cleorge I-. Hiuitress, said: ".\t 
ihe time of Mr. -Mbers's a])pointment I 
was Ijoth glad and s(]rry. ^'ou know why 
I was glad. But I was sorry to lose such 
a man from the close association of the 
office and out of our business, which he 
has graced and honored, and to which 
he has given the best that is in him. Xow 
I am both glad and s()rr\-. 1 ,ani sorr}' 
th;U he has been ol)liged to siu'render what 
wovild ha\e been an honor to him and 
what he would ha\'e honored to the full — 
a i)lace upon the bench of this common- 
wealth. lUit 1 am glad he is .going to stay 
with me." The Lowell t/onrier published 
the following: "Aside from the domestic 
considerations which coni])elled Mr. .\1 



hers to refuse the ermine, it is also true 
in all probability that a man of his calilire 
is making too great a hnancial sacrifice 
in accepting' a judicial position. ( )ur 
judges are better paid than the justices 
of a good many states, but their salarie> 
are still far below what a g(H.)d manv 
lawyers can make in practice. We can 
onl}- regret it as a gra\'e error to refuse 
attractive salaries to the judiciarv. Ti: 
takes a large mind to make a good judge, 
and some states find that the large minds 
come high — higher than thev' are willing 
to pay." The salary in Massachnsetr^ 
is si-x thousand ti\'e hundred dollars, and 
i'we hundred dollars travel. Air. Albers"s 
practice is that of a business lawyer, — 
commercial law. coqjoration law, e(|uitv 
cases including many trade mark cases. 
He has ne\-er been a candidate for any 
office and all appointments ha\e come 
unsolicited. He is the ])ersonal attorney 
for Thomas W. Lawson in all his \aried 
anil intricate affairs, and he and Mr. 
Huntress ha\-e conducted the legal busi- 
ness of C. I. Hood & Company, the 
Wells & Richardson Comp;un- { Paine's 
Celery Compound) and other prominent 
individuals and corporatic.ms. Mr. Al- 
bers is a director in a number (.)f corpora- 
tions including the Coastwise Transpor- 
tation Company, which owns and operates 
the largest sailing vessels in the worUl. 
-\lthough he cannot l)e called a "club 
man," he is a member of the L'ni\-ersity 
Club, the Boston .\rt Club and the Com- 
monwealth Country Clul), this being not 
the least among the many forms of recre- 
ation which he has of recuperation, wdiich 
is so necessary to one leading so active 
a life. 



HANCOCK COUXTY. ILLINOIS. 2 

CHARLES ALBERS. WILLIAM EDWARD ALBERS. 



Charles Alljers, now manager of the 
Warsaw MiUing Company, was born in 
this city in 1857. and was e(kicated in the 
pubhc schools of Warsaw ami Central 
Wesleyan College, Warrenton, Missouri, 
and the Iowa Wesleyan L'niversity, of 
Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. He recei\-ed his 
business training under the direction of 
his father and has continuously been iden- 
tified with the milling interests of War- 
saw since that time. The business is m iw 
conducted under the hmi name of The 
Warsaw jMilling Company. As stated, the 
business was established in 1856 b)- the 
father of the present prc)]3rietors, and in 
1887 was incorpciratel as a stock conipan}- 
and capitalized for fifty thousand dollars, 
with J. H. Finlav as president ; C. E. 
E\'niann, vice president ; W. E. All)ers, 
secretary and treasiu-er; and Charles Al- 
bers, manager. The capacity of the plant 
is four hundred barrels per day. The 
mill has been in continuous operation for 
fifty years, and all of the time has been 
owned by the same family. It is now 
e(|uipi)ed with all modern impro\enients 
and the business is carefully and suc- 
cessfully conducted along modern lines,, 

Charles Albers was married in 1904 to 
Mi.ss Cecille Dory, a daughter of Victor 
Dor\', and they ha\-e one child, Clarice 
Cecille. Mr. Albers became a Mason in 
1890 and has attained the Knight Templar 
degree of the York rite. He has never 
aspired to political honors, yet is nexer 
remiss in citizenship and gi\'es stalwart 
sup|)ort to man\- mm-ements which are of 
direct benefit not onl\- to the village, but 
also to the countv and state. 



William Edward All)ers was born in 
Illinois, July 7, 1839, anil pursued his 
education in the public schools of War- 
saw and also in Illinois College, at Jack- 
sonx'ille. Subse(|uently he went to Bl(.)om- 
ington, Illinois, and later for a time op- 
erated a coal mine at Sidell, Illinois, where 
he remained for about three years. On 
the expiration of that period he sold t(j 
the firm of Bishop & Springer, coal deal- 
ers of Keokuk. He has been associated 
w ith the milling business as secretary and 
treasurer since its incor])oration in 1887, 
and while operating the mill he was large- 
1\' interested in farming. He became a 
partner in the milling business in 18S4 
and he and his brother Charles rebuilt the 
mill and have since conducted this busi- 
ness, which is one of the leading indus- 
trial enterprises of Warsaw. 

\\ . E. Albers was married Octofier 12, 
1893, to Miss Mary (irace Robinson, a 
(laughter of David A. and Laura ( (.dian- 
dler ) Robinson, and they are prominent 
socialK' in W arsaw, where the\' haxe 
many warm friends. roliticall\' Mr. .\1- 
bers is a republican but without aspiration 
for office. He holds memljership with 
the Preslivterian church, of which he has 
been a trustee for several years and he is 
active in support of ;dl that tends to ad- 
\ance material, intellectual and moral 
lirogress. 



LEWIS GOTLIEB ROSKAMP. 

Lewis (jotlieb Roskamp, deceased, who 
at one time was a successful general 



BIOGRAPHICAL REIIEIV 



farmer of Hancock county, was born in 
Ouincy, Illinois. September 2, 1852. His 
parents, Philip and Hannah (Shassick) 
Roskamp, were natives of Germany and 
the family came to America about 1845 
or 1846, settling in St. Louis, Missouri. 
Philip Roskamp removed from Ouincy, 
Illinois, to Hancock county when his son 
Lewis was only four or five }'ears of ag'e 
and located on a farm in Walker town- 
ship, where he reared his family and 
carried on general agricultural pursuits. 
His wife died in 1887. and he survi\-ed 
until 1 89 1, when his grave was made by 
the side of hers in Tioga cemetery. 

Lewis G. Roskamp was educated in the 
public schools of Tioga and continued 
under the parental roof until he had at- 
tained his majority, when he was married 
and started out in life for himself. On 
the 5th of October, 1873, he wedded Miss 
Caroline Meyer, who was born in Adams 
county, Illinois, in 1855, a daughter of 
Gotlieb and Henrietta (Haner) Meyer, 
who were natives of Germany, the former 
born May 24, 1821, and the latter De- 
cember 29, 1829. Both came to Amer- 
ica in childhood, and Mrs. Meyer was 
eleven weeks on the voyage to the new 
world. In their family were eight chil- 
dren, namely: Mrs. Roskamp: ]\lrs. 
Rickie Distlehorst, deceased : William, of 
W'alker township; Augusta, the wife of 
Henry Schlipman, of Adams county, Illi- 
nois; Emma, the wife of Ernest Distle- 
horst, of Adams county; Louisa, -the wife 
of Ed Cook, who is living near Mendon, 
Illinois; Anna, who makes her home with 
her sister, Mrs. Cook: and Gotlieb, who 
is in St. Louis, Missouri. He was twenty- 
nine years of age on the 30th of May, 



1906. He has been a soldier in the 
Philippines for many years and is now 
in a St. Louis hospital. The mother of 
these children still survives and yet en- 
joys good health for one of her years. 

.\t the time of their marriage Mr. and 
]\Irs. Roskamp took up their abode in 
a log house on a fann just across the 
road from where she n(_>w li\-es, in Walker 
township. There they lived until 1881, 
when Mr. Roskamp erected an elegant 
residence, which is one of the best homes 
of the locality. In 1887 he built a fine 
barn sixty by forty feet and also erected 
sheds and other good outbuildings. His 
farm comprised two hundred and seventy 
acres on section 20, W alker township, and 
he placed his land under a high state of 
cultivation so that he annually gathered 
gi:)od crops and secured a gratifying year- 
ly income. His life was (Mie of industry, 
and his laudable ambition and unfaltering 
perseverance were elements in his success. 
As the years passed by he prospered, so 
that he was able to secure a beautiful home 
and surrounded his familv with manv 
of the comforts of life. 

Lnto Mr. and Mrs. Roskamp were horn 
eleven children, all of whom were born on 
the old home place, namely : Anna, the 
wife of Gotlieb Heineke, of \\'alker town- 
ship, by whom she has two children. Alma 
and Bertha ; Fred, a farriier who married 
Anna Kiner, of Hamilton and has three 
children, Bertha, Hilda and Clara ; Lydia. 
the wife of William Kunz, of \\'alker 
township, and they have one child, Al- 
vina ; John, who operates the home farm 
for his mother ; Henr}-, who is seventeen 
vears of age and is now in Oregon ; 
\\'alter, also at home; Carl, thirteen vears 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



203 



of age, Lawrence aged eleven, and Lena, 
nine years of age. also at home with their 
mother. 

j\Ir. Roskamp voted with the Repuh- 
lican part}' but was ne\-er a politician in 
the sense of office seeking. He held mem- 
bership in the German Lutheran church, 
at Tioga, where he served as trustee for 
eight years, in the work of which he was 
deeply and helpfull}' interested. His 
death occurred August 17, 1S99. and his 
remains were buried in the Tioga ceme- 
terv, where rests his two children. His 
widow is likewise a memljer (if the church 
and still is on the old home farm, where 
she is rearing her children, who ha\e 
been left in comfortable circumstances as 
the result of enterprise and business 
ability manifested by the husband and 
father through the years of his active con- 
nection with farming interests in this 
county. 



ALFRED QUICK. 

Alfred Quick, engaged in general 
farming in Wilco.x township, was born in 
Rocky Run township in 1878. His pa- 
ternal grandfather, Alfred Quick, Sr., was 
born in 1814, in Kentucky, and in 1834. 
when twenty vears of age, became a resi- 



Qcky 
l^its 



Run township and was identified with 
pioneer development and progress, aiding 
in laying broad and deep the foundation 
for the present upbuilding and improve- 
ment of this portion of the state. He 
married !Miss Susan Hornbeck, who was 



born in Kentucky in 1S09, and they be- 
came the parents of si.x children, of whom 
four are now living: Preston; Samuel, 
of Rocky Run township ; James, of Clark 
county, Missouri: and Susan, the wife of 
James Shipe, of Warsaw. Preston Quick, 
father of our subject, was born in Ken- 
tucky in 1842, and came to Illinois in 
1848, at which time he took up his abode 
in Rocky Run township. He served for 
three and a half years as a soldier in the 
Civil war, belonging to the One Hundred 
and Eighteenth Illinois Volunteer Infan- 
try, and during a part of that time was 
under command of General Grant. Re- 
turning home, he resumed agricultural 
pursuits here and was for many years an 
enterprising farmer of this county but 
is now living retired, making his home 
with his children. He married Miss 
Elizabeth Shipe, who was born in Rocky 
Run township in 1848 and is of German 
descent. She died in 1895. ^I^"- Quick 
is a republican in his political affiliatirm 
and for years served as school director, 
the cause of education finding in him a 
warm and stalwart friend. In their 
family were four children, of whom three 
are now living, namely: Clara M., the 
wife of Thomas Williams, of Wythe 
township; Susan, the deceased wife of 
Lemuel ^^"hitney ; Sophronia, the wife of 
David ^^'ebster, who is operating the old 
Quick homestead in Rocky Run township ; 
and Alfred. 

In the public schools near his father's 
home, Alfred Quick was educated and 
during the periods of vacation he assisted 
in the farm work, giving his services to 
the benefit of his father until twenty-two 
vears of age, when he left home and was 



204 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAIEW 



married. It \\as on tlie 9th of January, 
T900, tliat lie wedded Miss Cleota Ewing, 
whii was l)orn in Tioga. Hancock county, 
illiiKiis, Xiivenilier 2'^, 1880. a daughter 
of JacksDH and Miner\-a ((iray) Ewing. 
Her father was born in Kentucky. Oc- 
tober 2'S'. 1837. and (bed Septemlier 19, 
18S6. wln'le tlie mrither's liirtb occurred 
in tliis county on the 13th of Septemljer. 
1838. He followed the occupation of 
farming and on coming to Hancock 
county settled in Walker township, where 
he devoted his time to bis chosen vocation 
and also carried on a general merchan- 
dise store at Tioga. His political sup- 
port was gi\-en to the democrac}- and he 
ser\'ed in several tow'usbip offices. In 
bis family were three children, of whom 
two are living: L:>na. the wife of b'rank 
Harrison, of Walker township; and Airs. 
Quick. Mr. Kwing departed this life in 
1886. and the mother still survives and is 
living in Tioga. 

Following his marriage Mr. Quick re- 
sided upon his father's farm for two years 
and later spent one year near Hamilton. 
In 1905 be purchased one hundred acres 
of land on section 21. Wilcox t(wvnship. 
an imjjrovetl fann, which lie has since 
further developed and culti\ate<l. The 
home has been blessed with one child. 
Fleta Minerx-a, who was born in Rocky 
Run township, Jamiar\- 20. T903. Roth 
Mr. and Mrs. Quick have many friends 
in this locality and their many excellent 
traits of character are widelv recognized 
by those with whom tbev come in contact. 
Mr. Quick is a republican, while frater- 
nally he is connected with the Woodmen 
camp. Energetic and active be is ac- 
counted one of the jirogressive young 



farmers of the community, xvbt) has al- 
ready done well in his business life and 
undoubtedly the future holds in store for 
him further svtccess. 



CHARLES ALBERT WARNER. M.D. 

Dr. Charles Albert Warner is the oldest 
practicing physician in Hancock cotuity. 
He arrived here in 1833 from Germany. 
ha^"ing been born in the latter country 
on the i5tb of September. 1830, the place 
of bis nativity being Hesse Darmstadt. 
His earl\- education was ac(|uired in the 
public schools and the Gymnasium and 
College L^niversity of Giesen. from which 
be was graduated in the spring of 1852. 
He was a youth of twent3^-tbree years 
when be arrived in V\'isconsin. having 
made the voyage on an old sailing \-essel, 
which was four weeks in crossing the 
Atlantic. He proceeded to St. Louis and 
having determined upon the practice ot 
medicine as a life work, he entered the 
St. Louis ]\Ieilical College, where he pur- 
sued a regular course and was graduated 
after three years' study, two years of 
which was passed in that institution, then 
called Pope's College, while for one year 
he was a student in McDowell's College. 
Following his graduation from the St. 
Louis Medical College, be entered upon 
the active practice of his profession and 
remained in St. Louis until 1862. when 
be enlisted in the service of bis country as 
assistant surgeon. l)eing thus engaged 
until 1865. Tn that year he resigned 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



205 



after which he was in charge of the 
citv hospital at Meni[)his. lennessee. 
acting" in that ca]:)acit_v until 1866. 
In that year he came direct to 
\\'arsaw, where he has continuously 
practiced to the present time, being now 
the oldest physician in years of continuous 
service in the county. He has been ac- 
corded a liberal patronage and has done 
a good business, which, as the }-ears lia\e 
passed, has steadily increased. He has 
always kept alireast with the progress 
made by the medical fraternity and is 
today a man of broad learning. He is 
medical examiner for wirious life insur- 
ance Companies, including the .\etna, 
Xorthwestern, Xew York Mutual and the 
Metropolitan companies. Since coming 
to Warsaw he has remained at his present 
location at the corner of Main and I'ourth 
streets. 

On the 27th of October. 1855, was 
celebrated the marriage of L^r. Warner 
and Miss Barbara (jerisch, a daughter of 
Christian Gerisch. Unto them were liorn 
two children. Frances and T'^red. the 
former now the wife of Dr. Franz, of St. 
I^ouis. The wife and mother died De- 
cember 24, 1890. and in 1897. Dr. Warner 
was again married, his second union being 
with Mrs. Flizabeth Weigantl. The}- 
now reside in Warsaw C)n East ^lain 
street, where the Doctor owns a valuable 
tract of one hundred and twenty acres 
de\'Oted to general farming. In 1868 he 
was elected super\-isor and held the ofhre 
for a number of years. He has als(j been 
a member of the school board for about 
twenty years and his loyal and progressi\-e 
citizenship is a well known factor in his 
life, having been manifest bv the tangible 



aid which he has given to many mo\-e- 
ments for the jjublic good. 



WESLEY CRAYTON BRIDGES. 

Wesley Crayton Bridges, general fore- 
man of the round house and shop for the 
\\'abash, Toledo, Peoria & Western rail- 
roads at Hamilton, whose connection with 
railroad service has continueil since 1862, 
was born in Carroll county, Tennessee, 
July 24, 1838. His father, William 
Alexander Bridges, was a native of Ten- 
nessee and a son of Willis Bridges, who 
was born in Xorth Carolina anil was a 
minister of the Primitive Baptist church. 
de\-oting forty-five years of his life to 
that holy calling. It was in Humphreys 
county. Tennessee, that William .\. 
Briilges was united in marriage to Miss 
Louisa Xeel Ridings, a native of that 
state and a daughter of Joel and Penelope 
( May ) Ridings, Ijoth nati\-es of Xorth 
Carolina. IMr. and Mrs. William A. 
Bridges began their domestic life upon a 
farm in Carroll county, Tennessee, where 
he carried on general agricultural pur- 
suits until his death, wdiich occurred on 
the 1 8th of January, 1844, when he was 
a comparatively )-oung man. In the 
familv were three children, of whom 
Wesley C. is the eldest. Joel Willis con- 
ducts the ])umping station for the Toledo, 
Peoria & ^^ estern and Waliash railroads 
at Hamilton, wdiile James Monroe, who 
served as a member of Company G. Sev- 
enth Missouri Cavalry, died .\pril 2, 1862. 



206 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



Wesley Crayton Bridges spent his early 
youth in his native state and attended the 
subscription schools of Tennessee until 
fourteen years of age, when he started 
with his mother, brothers and stepfather, 
Jacob Hicks, for Missouri. He dro\-e 
two yoke of oxen across the country, the 
family intending to locate in Missouri. 
Having reached the ^Mississippi ri\-er at 
Columbus, Kentucky, they were ferried 
across on a flat boat manned by two 
Frenchmen with sweep oars. After \-is- 
iting Missouri, however, they recrossed 
the river into Illinios, making their wa}- 
to St. Genevieve, where for the first tinij 
Mr. Bridges saw a cook stove. The 
second trip across the river was made on 
a flat boat pulled by hand. The family 
located in Jackson county, Illinois, and 
there Mr. Bridges continued his educa- 
tion. They remained in that county until 
December, 1854, but in the previous ^lay 
the stepfather had died and the nioilicr 
and her children started again upon the 
journey in the following December, 
traveling with ox teams until the}- reached 
Augusta, Hancock count}-. In this 
county Mr. Bridges also attended sch<iol 
to a limited extent, but worked mostly 
as a farm hand by the month until 186^, 
when he removed to Bowen, where a rail- 
road was being built called the Illinois & 
Southern Iowa Railroad. He was then 
employed at la}ing the track between 
Clayton and Carthage, working as a la- 
borer for eight months. On the expira- 
tion of that period he secured a position 
as tiren-ian and so continued for three 
years and three months. On the 24th 
of July. 1867. he was promoted to the 
position of engineer and followed this 



until November i, 1883. when he was 
made general foreman of the round house 
and shop for the Wabash and for the 
Toledo, Peoria & Western railroads at 
Hamilton. Since he entered the railroad 
service he has never been reprimanded, 
laid off or discharged and has never been 
away from duty for a full month at a 
tin-ie. 

On the 14th of October, i860, Mr. 
Bridges was united in marriage to Miss 
Mary Ellen Harrison, who was born in 
Washington county, Indiana, January 23, 
1843, a daughter of \\'illiam and Alice 
B. (Davis) Harrison, natives of Indiana. 
She had but one sister, Louisa Jane, who 
became the wife of J. M, Hughes, of Au- 
gusta, and died in 1878. Mrs. Harrison 
came to Hancock county in 1850 and 
died in Hamilton in 1901 after more than 
a half century's residence here. Mrs. 
Bridges pursued her education in this 
county and by her marriage became the 
mother of five children. Louisa .\lice, 
born September i, 1861, is the wife of 
Robert W^atson, of Hamilton. ^lartha 
Ellen, born January 23, 1863, is the wife 
of Elmer Dennis, of Hamilton. Laura 
Belle, born April i, 1866, is the wife of 
Robert S. Gordon, station agent at Hamil- 
ton. Julia Viola, born April 6, 1870, 
is the wife of Guy Blakeslee, who is a 
l^rakesman on the Chicago. Burlington & 
Ouincy Railroad and lives at Hannibal, 
Missouri. Abbie Ethel, born September 
6, 1876, is the wife of Hurley Moore, of 
Hamilton, who is a brakesman on the 
Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroad, 

Mr. Bridges was one of the organizers 
of the Building and Loan Association, of 
Hamilton, Illinois, there being nine men 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



207 



who formed this company in Xovember. 
1888. He was chosen its first president. 
He has always been interested in matters 
of public progress and improvement and 
has co-operated in many movements for 
the general good. His political allegiance 
is given to the Republican party and he 
has served as alderman of the city for two 
years and two terms as mayor. He has 
also been school director and fur six years 
has been a member of the cemetery board. 
He belongs to Black Hawk Lodge, Xo. 
238, of the Masonic fraternit}-, the Royal 
Arch Chapter, tn the ciunicil and tu tlie 
Knight Templar Commandery. He is 
also connected with the ^lodern Wood- 
men of America and the Brotherhood of 
Locomotive Engineers, while his religious 
allegiance is given to the Christian church, 
of which he is a charter member. His 
life has lieen an acti\-e and useful one and 
he has displayed many sterling traits of 
character which are well worthy of emu- 
lation. 

He is now serving his t\venty-sec<jnd 
year as treasurer of Tecumseh Royal Arch 
Chapter, Xo. 152. and has started on his 
forty-fifth year in railroad service, and 
twenty-fourth year as foreman of the 
round house and car department at Ham- 
ilton, Illinois. 



LUCIEX S. REID. 

Lucien S. Reid. whose co-operation can 
always be counted upon as a helpful factor 
in everything relating to the welfare nf 



his city, is now editor and pr(jprietor of 
the Dallas City Review, and has been a 
well known factor in journalistic circles 
in this part of the state fur a number 
of vears. He was liorn near Plymouth, 
in AIcDonough county. Illinois. Xovem- 
ber 12. i860, his parents being L. C and 
Cyrena (Doyle) Reid. The father was 
born in Covington. Kentucky, in 181 3. 
while the mother's birth occurreil near 
Lexington, that state. L. ( i. Reid was 
a successful lawyer and about 1847 set- 
tled in McDonough county. Illinois, 
where he lived until 1891. when he re- 
moved to 3iIorrill, Kansas. After a year 
he returned to Illinois, settling at Colches- 
ter, ;\IcDonough county, where he died 
in the year 1895. He had for twenty 
years survived his wife, who passed a\vay 
in 1875 and was laid to rest in the ceme- 
terv near Plymriuth, while the grave of 
^Ir. Reid was made in Colchester He 
was a democrat in his political views and 
served for two terms in the Illinois legis- 
lature as a representati\-e from his district. 
He was township supervisor for twenty- 
two consecutive years and had the respect 
and unqualified confidence of his fellow 
townsmen, who recognized his worth and 
his loyalty to principle. Fraternally he 
was connected with the Masonic lodge. 
In the family were five children, of whom 
three are now living: Lucien S. : Ed- 
ward, who resides at Redlands, Cali- 
fornia; and Harry L.. who is in the em- 
ploy of the Santa Fe Railroad Company 
and lives at Mojave, California. After 
losing his first wife Mr. Reid was married, 
in 1878, to iliss Lucy E. Tandy, who 
resided near Fandon, ]\IcDonough county. 
Lucien S. Reid was a student in the 



208 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



liigh school at Plymouth, and afterward 
attended Knox College, at ( jalesburg. Illi- 
nois, subsequent to which time he learned 
the printer's trade, at which he tirst 
worked in I'lymouth. He afterward 
went to I'eatrice. Xehraska. subse(|uently 
to Omaha. Xehraska, comj)leting his trade 
with the firm of Rand & AlcXally in 
Chicago, Illinois. In ICS84 he was in 
Colchester, Illinois, and in August of that 
year purchased the Colchester Independ- 
ent from H. F. .Stexens but after a week 
sold it to Van L. Hampton, with whom 
he remained until the following March, 
when he ])urchase(l the lilandinsx'ille Re- 
pulilican, changing the name of the pajier 
to the r!landins\"ille Review. He con- 
tinued its pubhcation until .September, 
1887, when he took the plant to Dallas 
City and established the Dallas City Re- 
view, which is the first paper that ever 
sur\'i\-ed ior six months in this place. 
He has now- continued its pul)lication here 
for almost twenty years and has made it 
a profitable investment. The Re\'iew is 
a weekly paper, independent in ])olitics 
and has a large circulation throughout 
this and Henderson counties so that it is 
an excellent advertising medium. In the 
disastrous fire which swept o\"er Dallas 
City on the 19th of December, 1905. Mr. 
Reid lost heavily but in place of the old 
building on Oak street there has been 
erected a concrete monolithic Iniilding, 
twenty-five by fifty-two feet, two stories 
high, of pleasing architectural design. 
The lower fioor will lie devoted to office 
and editorial rooms, composing and press 
rooms, while the upper floor is designed 
and finished for his residence. He has 
installed modern methods, including a 



good cylinder press with power. It is 
one of the first buildings of this character 
in this part of Illinois, in connection 
with the pubhcation of the paper ]\Ir. Reid 
does all kinds of first class job printing 
and tablet work. The Review has always 
Ijeen \ery i)r(,)gressi\'e and has been an 
influential factor in the upbuilding of 
Dallas, standing as the champion of 
every movement or measure calculated to 
pro\'e of direct benefit to the city. His 
new office will be equipped with all 
modern machiner\- and in the management 
of his business Mr. Reid is thoroughly 
progressi\e and in fact has been the lead- 
er in the ad()]:)tion of manv new ideas that 
ba\e been advajiced in the world. He 
owned the first gasoline engine used for 
moti\'e power in Dallas City and also 
owned the first gasoline launch in the 
town. He is practical in his ideas and 
successful in his undertakings, carrying 
forward to successful completiou wliat- 
e\'er he begins. In connection with his 
other business interests he is a stockholder . 
in the Farmers State Exchange Bank of 
which he was one of the organizers. 

On the i6th of January, 1S87, Mr. 
Reid was united in marriage to Miss 
Fannie Roberts, who was l)orn in Col- 
chester. Illinois. June 20. 1865. a daugh- 
ter of Edward and Susanna (Bayless) 
Roberts, the former a native of Wales, 
and the latter of England. Her father 
was engineer of the works of the Ouincy 
Coal Company, at Colchester. Illinois, for 
a long" period but both he and his wife 
have now passed awa)-, and were laid to 
rest in the cemeter}- at Colchester. In 
their familv were five children, of whom 
fi lur are lixing : Lennie. the wife of John 



HAXCOCK COrXTY. ILLIXOIS. 



209 



Jinies, win I resides in C.'inil)ridge, Ohio: 
Sarah, the wife of Thdiiias Ak)ss. also 
of Cambridge: Airs. EHza Tandy, tlie 
widow of W. ^^'. Tandy and a resident 
of Colchester: and Mrs. Rcid. I'lito 
Air. and Mrs. Reid has jjeen horn a daugh- 
ter, \'elna. who was br)rn in Dallas City, 
March 14, 1892. and is now a student in 
the Dallas City high schnol. In addition 
to his business propert_\- Mr. Reid owns 
several vacant lots in Dallas City. In 
politics he is a democrat and in 1890 and 
1891 served as mayor of Dallas Cit_\', 
proving a capable executive officer, whose 
efforts in behalf of public progress were 
effecti\e and far-reaching. He is a Ma- 
son and also a member of Hancock Lodge, 
No. 56, Knights of Pythias, of which he 
is the present chancellor, while his wife is 
a devoted member of the Congregational 
church. A man of strong convictions, he 
is practical in his ideas, yet determined in 
his course. He possesses a genial, social 
disposition, appreciative of the worth and 
work of others and has ready recogni- 
tion for all mo\-ements or enterprises of 
general benefit to the communitv. Both 
he and his wife ha\e scores of warm 
friends, and during the years of their resi- 
dence in Dallas City have limg occupied 
a prominent position in social circles 
here. 



HENRY GILLHAM. 

Henry Gillham is a worthy representa- 
tive of a prominent pioneer famil}- of 
Hancock countv and his own record has 



added lustre to an untarnished family 
name. He was lj(jrn in Campbell county. 
Kentucky, January ,^, 1827, and is a son 
of Roliert and Elizabeth ( Walker ) ( ull- 
ham, the former a natixe of the Blue 
Crass state, and the latter of Pennsyl- 
\'ania. Robert Cillham dc\oted his life 
to general agricultural pursuits. ;ind on 
the nth of April, 1837, arri\-ed at War- 
saw, Illinois. Soon afterward he pur- 
chased one hundred and sixty acres of 
land in Walker township, for which he 
paid the government price of one dollar 
and a quarter per acre. Not a furrow 
had been turned nor an im])ro\ement 
made upon the place and he built a little 
log cabin, in which he lived in true pio- 
neer style, enjoying much happiness there, 
at the same time sharing in the hardships 
and privations incident to the estaJ:)lish- 
ment of a home i:in the frontier. The 
plows of that day had wooden mold 
boards and the sickle and scythe were 
leading features of the farm machinery. 
Mr. Gillham of this re\iew has driven 
ox teams before a plow turning a twenty- 
four inch furrow, and he has broken more 
land than an}" other man of the county, 
thus ci:>ntributing in large measure toward 
the agricultural development and improve- 
ment of this part of the state. His father 
was a democrat in his political allegiance 
and in matters of citizenship relating to 
the community was pnigressive and en- 
terprising. He rlied aufl'was Iiuried in 
Missouri but the mother was laid to rest 
in W'alker township. Of their family of 
eleven children five are yet living: 
Henry: America, the wife of Hiram 
Cobel, of California: Cynthia A., the wife 
of Tason Marsh, of California: Sarah E., 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJ'IE]]' 



the wife of William Dooley, of Alissouri ; 
and E. D. Gillham, of \\'arsa\v. 

Henry Gillham, brought to Illinois 
when Hancock county was still a pioneer 
district, was educated in a little log build- 
ing in Walker township, where school was 
conducted on the subscription plan. His 
advantages were necessarily limited be- 
cause of the condition of the school sys- 
tem at that period. His training at farm 
labor, however, was not meager and lie 
early took his place in the fields, working 
from earl}- dawn until after sunset, in 
order to open up a new farm <pn which the 
family had located and further continued 
its de\'elopment. lie remained with his 
parents until he had reached his majority. 

In October, 1849, was celebrated the 
marriage of Henry Gillham and INliss 
Mary Jane Ewing, who was born in 
Brown county, Ohio, September S, iSjS, 
a daughter of Jackson and Catherine 
(Turner) Ewing, who are mentioned 
elsewhere in this work in connection with 
the sketch of John I'. Ewing. The young 
couple began their domestic life upon his 
father's farm in ^^'alker township, where 
they remained for three years and then 
removed to a farm of forty acres else- 
where in the township. Mr. Gillham 
purchased this property and resided there 
for eleven and a half vears. In \'^J^-^ 
he Ijought one hundred and forty-three 
acres of land on section 10, Walker town- 
ship, and has since made his home there- 
on. He has added to and impro\-ed the 
house until he now has a fine residence 
and be has also built a substantial barn 
and two good wood-houses. His atten- 
tion has been given to general farming 
and the vears have brou"iit bim jj-ood 



crops, and as time has passed he has 
prospered. In addition to the home place 
be also owns fifty-five acres of good land 
on section 11. Moreover, he and his es- 
timable wife have reared a family of ten 
children, of whom seven are now living : 
Mary Frances is at home with her parents. 
Melvina Angeline is the wife of John L. 
Brew, lives near Carthage and has three 
children; Lewis Brew, who married Clara 
Van Valer and has one child. Hazel May ; 
Ida Brew, the wife of Edward Xewman. 
who lives in Carthage and by whom she 
has two children, Lee and Lloyd ; and Eli 
Brew, who lives in Nebraska, is married 
and has one daughter, Elizabeth Pearl. 
Elizabeth A. Gillham, the third member 
of the fainil}-, is the widow of A\'illiam 
Atkinson, and has one child, Arlie Ann. 
Sarah Gillham is the wife of Charles 
Thompson, of Chili township, and has 
three children ; Henry, who married Liz- 
zie Herbert, by whom he has one child, 
and li\'es in Colorado; Ira, -who married 
Nellie Hill and lives near Bowen, lllimiis; 
and Horace Elmer. Jane (jlllha.m is the 
wife of William Heniw Smith, living near 
Bowen, Illinois, and they lia\'e four chil- 
dren, Dee, Fannie, Nona and Niti Fdlen. 
John Gillham married Tena Wenhamer, 
lives in Nebraska and has seven children, 
A\'alter. Charles, George, Eddie, Jessie, 
Clara and Addie. Roscoe, who resides 
at \\'est Point, Illinois, married Martha 
Rampley and has four children, ISIabel. 
Lela, Vera and Harold. Ellen is the wife 
of Arthur Randall, of Nebraska, and has 
three children, Ruth L., Earl and Loy. 

Both Mr. and ilrs. Gillham hold mem- 
bership in the Christian church in the 
work of which they are deeply interested. 



HA.XCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



while to its support they contribute gen- 
erously according to their means. Mr. 
Gillham is a democrat and served con- 
tinuously as school director from the age 
of twenty-one years until 1900, when he 
refused to fill the office longer. He is 
truly a self-made man, for. after paying 
the minister and for the license at the time 
of his marriage he had remaining only 
two dollars and a cjuarter. With this 
the Vdung couple started out in life to- 
gether. They possessed stout hearts, 
howe\-er, and willing hands, and their 
ambition and united efforts have consti- 
tuted the secret of their success. They 
have done well as the years have passed 
by and now have many comforts in life. 
At the same time they have found oppor- 
tunity to di) many kindnesses and to ex- 
tend hospitality to man)' friends. In the 
fiftv-se\'en \'ears of their married life no 
one has e\'er been turned fn.im their door 
hungry or empty-handed. Bdth represent 
prominent old families of the county but 
it is their sterling personal worth that has 
so closely endeared them to those with 
whom the\- ha\-e come in contact. 



JOEL WILLIS BRIDGES. 

Joel \\'illis Bridges, who has charge of 
the steam pump for the Toledo, Peoria & 
\\'estern, the Wabash railroads at Hamil- 
ton, was born in Carroll county, Tennes- 
see, August 7, 1840, his parents being 
William A. and Louisa Xeel (Riding) 
Bridges. He was the second of a famih' 



(if three sons and in his early youth at- 
tended the subscription schools of Ten- 
nessee for a short time. He afterward 
accompanied his parents on their removal 
to Jackson county, Illinois, and two years 
later the family settled at Augusta, Han- 
cock county. This was in 1854. ^Ir. 
Bridges of this review started out to earn 
his own li\-ing when sixteen years of 
age, working by the month as a farm 
hand. He was employed at one place 
for three years and in 1869 he entered the 
railroad service in the round house at 
Hamilton, where he continued for a year. 
Later he worked on the farm and in 1 870 
he secured the position of engine-wiper. 
Later he engaged in firing for three years 
and three months, at the end of which 
time he was appointed' engineer, running 
an engine for about eighteen months. 
About that time his health failed and he 
went into the roundhouse as watchman. 
In 1 88 1 he was assigned the task of run- 
ning the steam engine for the Toledo, 
Peoria & \\'estern and Wabash railroads 
at Hamilton and he has since acted in that 
capacity. He owns several houses and 
lots in Hamilton, having made judicious 
investment of his earnings in real estate 
and his propert}- interests bring him a 
good return. 

On the 5th of Januar}-, 1868, Mr. 
Bridges was united in marriage to Miss 
Rebecca Ann Garwood, who was born 
in Jasper county, Illinois, a daughter of 
Thomas and Jane (Richards) Garwood. 
The father was a native of Ohio and the 
mother of Tennessee. Her death oc- 
curred [March 2, 1905, and two children 
were left to mourn her loss: \\^illiam 
Thomas, now an engineer on the Toledo. 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEll' 



Peuria & Western Railroad, residing in 
Peoria. Illinois; and Lottie Charlotte, who 
is a stenographer and hookkeeper in the 
Parker Company department store of 
Hamilton and makes her home with her 
father. There were two other children : 
Charles Wesley, who died in Septemher. 
1S77. at the age of three years : anil James 
Jilhert. who died December 6. 1894, at 
the age of twenty-three years. Mr. 
Bridges started ont in life with \-er\' few- 
advantages, edncational or otherwise, but 
has made the most of his opportunities 
and has worked earnestl\- and energetical- 
1}- and, as stated, he has made judicious 
use of his funds, thus becoming the owner 
of consideral)le desirable property in 
Hamilton. He has been a resident of 
Hancock county for a half century. He 
holds membership in the Christian church 
and gives his political allegiance to the 
democracv. He has served as school di- 
rector, as alderman from the first ward 
from 1896 until 1904 and has been again 
elected on his own platform, a fact which 
indicates that he has given able service 
as one of the "city fathers." iM-alernally 
he is connected with Black Hawk Lodge, 
No. 238, of the Masons, having taken the 
degrees of the Blue lodge, chapter and of 
the Eastern Star. 



LOUIS LAMET. 



Louis L;iniet. one of the .able members 
of the Hancock C(iunt\- bar living in W'ar- 
saw . who with coni])rehensive knowledge 



of the principles of jurisprudence to- 
gether with unfaltering de\'otion to his 
clients' interests, has gained a large prac- 
tice, was born December 28, 1874, in the 
cit}- which is yet his home. His parents 
were Julian and Eloise (Sylvester) 
Lamet. At the usual age the son entered 
the public schools, passing through suc- 
cessi\e grades until he had completed the 
high schi.iol course. He afterward en- 
gaged in teaching in the district schools 
of the county for three winter terms and 
then amliitious for further intellectual 
training, he entered the L'ni\ersit)- of Illi- 
nois and was graduated from the law de- 
partment on the I2th of June. igoi. 
About a \ear after he entered u])on the 
practice of his chosen profession in 
Carthage but soon retm-ned to his nati\-e 
town and entered into partnership with 
Mr. Plantz. an ass(jciation which has since 
been maintained. The firm occupy a 
prominent ]jlace at the Hancock county 
bar. In the trial of cases ^Mr. Lamet pre- 
pares his cause with great thoroughness 
and care and in the courtroom is found 
strong in argument, logical in his deduc- 
tions and correct in his a])])1ication of the 
legal princi])les. 

On the loth of January. 11)05. ^''''^* 
celebrated the marriage of Louis Lamet 
and Miss Amice Magdalena Lemaire. a 
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Le- 
maire. They now ha\e one son, Leon. 
Politically I\Ir. Lamet is a democrat, firm 
in support of the jjarty .and thoroughly 
con\ersaut with the issues which divide 
the two great national political organiza- 
tions. He was api)ointcd to the office 
of cit\- attorne_\' in 1905 and is now acting 
in that capacity. In 190J he liecame a 



HAXCOCK COi'XTV. ILLIXOIS. 



213 



member of the Mudern Woodmen camp, 
in which he has lield the otfice of con- 
sul. Prompted by laudalDle ambition he 
has made for himself a creditable name in 
legal circles and as a citizen is recognized 
as one who has given tangible support to 
manv movements for the general good 
and whose influence for public progress 
is far-reaching and beneficial. 



MARCELLUS T. CHEXOWETH. 

Marcellus T. Chenowetli. who is en- 
gaged in merchandising at Hickory 
Ridge, is a natixe of Virginia, his birth 
having occurred near Be\'erley in Ran- 
dolph county, on Octol)er 3, 1842. His 
parents were .\. \\'. and Hannah { Tag- 
gart) Chen(jweth. the .former born in 
Randolph county and the latter in Ab.mroe 
county, Virginia, the years of their na- 
tivity being 1819 and 1822 respectively. 
A. \\'. Chenoweth was a carpenter In- 
trade, and in the year 1852 removed with 
his family from the Old D(jminion to 
Hancock count}'. Illinois, lixing for 
several \'ears in Warsaw . after which he 
located in \\'alker township in 1837. At 
the time of the Civil war he joined the 
Seventh Missouri Ca\'alr},- and serxed 
until disabled in 1864. He particijiated 
in the battle of Lone Jack. ( )zark Moun- 
tain and other engagement> in that section 
of the country. The family numbered 
se\en children, of wlioiu three are now- 
living : AI. T. : Sarah, tlie w ife of .Vlfred 
Lomax, of Warsaw. Illinois: and \'ir- 



ginia. the wife of John Rigg. of Spring- 
held, this state. The father died October 
31. 1865. and the mother in June. 1887, 
their remains being interred in Walker 
township. 

M. T. Chenoweth Ijegan his education 
at St. i\Iar\s. \'irginia. afterward con- 
tinued his studies in Ohio, in Warsaw, 
Illinois and in Liloomfield. Iowa. He en- 
listed in 1864 in the Twenty-eighth Illi- 
nois \'olunteer Infantrv as a member of 
Companv E. and served until the 31st of 
October, 1865. the day his father died. 
He was on acti\-e duty near the southeni 
portion of the Mississippi river and was 
present at the capture of Mobile. He' 
had an uncle, W'itliam Chenoweth, who 
was a soldier in the Confederate army in 
the Civil war. while his great-grand- 
father. John Chenoweth, was a soldier of 
the Revolution. Following his return 
home M. T. Chenoweth remained with 
his mi>ther until after his sisters were 
married. 

In 1871 Mr. Chenoweth wedded Miss 
Mar\' Lsabella Rankin, who was born in 
Adams county. Illinois, in 1844, a daugh- 
ter of James and Sarah. ( Laughlin ) 
Rankin, natives of Kentuck)-, whence 
they came to Illinois in Januar}-. 1834. 
The\" lived in Adams county until 1848 
and then settled upon a farm in Walker 
township. Hancock countw The father 
died in i8()4, and the mother, long sur- 
\-i\ing him. departed this life in 1898. 
Both were buried in .Xdams county. In 
their family were seven children but only 
two are li\-ing: William Rankin, a resi- 
dent of Breckenridge. Illinois; and Mrs. 
Chenoweth. 

Eollowing his marriage Mr. Chenoweth 



214 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJIEU' 



locatetl in Warsaw, where he worked at 
the carpenter's trade, wliich he liad 
learned nnder the (hrection of his father. 
He was thus identified with builihng op- 
erations until 1884, when he removed to 
Breckenridge, where he purchased a store, 
becoming proprietor of the leading mer- 
cantile establishment of the village. He 
has bought two stores since locating here 
and has combined them. He n^w has 
a large and well equipped establishment, 
carrying a carefully selected line of gen- 
eral goods and he has secured a liberal 
patronage which is well merited. 

Unto 3ilr. and IMrs. Chenoweth was 
'born a daughter, Claudia, who died at the 
age of. nine years, and was buried in the 
family lot in Walker township. Her 
death was the greatest sorrow that has 
ever come to her parents. Mrs. Cheno- 
weth is a member of the Christian church 
and is an estimable lady. Mr. Cheno- 
weth, active in business and progressive in 
citizenship, is regarded as one of the 
valued residents of this part of the county. 
In politics he is a republican and for 
eighteen years he served as postmaster, 
or until the rural free delivery route was 
established. He owns three acres of land 
and lives in Hickory Ridge, and he has 
remodeled and repaired both his store and 
house and is now comfortably situated in 
life. An analyzation of his record shows 
that his prosi)erity is the legitimate out- 
come of earnest labor and persistent pur- 
pose and that he is entirely a self-made 
man. He is now conducting a good and 
paying business and all acknowledge that 
the success which he is enjoying is well 
merited, and all his friends are glad when 
Fortune favors him. 



HIRAM B. KIXKADE. 

Hiram B. Kinkade, wlm fullows 
farming near Hamilton, was born in St, 
Albans township, Hancock county, on the 
3d of February, 1858, and attended the 
district schools, while spending his boy- 
hood days under the parental roof. His 
paternal grandparents were George W, 
and Elizabeth (Trainer) Kinkade, both of 
wdiom were natives of Virginia, They 
became early settlers of Hancock county, 
]i)Ut in the meantime had resided in 
Hardin count}', Kentucky, where occurred 
the birth of Lorenzo D, Kinkade, father 
of our subject. He married Miss Harriet 
Stewart, who was born in Wabash county, 
Indiana, a daughter of Cornelius and 
Sarah (Bullard) Stewart, who were like- 
wise pioneer residents of this county. 
The marriage of Mr, and Mrs. Lorenzo 
Kinkade was celebrated at the residence 
of his wife's father about 1840 and they 
afterward removed to St. Clair county, 
Illinois, and subseciuentl}' lived in Adams 
county, Illinois, for a time. At a later 
date they went to Missouri, taking up 
their abode near Ivirksville and in 1856 
they came to Hancock county, Mr, Kink- 
ade purchasing forty acres of unimproved 
timber land. He cleared and cultivated 
the tract, making many modern improve- 
ments upon it and there resided until 
1872, when he sold that place to his son. 
He afterward lived with his children up 
to the time of his death, which occurred 
January 16, 1879, when he was fifty-five 
years of age. His widow still survives 
and makes her home with her children in 
this county, and she is honored by all who 
know her. 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILUXOIS. 



Hiram B. Kinkade was the seventh in 
order of birth in a family uf six scms 
and five daughters. He was reared upon 
the old home farm and resided with his 
parents until his father's death, after 
which his mother lived with him until he 
reached the age of twenty-seven years. 
He began his business career upon rented 
farms in this localit}' and in i8g6 he pur- 
chased eight acres t)i land in the Oak- 
wood addition to Hamilton. L'pon this 
tract was a small brick house, which he 
has since rebuilt. He also has put up 
bams and a tenant house and has given 
much attention to horticultural pursuits, 
planting about sixty apple trees and the 
same number of peach trees. He also 
has pear and plum trees, grapes and other 
fruit upon his place and is meeting with 
e.xcellent success in the raising of fruit, 
ha^"ing thoroughly informed himself con- 
cerning the best methods (if producing 
the various fniits, to which he gives his 
time and attention. 

On the 28th of December, 1886, Mr. 
Kinkade was married in Emporia, Kan- 
sas, to Miss Emma Samsel, who was born 
in Ogle county, Illinois, March 28, 1866. 
her parents being Ephraim and Tracy 
(Rohrer) Samsel, whu were natives of 
^^'ashington cotmt}-, ^Maryland. Her 
grandparents were Jacob and Susan 
(Whip) Samsel, natives of Maryland, 
and John and Susan ( Poifenbarger) 
Rohrer. Her parents were members of 
the Christian church. 

In his political views Mr. Kinkade is 
a democrat and in 1903 and 1904 was a 
member of the city council of Hamilton. 
He belongs to Montebello lodge, Xo. 
697, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. 
14 



Active in business, he has made good use 
of his opportunities and is prospering in 
his undertakings, so that he is now one 
of the substantial citizens of the 
community. 



WILLI. \M H. D. XOYES, M. D. 

On the list of Hancock county's 
honored dead appears the name of Dr. 
^\'illiam H. D. Xoyes. who for many 
years was recognized as one of the preem- 
inent members of the medical profession 
in Carthage. His parents were Michael 
J. and Elitha (Tate) Xoyes, the former 
a native of Xew Hampshire and the latter 
of Rock Castle county. Kentucky. Dr. 
Xoyes was born in Bowling (ireen, [Mis- 
souri. January 24. 1834. and was reared 
in Pittsfield. Illinois, to which city his 
parents rem(]\ed in his earl}- l)oyhood 
da}s, his father and mother spending the 
remainder of their lives there. In their 
family were twel\-e children, all of whom 
are now deceased, with the exception of 
John Xoves, who is still li\-ing in 
Pittsfield. 

Dr. Xoyes acquired his preliminary 
education in the schools of Pittsfield and 
after completing the high school course 
entered Shtirtleff College, at L'pper Alton, 
Illinois. His literary education being 
finished he then prepared for his chosen 
profession by study in the Missouri Med- 
ical College, at St. Louis, from which he 
was a graduated in the class of 1861. In 
the same year, however, he put aside pro- 
fessional cares in order to aid his country 
then engaged in the Civil war, joining 



2l6 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJ'IEJV 



Coni])aii\- Iv i)f the Sixteenth llhnois In- 
fantry. He was witli that ciminiand fur 
only a few months, liowever. when he 
was transferred to the navy as assistant 
surgeon on the Bark Brazihera from the 
Brooklyn navyyard. Later he was trans- 
ferred to tlie steamer Southfield, also 
doing ser\-ice on the Atlantic coast. 'Ihis 
vessel proceeded soutliw^ard to Norfolk, 
Virginia, and up the James river. Mrs. 
Noyes still has in her possession the letter 
from John G. Nicholay. private secretary 
to President Lincoln, transferring Dr. 
Noyes from the infantry to the navy. 
He had the rank of lieutenant and messed 
with the wardroom officers. In Decem- 
lier, 1862. on acciiunt of ill health he was 
at home for a short time and afterward 
went to St. Louis, where he did duty in 
the Fifth Street Hospital and later, on 
the hospital steamer "City of Memphis" 
on the Mississippi river, where he again 
acted as surgeon, remaining <in duty until 
the latter part of 1863. 

l-'ollowing his connection with the arm_\- 
Dr. Noyes practiced medicine for a year 
in Pittsfield and in 1864 removed t(j 
Carthage, where he cnntinued in active 
practice until his demise. He wms in ill 
health, however, for several years prinr 
to his death and he passed away at Hot 
Springs, South Dakota on the utli of 
June, 1804. He was long accounted one 
of the leailing and able physicians of 
Carthage and \i ir many years resided on 
Wabash avenue and T'ayette street. He 
always kept well informed concerning the 
jiriigrcss of his pnifession as aihancement 
was made in efficienc}- and kn^w ledge, 
and that his lalmrs were attended with 
a high measure of success is indicated hv 



the fact that a most liberal patrun.-ige was 
accorded him. 

Dr. Noyes was marrietl in the fall of 
1863 to Miss Lizzie Lynde, of driggsville, 
Illinois, in which city she was l)orn. 
They had no children but adopted a 
daughter, who is now Mrs. D. G. Berry, 
of Carthage, Illinois, and has one child, 
Catherine. ]\Irs. Noyes died in July. 
1872 and her remains were interred in the 
cemetery at (iriggsville, where she was 
visiting at the time of her death. Dr. 
Noyes afterward married Miss Lrun-a 
Miller on the 27th of (3ctober, 1874. 
She was bom in Huntsville, Pennsylvania. 
June 30, 1841), and was a daughter of 
Captain Idiomas C. rmd Martha Mary 
(McCulloch) :\li]ler. The ancestors of the 
Miller family came fmm Scotland, settling 
in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in 1720. 
Her great-great-grandfather was John 
Miller. He was a most prominent antl 
influential man of his dav and married 
Isal)ella Henry, a sister of the father of 
i'atrick Plenry, whose elo(|uence did so 
much in arousing the colonists to make the 
attempt to throw off the yoke of British 
oppression. Isabella Henr}- Miller died 
a few months before her husl)and and bnth 
lie buried in the cemetery, which thirty 
years before he had dedicated to "ye 
congregation of the Presl)yterian church" 
I if Neshaminy. He was also a large land- 
owner in Bucks county, Pennsylvania. 
.William Miller, Jr., great-grandfather of 
Mrs. Noyes. was a ca|)t;iin in the Revolu- 
tionary war, having the fnllowing reciinl : 
Appointed ensign June 9. 1776. first 
lieutenant March 20. 1777. captain on 
b^bruary 2. 1778. and colonel April ij. 
1779, in the Seventh Pennsylvania Regu- 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS - 



217 



lars commanded by Captain William 
Irvine. He alsu ciimmanded at the battle 
of Hackinsack and was camped at White 
Plains in 1778. His regiment was paid 
off at Carlisle. F'ennsyh'ania. in April, 
1 78 1. His father-in-law was C(3lonel 
Thomas Craig, also of Revolutionary war 
fame. He was second lieutenant in 
Captain Aljraham Miller's company. Col- 
onel Thompson's battalion rif riflemen. 
In Xo\-ember, 1775, he was promoted tti 
first lieutenant and (|nartermaster of 
the Ijattalinn : afterwards as quartermas- 
ter iif the Xinth Pennsyh'ania of the 
Continental Line. In ] 780 he was cummis- 
sary of purchases for Buck's company. 
He was born in 1740, passing from this 
life in 1832. He was married in 1790 to 
Dorothy Briner. 

General T. C. Miller, grandfather of 
Mrs. Xoyes, was a resident of Gettys- 
btu"g, Pennsvlvania. and served in the war 
of 181 2. He also had brothers who were 
in active duty during that war and one 
or two died in prison ships, one passing 
away on the Jersey. ( ieneral T. C. Miller 
was a warm, personal friend of I'rancis 
Scott Key, who was the author of The 
Star Spangled Banner. 

From the "Pennsylvania Statesman," 
published at Carlisle, Pennsyhania, Sep- 
tember 28, 1843, '"^ fi'c '" Hamilton Li- 
brary, Carlisle : 

(General T. C. Miller was at that time 
a candidate for associate judge of the 
district of Cuiulierland. I'^ranklin and 
Perrv counties. ) 



eral Miller are confident of giving him 
600 majority. Let Cumberland do her 
duty and the General will be elected by 
a handsome majority. " 



"General Miller. — We learn from 
Franklin countv that the friends of Cien- 



GENERAL THOMAS C. MILLER. 

The military career of this gentleman 
deserves some notice, and we think gives 
him additional claims on the favor of his 
fellow citizens. A \-olunteer, who served 
with the General during the last war, has 
furnished us with a full history of their 
services and hardships, from which we 
shall make a few extracts, in ( >rder to 
show that, whatever the "\-olunteers" 
may call Cieneral Miller, he has gi\'en 
strong proof that he is at all events, an 
American and a patriot. 

To the Editors of the Pcniisyhviiia 

Statesinaii, Gentlemen : — 

I am not in the habit of dabbling in 
politics, but when I see the character of 
a man with whom I have been intimate 
through life wrongfully assailed and tra- 
duced. I can not withhold from him my 
feeble support. 

I have been accjuainted with General 
Miller from the late war to the present 
da}", and can aver that his whole course of 
life, which has fallen under my observa- 
tion from that da}- to this, has been unex- 
ceptional)le. Of his civil services I need 
not speak — neither need I sa}' a word in 
relation to his character as a man. But 
I ha\e a soldier's feeling for ;i fellow- 
soldier — and I must say that if the man 
who serves his country faithful I_\' in the 
hour of danger deserves the gratitude of 
his countrvmen, then will (ieneral Miller 



2l8 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFA 'Hill 



ill the present contest in _\-i)ur district, 
be surrtJiinded and supported li\' a Imst 
of friends. I will tell you of sonie nf the 
services he rendereil. In 1814, when the 
news reached tis that the British had 
burned Washington, he mounted his horse 
and never ceased his exertions until he hail 
raised a \-olunteer rifle compaii}', which 
he marched to Baltimore in fort\--eight 
hours. Besides leaving his hnme and 
business, he incurred considerable ex- 
pense in raising' and marching the com- 
pany, for which he never asked or received 
remuneration, further than his monthly 
pay. The night after the battle of North 
Point, the main body of our army ha\'ing 
been dri\en l)ack into their entrenchments, 
a fragment of the army was cut off from 
the main body Ijv the rising of the tide 
in an arm of the bay. and could not reach 
the entrenchiuents without passing- 
through the British lines: the\- were, 
moreover, destitute of provisions, and 
were in a very bad way. In this enier- 
g;ency Colonel Cobean rode along" the line 
and asked who would \olunteer to go and 
bring the men up? ]\Iaiiy marched out 
and offered, but General Smith and Com- 
modore Rogers forbade their going, sa\'ing 
that every man would be wanted in the 
morning. Part of Captain Miller's com- 
pany being among those cut 1 ifi', he and 
William ]\[cClellan, now of Gettysburg, 
although the night was wet and dark, 
procured horses, and each taking a bag 
of bread and some canteens of whiskey, 
stole through the lines of the British sen- 
tinels, reached the men, and after giving 
them something to eat and drink, marched 
them safely by a circuitous route into 
the American (|uarters before da\liglit. 



For this daring feat the General was nick- 
named Jasper and McCIellan was called 
McDonald, after two famous partisan sol- 
diers of the Revolution — in truth among 
his fellow-soldiers General Miller is, to 
this day, called Old Jasper. His conduct 
throughout the whole" campaign met the 
approbation of his companions in arms, 
and he was elected l)v a unanimous vote 
major of the battalii:>n composed of his 
own company. Captain Cobean's com- 
pany of (Gettysburg, Captain Campbell's 
company of Gettysburg, Captain Eichel- 
berger's company of Dillsburg, Captain 
's company of Peach Bot- 
tom and Captain McKinne}'s company of 
Shippensburg, very man_\- members of 
wdiich companies are living witnesses of 
the fact. He has since lieen elected to 
se\'eral imp<irtant military offices in his 
lirigade. Injmediatel}' after the close of 
the last war, he was elected colonel of 
the Eigthy-sixth Regiment at Gettysburg. 
NA'hen his term expired, he was elected 
brigade inspector and after that was 
twice elected brigadier general, which 
commission I believe he held until his re- 
moval into Cumberland county in 1840. 

As a politician, I differ in some respects 
from General Miller, but I ha\e so much 
confidence in the patriotism and integrity 
of the man, and so many good reasons to 
belie\e him the true friend of his country, 
that I am sorry I am not a citizen of your 
district, so that I might be able to give 
him a lift at the next election. 
Signed, 
A Volunteer ok 181 4. 

Pie was elected. 



D.aniel Craig, one of the great-grand- 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



219 



fathers of ]\Ir.s. Xox'es in tlie paternal line. 
died in 1776. Of this family Colonel 
Thomas Craig, son of Daniel Craig", re- 
ceived his commission October 23. 1776, 
as captain in the Revolutionary war and 
rose to the rank i:)f colonel. He married 
Jean Jamison and his daughter, Marga- 
ree. married William Miller, great- 
grandfather iif Airs. Xoyes, who founded 
Millerstown, now Fairfield, r'enns\ivania, 
and was for many years representative 
and senator of a district in the state legis- 
lature and was a vevv prominent and in- 
fluential man. In the fall (jf 1S14, T. C. 
Miller raised a rifle company and marched 
to Washington to defend the city after 
it had been attacked by the British. He 
was elected a few years later, brigade 
inspector of the military section, perform- 
ing his duties with capability and honor 
and was afterward general nf his <li\ision. 
In 1824 he was electetl high sheriff of 
the county and in 1835 he was appointed 
by Governor Wolf registrar and recorder 
to fill a vacancy in that office. He was a 
member of the Alasonic fraternity and at 
his death was buried with military hon- 
ors, the remains being escorted to the 
gra\-e by a military organization known 
as "the Blues" and also Ijy the fraternal 
societies to which he belonged and a great 
majority of the citizens of (iett_\-sl)urg. 
He owned at one time the ground on 
which Evergreen cemetery (a ])art of 
National cemeter}- ) at ( lettysburg was 
laid out. Mrs. Xo\es has in her jjosses- 
sion a large oil painting of this honored 
ancestor, which was made in colonial 
times and which she prizes \ er\- highh'. 
Captain Thomas C. .Miller, father of 
Mrs. Noyes, was born in ( iett\'sburg. 



t'ennsylvania, July i, 1827, and having 
arrived at years of maturity wedded Mary 
McCuUoch, who was born in Dickinson, 
Pennsylvania, Jul)' 22, 1826. He served 
as a soldier of Company F. Seventh Mis- 
sotn-i Ca\alr)-, in the Civil war and won 
the rank of captain but was obliged to 
resign on account of an attack of typhoid 
fe\-er, after which he returned home. He 
re-enlisted. Ijecoming a lieutenant of Com- 
pany K, One Hundred and Forty-si.xth 
Illinois Infantry. His regiment rendez- 
\'(iused at Camp Butler and was on duty 
at Springfield, Illintjis, at the time of the 
funeral ser\ices of I^-esident Lincoln. 
Captain Miller died June 21, 1905, and 
was buried at Moss Ridge cemetery in 
Carthage, b'or a number of years prior 
to his death he li\-etl retired and was 
a most respected and worth}- man, who 
enjoved the un(|ualifietl confidence and es- 
teem of all who knew him. His widow 
died March 22. 1906. In the family 
four children: Laura, now Mrs. Xoyes; 
J. Oliver, who is li\'ing in Baconsfield, 
Iowa : Anna, the wife of R. Herron John- 
son, of Adams, Kansas; and Margaretta, 
the wife of Rev. T. S. Hawley, of Trini- 
dad, Colorado. 

Unto Dr. and Mrs. Xoyes were l:)orn 
five children, four of whom yet sur\-ive. 
I<"annie is li\ing with her mother. Mary 
Co\le is the wife of Ralph Harper Mc- 
Kee, professor of chemistry at Lake I-'or- 
est Uni^'ersity near Chicago. Helen Mil- 
ler is now a teacher of languages at 
Synodecal College, at b'ulton, Missottri. 
Julia Tate was a graduate of Wilson Col- 
lege at Chaml)ersl:)urg. I'ennsx-lvania, 
June 7, 1906. 

Dr. Xo\'es was a prominent and \alued 



BIOGRAPHICAL REV IE]]' 



member of the Masonic fraternity, serving 
as master of his lotlg'e in Carthage for 
manv years. In his poHtical views he 
was an earnest and unfaltering repubhcan, 
and was supervisor and for two terms 
was postmaster at Carthage. Xot only 
in the line of his profession but in public 
and private life as well he did much ser- 
vice of a beneficial nature for his fellow- 
men. The sterling traits of his character, 
his many acts of kindness and charity and 
the honorable principles which formed the 
basic element of all tliat he did and said. 
made him a man whom tn know was to 
respect and honur, and there are many 
residents of Carthage and Hancock 
county who still cherish his memory. His 
wife and daughters are members of the 
Presbyterian church. Mrs. Noyes or- 
ganized the society of the Daughters of 
the American Revolution in the fall of 
1897 and was regent therein for three 
vears. She is a lady of innate cultiu"e and 
refinement, of superior intelligence and 
of most kindh^ purpose and the family 
have long occupied an enviable position 
in social circles in Carthage. 



PROFESSOR JAMES E. WILLIAMS. 

Professor James E. Williams, superin- 
tendent of schools of Hancock county and 
one of the capable educators of western 
Illinois, was born in Hancock township, 
October ti, 1859, his parents being P.^ 
D. and M. A. (Dale) Williams, The' 
paternal grandfather. Rev. Levi Williams, 



was a Methodist divine, who preached for 
many years in Hancock county and this 
jiart of the state. W hile in New York 
tlie Williams family were close neighbors 
of the Mormon prophet, Joseph Smith. 
Re\'. Le\i Williams married a Miss 
Barnes, whose father was a sergeant in 
the war of 1812. The ancestry of the 
Williams family can be traced liack to 
Roger. A\'illiams, the apostle of freedom, 
who founded the colony of Rhode Is- 
land. The father of our subject was born 
in Wayne county. New York, May 2. 
rS^O, while the mother's birth occurred 
in Hancock township, this county, on the 
I2tli of February, 1840. P. D. Williams 
arrived in this county in 1837, aluKist 
seventy years ago and is now engaged in 
business as a shoe merchant of La Harpe, 
Illinois. r>ecause of the fact that he lost 
a part of his hantl in a threshing machine 
he could not go to war but was always a 
stalwart advocate of the L'nion cause. 
His ])(;)litical allegiance is given to the 
democracy and he has served as justice of 
the peace and school director. Both he 
and his wife are earnest and helpful mem- 
bers of the Christian church, in which 
he is now serving as an elder and also 
as president of the official board. People 
of the highest respect.abilit}'. they enjc^y 
the warm regard of all with whom they 
have come in contact and are numbered 
among the most prominent residents of 
their town. She at one time was a ])upil 
of her husband when he was a teacher in 
Hancock county. He is a member of the 
Masonic fraternity, in wdiich he has at- 
tained the Royal Arch degree. In their 
famil}- were nine children. The eldest 
is Professor Williams of this re\'iew. 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



Emma, who taught in the (Hstrict schnols 
of Hancock county for three or four years, 
is imw the wife nf J. M. Preston, of 
Fountain (_ireen, Ilhnois. Ida is the wife 
of W. ¥. Aloyes, of Monmouth, illinciis, 
and she, too, was a successful teaclier cif 
this county, having been in one rodUi for 
seven years in Eh-aston. Laura is the 
wife of (_ieorge B. Howes, nf I'enria, Ilh- 
nois, and she, too, taught for several years 
in Hancock county, spending two years 
in the public schools of Carthage. Charles 
C. is now foreman of the Journal at 
Peiiria, Illinois. AIar\', who was also a 
capable schoolteacher following the pro- 
fession for seven years in the public 
schools of La Harpe, is now the wife of 
E. I. Soule of that town. Kate, who 
taught for five years in the schools of 
La Harpe. is now a teacher in Bowen, 
Illinois. 

Professor \\ illiams. whose name intro- 
duces this record, remained at home until 
nineteen years of age and during that 
period pursued his education in the public 
schools. He afterward entered Carthage 
College, from which he was graduated 
in the class of 1885, winning the degree 
of Bachelor of Arts. Like his father he 
began life as a schoolteacher, which pro- 
fession he followed at Elvaston, where 
his sister also taught for a number of 
years. Professor Williams was connected 
with the schools there in 1883. Follow- 
ing the completion of his collegiate course 
he taught school at Camp Point, Illinois, 
having charge of the preparatory depart- 
ment there. In 1886 he took charge of 
the Burnside school and at the same time 
he devoted his time and energies to the 
study of law. The same vear he was 



elected superintendent of the public 
schools at Ness City, Kansas, and organ- 
ized and graded the schools of that city, 
where he remained for four years, during 
which time he established the .system of 
public instruction upon a safe and suljstan- 
tial basis. In 1892 he removed to La- 
crosse, Kansas, where he remained for 
two years as superintendent of the public 
schools, leaving that place to settle in La- 
Harpe, Illinois, where he was engaged in 
the dry goods business. He conducted a 
store there for several years with good 
success and was carrying on the trade at 
the time he was nominated and elected to 
his present office — that of superintendent 
of schools of Hancock county, ^^^^ile in 
La Harpe he was also a member of the 
board of education for several years and 
acted as its president for two years. The 
cause of education has always found in 
him a stalwart champion, who has enter- 
tained high ideals and labored untiringly 
for their adoption. 

On the 13th o'f June, 1892, Mr. Wil- 
liams was united in marriage to Miss 
Daisy K. Brown, of Ness City, Kansas, 
who was at one time a pupil of his in the 
high school. She is a daughter of Cap- 
tain J. W, and Catherine (Kouts) Brown, 
Iioth of whom were natives of Indiana, 
in which state Mrs. Williams was also 
born. Her father served as a captain 
under Major McKinley in the Civil war 
and was personally and intimately ac- 
quainted with him. He was also a rela- 
tive of John Brown, of Harper's Ferry 
fame. His death occurred in March, 
1892, while Mrs. Brown passed away 
twenty-five years ago. In their family 
were five children, all of whom are living. 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFJIEW 



namely: Effie, the wife of A. W. Xu- 
som. of Gervais. Oregon; Airs. Williams; 
George \\"., alscj of Gervais, Oregon; 
Cora, the wife of W. A. Brooks, of that 
place: and Helen, who lives with Mr. and 
Mrs. Williams and is a teacher in the 
schools of West Point. L'nto Professor 
and Mrs. Williams ha\e been born two 
children: Ralph Brown, who was born 
in La Harpe. December 13. 1895. and is 
now a stndent in the pnblic schools of 
Carthage: and Philip, who was liorn 
April 9, 1903, in Carthage. 

Professor Williams is a member of the 
Knights of Pythias. Masonic and Odd 
Fellow fraternities and both he and his 
wife are members of the Christian chnrch. 
in which they take an actixe and helpful 
]iart. He is now ser\'ing as one of its 
elders and has been superintendent of 
various Sunday-schools. The family 
home is on North Adams and Buchanan 
street, where aljout a year after coming 
to this state he erected an attractive resi- 
dence. His political allegiance is given 
to the democracy. In his ])rivate and 
])ul)lic life he is methodical and systematic, 
so directing his business interests as to 
accomplish the best results possible. He 
has given uniform satisfaction by the ca- 
pable manner in which he has discharged 
the duties of the office which he is now 
tilling. His practical experience as a 
teachei- in the schoolroom well (|ualihed 
him for the work and under his guidance 
the schools of Hancock county h;ive made 
substantial improvements. Professor 

Williams is devcited to his home .and 
f,amil\- and is one in whom the graces 
of culture antl learning have \'ied in mak- 
ing ;m interesting, entertaining gentleman. 



DAYTOX WILPIAM REED. 

Da}'ton W illiam Reed is one of the ex- 
tensive landowners of W )'the township, 
having a valuable farm of three hundred 
and se\-enty-four acres on sections 16. 17, 
18 and 19. He is one of the native sons 
of this township, his birth having oc- 
curred on the 30th of September, 1854. 
His paternal grandfather was Jacob Reed, 
and his father. William Wallace Reed. 
The latter became a pioneer resident of 
Hancock count}', taking u]) his abode in 
Wythe township in 183O when but sixteen 
years of age. He secured three hundred 
and twenty acres of wild prairie land and 
transformed the virgin soil into pro- 
ductive fields, sharing in the hardships 
and i)ri\-ations of pioneer life, while en- 
gaged in the arduous task of developing 
and improving a new farm. For more 
than si.x decades he resided upon the old 
homestead but in 1898 went to li\-e with 
his daughter in this vicinity. In early 
manhood he had wedded Selena Chandler, 
a daughter of Adolphus Chandler, and 
she passed awa)^ in 1866. 

Dayton W. Reed was the second child 
and onlv son in a famil\- of five children. 
At the usual age he enteretl the district 
schools and after comjjleting his prelimi- 
nar}- education he spent one year as a 
stndent in Carthage College. Through 
the period of his minorit\' he largely as- 
sisted his father in the work of the fields, 
and when twenty-one years of age he be- 
gan teaching school in \\'ythe township, 
following that pursuit during the winter 
months, while in the summer seasons he 
carried on farming for t^vel\■e years. In 
the meantime, ambitious to achie\'e good 



HANCOCK COCNTV. ILLIXOIS. 



223 



farming propert}" of liis own. he made in- 
vestments in land, becoming owner of 
three hunth'cd and twenty acres on sec- 
tions 17 and 18. \\'ythe township. He 
also bought eighty acres more on section 
16. and since 1894 he has resided con- 
tinuously at his present home. His landed 
possessions now comprise three hundred 
and seventy- four acres on section lO, 17, 
18 and 19, Wythe township, where he 
carries on general agricultural pursuits, 
also raises horses and cattle. He likewise 
feeds stock, both cattle and hogs for the 
market, shipping about two hundred head 
of hogs annually. He is a man of sound 
business judgment, reliable in his dealings 
and careful and progressive in his under- 
takings and the goodly measiu"e of suc- 
cess which he is now enjoying has come 
to him as the reward of his own labors. 
On the loth of March. 18S1, :\Ir. Reed 
was married to Aliss Laura Fulton, who 
was born in Westmoreland county. Penn- 
sylvania, October 9, 1857, a daughter of 
Robert and Harriett (Trussell) Fulton, 
natives of \\'estmoreland county, Penn- 
sylvania and of Xew Hampshire respect- 
i\ely. Her paternal grandparents were 
A\'illiam and Xancy Fulton, of Alleghen)' 
C(,)unty, Pennsylvania. ^Ir. and Mrs. 
Reed ha\-e a family of eight children : 
Harriett, born January 30, 1882; Harrw 
who died in infancy: Clara, Ijorn Ma_\' 3, 
1885: Frank, who died at the age of two 
years; Jessie, born March i(>, 1889; 
Gratia, November 2. 1891 ; Laura, Decem- 
ber 15, 1893: and Robert, April 29, 1896. 
All of the living children are still at home. 
Mr. Reed has served as school treasurer 
since T894 and is interested in the cause 
of etlucation to the extent of gi\ing hearty 



suppt,)rt to all progressive mo\'ements for 
the benefit of the schools. He votes with 
the Republican party and is a member of 
the Modern Woodmen camp at Warsaw, 
also holding membership in the Congre- 
gational church of Wythe township, of 
which he has been a trustee. Analyza- 
tion of his life record shows that he has 
placed his dependence upon the safe sub- 
stantial qualities of energy and determi- 
nation in order to secure success, realizing 
that "there is no e.xcellence without great 
labor" and that "honesty is the best 
polic}'." 



ROBERT SMITH CORDOX. 

Robert Smith Gcjrclon is acting as sta- 
tion agent for the Wasbash Railnjad and 
also for the Toled(j, Peoria & Western 
Railroad at Hamiltt)n. He was born here 
December 10. 1866. and belongs to (jne 
of the oldest and most prominent pio- 
neer families of this portion of the state. 
His paternal grandfather came to where 
the cit_\' of Hamilton now stamls more 
than seven decades ago, there being fewer 
than fi\"e hundred people in the entire 
count\- at that time. He entered one hun- 
dred and si-xt}' acres of land from the 
go\-ernment and it is upon this tract that 
the city of Hamilton now stands. He 
aided in reclaiming the wild land for the 
uses of civilization and was connected 
with the early development anil progress 
of the county here until his death, which 
CKCurred in 1846, while his wife passed 
away in 1848. In their famil)- were but 



BIOGRAPHICAL RE HEW 



two sons, tlie \-i>un,f;ei" lieing Samuel Gor- 
(li>n. tatlier uf dur suljject, wlio is men- 
tioned elsewhere in this work. Samuel 
Gordon was horn in Peterhnni, Xew 
Hampshire, and after arriving at years 
of maturit}' was married to Miss Per- 
melia Alvord. who was liorn in Erie 
coitntv, Pennsyh'ania. ller father was a 
Baptist minister of thai state and came 
t(^ Hamilton at an early tla}-, preaching 
in this place and in the cnunty. so that 
he left the impress of his individualit)- 
upon the moral de\'elii])ment and i^rogress 
of the community. Samuel (lordon (in 
starting out in life on his own account 
gave his attention to farming. He also 
laid out the Gordon addition to the city 
of Hamilton and was closely associated 
with many movements and events which 
have shaped the histor}' of this part of 
the state. He was schodl director of 
Hamiltnn district. Xo. 3, and was city 
clerk for ahout four years. He was also 
alderman of the second ward fnr six years 
and his co-operation could always be 
counted upon as a helpful factor to pro- 
mote public progress and improvement. 
He died October 2, 1901, while his wife 
passed away September 19, 1890. She 
left a family of four daughters and two 
sons: Eleanor, wdio is a Unitarian min- 
ister located in Des ]Moines, Iowa ; Ji ihn 
A., a book merchant of Hamilton, Illi- 
nois; Alice A., and Agnes C, who make 
their home together in the old homestead ; 
and Mabel B., a teacher in the ])ul)lic 
schools of Hamilton., 

The other member of the family is 
Robert Smith Gordon of this review, who 
was the fifth in order of birth. In his 
youth he attended the public schools and 



assisted his father in the work of the 
home farm. At the age of seventeen 
years he put aside his textbooks and gave 
his undivided attention to farm labor and 
on the 1st of May, 1886, he secured the 
position of station agent for the Wabash 
and Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroads at 
Hamilton, in which capacity he has since 
been engaged. He is a courteous, oblig- 
ing official, who has won the good will of 
many patrons of the road and at the same 
time he represents the corporation with 
true fidelity and devotion. He is likewise 
president of the Loan and Building As- 
sociations of Hamilton, which was or- 
ganized in 1889, while since 1901 he has 
filled the present position. The other of- 
ficers are A. B. Agnew, vice president ; 
J. A. Gordon, secretary: and E. M. Le- 
Roy. treasurer. 

On the 2d of October, 1903, Mr. Gor- 
don was united in marriage to Miss Laura 

B. Bridges, who was born in Hamilton. 
April I, 1866, and is a daughter of W. 

C. Bridges. They had one child, Laura 
Ellen, born December 20, 1904, who died 
in June. 1905. Mr. Gordon has a very 
wide acquaintance in this part of the 
count)- and is a worthy representative of 
an honored pioneer family that has been 
associated with the substantial develop- 
ment and progress of this section of the 
state from an early day. \n his political 
affiliation he is a republican and has 
served as alderman, mayor and township 
school trustee. Fraternally he is a Ma- 
son, belonging to the Blue Lodge, Royal 
Arch chapter and Order of the Eastern 
Star of Hamilton and Knights Templar 
of Augusta, being very highly appreciated 
bv all the members of each fratemitv. 



HA.YCOCK COrXTV. ILLIXOIS. 



225 



CHARLES W. BOSTON. 

Charles W . B(_iston. who carries on 
farming in Carthage, his nati\e township, 
was born January 13, 1862, his parents 
being Reuben J. and Sarah J. (Dale) 
Bostc>n. The father was iKjrn in Ken- 
tucky and was brought to Illinois by his 
parents when about eight years of age, the 
family settling in Hancock county. The 
grandfather 'purchased land in Carthage 
township, where he made a home f<tr him- 
self and family and under the parental 
roof Reuben Boston was reared to man- 
hood, becoming familiar with the arduous 
task of developing a new farm in a front- 
ier district. After attaining adult age he 
purchased the farm now owned and occu- 
pied by his son, Charles ^V., on section 2,?)- 
Carthage township, and comprising one 
hundred and ten acres of rich and pro- 
ductive land. He also bought other prop- 
erty from time to time until he became the 
owner of five hundred and sixty acres 
of valuable land all lying in Carthage 
township. He placed many improve- 
ments on these different tracts and made 
model farms of his propertv, contributing 
in large measure to the agricultural prog- 
ress and prosperity rif this part of the 
state. Throughout his acti\'e life he 
carried on general farming and stock 
raising and in his later years removed to 
Carthage, where he lived retired, until 
his death, which occurred when he was 
sixty-seven years of age. His life was in 
consistent harmony with his professions 
as a member of the ^Nlethiidist church and 
he was never known to take advantage of 
the necessities of his fellowmen in any 
trade transaction. His political allegiance 



was given to the democracy. His widow 
still lives in Carthage at the age of se\'- 
enty-six years and is a dex'Oted christian 
woman, holding membership with the 
]\Iethodist church, 

Charles \\ . Boston acquired his educa- 
tion in the public schools of Carthage 
ti.nvnship and during the periods of vaca- 
tion assisted in the home work. He con- 
tinued to aid in the labors of the farm 
and following" his father's death he as- 
sumed its management and is now the 
owner of two hundred and thirtv acres of 
the old estate upon which he was born. 
He has made additional improvements 
here, remodeling the house, and today 
has a fine farm property equipped with 
modern accessories and conveniences. 
Well kept fences divide the place into 
fields that are devoted to the raising of 
\-arious cereals best adapted to soil and 
climate and the latest improved machinery 
is used in the work of plowing, planting 
and harvesting. He also raises high 
grades of stock, including cattle, hogs 
and horses, and he feeds cattle quite ex- 
tensively for market. 

Mr. Boston was married June 26, 1S84, 
to Miss Mary Rowena Yetter, a daughter 
of W'illiam Yetter, who is now living a 
retired life in Carthage. He was born in 
Ohio seventy-two years ago, and in 1846 
came with his parents, Lewis and .Sarah 
(Bear) Yetter to Hancock county. He 
was a soldier of the One Hundered Eight- 
eenth Illinois Volunter Infantry, and after 
his return engaged in farming in Carthage 
township till he returned to Carthage. 
His wife died in 1895, at the age of fifty- 
seven years. Mrs. Boston was born in 
this countv near Webster and in that lo- 



226 



BIOGRArHICAL REJ'IEir 



cality obtained her education. Siie has 
become tlie mothoi- of six children, five 
of whom are li\ing, namely : A\'a May, 
who was the wife of David R. Kim- 
brough. a resilient farmer of Carthage 
township, who died September 2, 1896: 
Golda ; Lula ; Ciaylord : Fern; and Ernest, 
all at home. 

Mr. Boston e.xercises his right nf fran- 
chise in support of the men and measures 
of the democracy but has never sought or 
desired office for himself. He, with his 
wife and the four eldest children belong to 
the Baptist church and he has lived an 
upright life, Ijeing fnund relial)le in cit- 
izenship, straightforward in his business 
dealings and Imnoraljle in all nf his rela- 
tions with his fellowmen. 



FRANCIS M. CLTTLER. 

This is a utilitarian age and the suc- 
cessful man is he who recognizes his o])- 
portunities and utilizes the forces at hand 
to best advantage. The laggard has m^ 
place in the wnrld today and it is pre- 
eminently true that in America "labor is 
king." It is therefore the men of dili- 
gence, of enterprise and keen business dis- 
cernment, who are continually working 
their way to the front and to this class 
belonged Francis M. Cutler, a grain nier- 
ch.ant of Carthage. Fie was born near 
this city Februar}- 15. 1835, a son of Na- 
than and Flannah (Ward) Cutler. His 
father was born on a farm in iM'ic county. 
New York, August 3, 1819, and in 1835 



took up his abode upon a farm near Can- 
ton, Fulton county, Illinois, where he re- 
sided until 1852, when he came to Han- 
cock county, settling four miles north of 
Carthage. There he resided until 1854, 
when he located upon the farm where the 
l)irth of Francis M. Cutler occurred. His 
wife was born in Wabash connt\'. In- 
diana, July 27, 1817. Both were con- 
sistent members of the Baptist church, in 
which Mr. Cutler served for a number of 
years as deacon. His early political sup- 
])ort was given to the democracy and he 
afterward become a stanch prohibitionist 
liecause of his views upon the temperance 
((uestion. He filled the office of township 
supervisor and was also a member of the 
school board for several years. The 
family numliered se\'en children, of whom 
three died in infancy, while four are still 
living, namely: Parkhurst W'., a stock- 
man residing near Carthage ; James C, 
living four miles southeast of Carthage, 
Illinois; Francis M. ; and Martha E., the 
wife of Millard F. Turner, of Oklahoma. 
'Idle mother died in 1890 and the father 
in 1898. their remains being laid to rest 
in Carthage cemetery. 

b'rancis M. Cutler was educated in the 
district scln)ols of Carthage and in Cen- 
tral college at Bella, Iowa, wdiicli he at- 
tended for two years. He was trained 
to all the work ^)i the home farm and 
subsequently settled upon a farm of his 
own southeast of Carthage. There for 
nian\- \c;n's he successfull)" and energet- 
icall}' carried on general agricultural pur- 
suits, but in 1801 retired from his farming 
operations and was afterwartl engaged in 
the grain trade at Carthage. He dealt in 
grain in large quantities. lia\-ing the only 




FRANCIS M. CUTLER 



HANCOCK COUXTV. ILLINOIS. 



elevatcir in Carthage, ami his husiness fur- 
nished an excellent market for the farm- 
ers. His elevator had a capacity of 
twenty thousand bushels and in the con- 
duct of the business ^Ir. Cutler met with 
ver_\' gratifying" success. After Septem- 
ber, 1904. he also conducted a real estate 
and emigration agency, making trips with 
people to the southwest and locating f(jr 
thein farms in Kansas, Oklahoma and the 
Indian Territory, but mostly in Ok- 
lahoma. 

In 1882 Air. Cutler wedded IMary E. 
Harnest, a native of this Cdunty and a 
daughter of Samuel E. Harnest, of Car- 
thage. She died May 13, 1895, leaving a 
son wIk.i died at the age of seventeen 
3'ears. On the i8th of Xdvember. 1897, 
Mr. Cutler wedded Mrs. Ida Byingtoii, 
(nee Talbot), who was born on a farm 
near RoseviUe, Illinois, and Ijy her former 
marriage had a daughter, Nellie, wIk.i was 
born in Burlington, Iowa, and is now, at 
the age of eighteen years, attending 
ShurtlefT College at Upper Alton; Illinois. 
She was also a student in the AA^jman's 
College at Jacksonville, Illinois, for two 
years and is making a specialty of the 
study of music. Mrs. Cutler was the 
widow of Charles E. Byington, who 
was a dealer in hats and men's furnish- 
ing goods in Burlington, Iowa, and 
a son of Judge Byington, of Iowa City, 
Iowa. Mrs. Cutler bore the maiden 
name of Ida Talbot and was a daughter 
of John Talbot, a soldier of the Civil war, 
who enlisted from Illinois. In his busi- 
ness life he was an attorney at Galesburg, 
Illinois. His widow still survives and 
now makes her home with her daughter, 
Mrs. Cutler. In December. 1905, ]\Ir. 



Cutler moved his family to an elegant new 
modern residence on Main street. His 
business interests were mcjst carefully con- 
ducted, his efforts being discerningly di- 
rected along well defined lines of labor 
that resulteil in the acquirement of grati- 
fying success. In his political \iews he 
was a prohibitionist and worked with the 
party for the past IweKe or fourteen 
}-ears. Both he and his wife were mem- 
bers of the Baptist church and in its dif- 
ferent activities ]\Irs. Cutler is most help- 
ful. She is a teacher in the Sunda\'- 
schuol, president of the missionary so- 
ciety and is likewise vice president of the 
P. E. O. In the cit)- where they re- 
sided both were held in high esteem and 
their friends were many, while the hospi- 
tality of their own home was greatly 
enjo}-ed. 

Mr. Cutler passed away August 10, 
1906, and is buried at Moss Ridge ceme- 
terv. Mr. Cutler was highly esteemed by 
his fellowmen for his christian manhood, 
his generous nature, his c|uiet benevo- 
lence, and his devotion t(3 family and 
friends. While friends may think on his 
departure with S(jrrowful regret, it is the 
home that grief has its abiding place. 
Onlv last December they mo\'ed into their 
beautiful new home on Main street. \\ ith 
everything worth living for bound up in 
that little family circle, death has come 
and it can be no more the same. But 
with grief abides also christian faith and 
fortitude,' and no words of consolation 
need be expressed to those who already 
appreciate the value of the precious 
promises given b)' our Creator as recorded 
in the Scriptures both in the Old and Xew 
Testament. 



228 



BIOGRAPHICAL KEl'IFJV 



CHARLES GERVIS CLARK. 

Charles (ier\-is Clark, who in j8'-)3, be- 
came a resident dt Carthage, where fur 
more than a quarter of a century he was 
engaged in the real estate business, rank- 
ing among the men worthy <jf the public 
trust, his life work reflecting credit and 
honor u])on the state in which he uKule 
his home, was born in New Berlin, New 
York, January 8, 1820, a son of Gervis 
and Rachel (Caple) Clark. His maternal 
grandfather. Colonel Caple, was a soldier 
of the Revolutionai-y war and an uncle of 
our subject was a soldier in the Alexican 
war. Gei-vis Clark, Sr.. died when his 
son was only four months old. leasing 
the mother with the care of this, her onlv 
child. Later she married a Mr. Stimp- 
son and there was one daughter by that 
union, Mrs. A. E. Alexander, wdio is 
now living at Denver, Colorado. 

Charles Gervis Clark of this review- 
acquired his education in the schools of 
JefTerson and of Jamestown, New York, 
and in both cities studied law. 1m)11ow- 
ing his preparati(_in for the Ijar he engaged 
in active practice in Cobleskill, Schoharie 
county, New York, wdiere he remained for 
eight years. He then went to Jamestown. 
New York, where he remained for a num- 
ber of years and was a partner of judge 
Abner Hazeltine, and in April, iSl;^, he 
came to Carthage, where he turned his 
attention to the real estate business. He 
became f.aniiliar with land values and en- 
abled many clients to make judicious and 
satisfying inxestmcnts .and at the s,ame 
time contributed to his individual success. 

Mr. Clark w.'is m.arried on the boundarv 
of Greene and .Mbaux" counties. New 



York, at Greenville, December 3, 1846, 
the lady of his choice being Miss Mary 
Andrews, who was born in Worcester, 
Otsego county. New York, April 30, 1826, 
a daughter of Simeon J. and Clarissa 
(Lake) Andrews, Her father was born at 
Middlefield, Otsego county. New York, 
and died when the daughter was only 
eighteen months old. The mother's birth 
occurred in Greenville, Greene countv. 
New York, and she passed away at the 
home of her daughter, Mrs. Clark, in Car- 
thage on the the 13th of September, 1886, 
at the \-ery advanced age of eighty-nine 
years, her remains being mterred in J^loss 
Ridge cemetery. She was the daughter 
of a Revolutionary soldier. .Mr. An- 
drews was a merchant, drover and f.irmer 
and was an enterprising" business man. 
Cnto him and his wife were born six 
children: Evaline, who died in child- 
hood; one wdio died in infancy; Lucy, 
who became the wife of I-ieuben Reeil, 
who resides in Kent, Orleans county, New- 
York, but both are now deceased ; Am- 
brose, who died at the home of AL's. Clark 
in 1873; Alary, now- Mrs. Clark; and 
Elizabeth, who became the wife of h'red- 
erick Chapman and made her home in 
Wisconsin, fiut died in Jersey City, New- 
Jersey. 

Mr. and Mrs. Clark bocjune the par- 
ents of eight children. Charles Andrew-s 
married Miss Jennie McCulIoch ;nid died 
in 1905, leaving a widow- and eight chil- 
dren, Edward, Margaret, (iervis, Stewart, 
Mary, George, Virginia and Robert. 
Ella Lee Clark died in childhood. CJeorge, 
Fred, Libbie, Louis, and Ada also passed 
aw;iy in childhood. Edward, the only 
surviving member of the familv, is li\-ing 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



229 



with his mother and is engaged in the 
real estate business in Carthage. Mr. 
Clark was a devoted member of the Pres- 
byterian church, to which his widow also 
belongs. She has always been a teacher 
in the Sunday-school, being a teacher in 
the primary department for fort}- years. 
Mr. Clark took a most active and helpful 
part in church work, doing all in his power 
to promote its growth and extenil its 
influence. In politics he was a republican. 
but was without aspiration for office, pve- 
ferring to devote his undix'ided time and 
attention to his business affairs, which 
were of an important character and 
reached extensive pmpijrtions. Ide pos- 
sessed strong. nati\'e intelligence, laudable 
ambition and high purpose and displayed 
many of the sterling traits of character 
which won him recognition as one of na- 
ture's noblemen. Although he started 
out in life in moderate cuxumstances he 
amassed considerable means and was thus 
enabled to leave a gondly pni])erty t(j his 
widow. He passed awa\' April 11, lyoo. 
his remains being interred in Moss Ridge 
cemeterv at Carthage. During the \'ears 
of his residence here he had wnn nian_\ 
friends by reason of his straightfnrward 
dealing, his consideration for others and 
his kindly, social nature. ^Irs. Clark is 
now eighty years of age but is still (|uite 
active and busies herself with reading or 
needlework. She is indeed a very bright 
and intelligent lady, spending the e\ening 
of her (lavs in an attractive home sur- 
rounded by many friends. She has a 
large circle of friends in Carthage who 
will doubtless receive with pleasure the 
record nf her life, as published in the 
Biographical Review of Hancock County. 



HOMER J. ELSEA. D. O. 

It is within comparatively recent )ears 
that osteopathy has become a factor in the 
healing of diseases Init in a comparatix'ely 
short time it has becunie a universall}' ac- 
knowledged power in checking the ra\- 
ages of illness and restoring health and 
there are today many practitioners of this 
school, not only in America but through- 
out the country, whose work is i)ro\'ing 
an inestimable boon to their fellowmen. 
Dr. Elsea. following this ])rofession in 
Carthage, has an extensive patn;>nage 
throughout the city and this part of the 
state and is one of the worthy and capable 
exponents of the science. His birth oc- 
curred in Randolph county. AIiss(juri. 
February 3. 1879. his [jarents being loen- 
jamin and Telitha (Taylor) Elsea. The 
father was d^orn in Shenandoah county, 
Virginia, in November, 1822. There is 
now no surviving member of his father's 
family. The mother of our subject was 
born in Boyle county. Kentucky, April 
16, 1 84 1, and at an early day her father 
removed to Missouri, where he resided 
until after the outbreak of the Civil war, 
when he came to Illinois, where he fol- 
lowed farming, his death occurring in this 
state. In his family were ten children, 
five of wdiom are yet living : A\ illiam 
Taylor, a resident of Randolph count}-, 
Missouri : Mrs. Telitha Elsea ; Mary, the 
wife of Thomas Heath, of St. Louis, Mis- 
souri ; Joseph, who is living in Illinois : 
and Mrs. Fannie Skeggs, of this state. 

Benjamin Elsea went to Missouri with 
his father when about sixteen }-ears of 
age and there resided u|)on a farm, mak- 
ing his home in that state until his death. 



230 



BIOGRAPHIC J L RE I Ih 1 1 ' 



Although he was not a sokUer during the 
Civil war he worked for the government 
throughout the period of the struggle, car- 
rying the mail for the soldiers wIk.i were 
so far away from home and frientls. His 
political allegiance was given to the de- 
mocrac}- and for many }'ears he served 
as justice of the peace, discharging his 
duties with fairness and impartiality. 
Both he and his wife were members of the 
Christian church. He was twice married, 
his fir.st union being with Mary Jane 
Grafiford, who died in \>>y). leaving five 
children, of whom four are living: J. 
W., Benjamin and Felix ( Irundy, all of 
Randolph county, Missouri; and John C, 
who resides in San Francisco. California. 
For his second wife Benjamin Elsea chose 
Telitha Taylor and they had eight chil- 
dren, of whom seven yet sur\-i\-e. L}-dia 
is the wife of L. P. Hatler, of Flavre, 
Montana, and has four children, Frank, 
Iva, Ernest and Oval: David J. Elsea, a 
graduate of the State Xormal School at 
Kirksville, Missouri, became a singing 
evangelist and at Colchester, Illinois, was 
ordained a minister of the Christian 
church. He is now one oi the able 
preachers of that denomination and has 
charge of the church in Creston. Iowa. 
He married ^^liss Ruby Jameson, of 
Abingdon, Illinois. Leona Florence is 
the wife of \V. L. Holbrook, of Jetmore, 
Kansas. Thomas G. died at the age of 
two and a half years. Luc)- Victoria is 
the wife of Dr. F. INI. Henderson, of 
Stronghurst, Illinois. Both are grad- 
uates of the American School of Oste- 
opathy at Kirksville, Missouri, and they 
have one child, Madge Elsea Henderson, 
ten years of age. Lena Catherine is the 



wife of Dr. J. S. Barker, formerly of 
Memphis, Missouri. They, too, are 
graduates of the Osteopathic School at 
Kirksville and are now living in La 
Harpe, Illinois. liomer J. is the seventh 
in order of birth. Lottie ( r. is the wife of 
Dr. C. I. Stephenson, formerly of Lin- 
coln, Nebraska, and now located at Au- 
burn, Nebraska. They, too, are grad- 
uates of the Kirkville School of Oste- 
opathy. The have one chikl, Elsea W'in- 
nebeth. In the family there is one min- 
ister of the gospel, three daughters, one 
son and three sons-in-law, who are prac- 
titioners of osteopathy. The mother of 
this family is still living, making her 
home among her children. She had two 
brothers, William and Silas Taylor, who 
were soldiers of the Ci\il war, enlisting 
in ^Missouri. 

Dr. Elsea, of Carthage, was a student in 
the district schools of Randolph county, 
Missouri, and afterward was graduated 
from the high school of Kirksville, Mis- 
souri, having attended scho(.)l there for 
five years. He later entered the State 
Normal at Kirksville, where his more 
specifically literary feducation was com- 
pleted. He was afterward in a mercantile 
school in Kirksville for six months, at the 
end of which time he entered the Amer- 
ican School of Osteopathy, at Kirksville, 
from which institution he was graduated 
on the 26th of Jtuie, 1902. He has since 
been located in Carthage He also has 
an office in Dallas City, Illinois, where 
he spends each Monday and Friday. He 
has a large city and country practice and 
has been veiy successful, effecting many 
cures among his patrons. He is well 
qualified for the profession by reason of 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



231 



liis thorough preparati(.)n and he is con- 
tinually promoting his efficiency through 
the knowledge which comes by experience. 

Dr. Elsea was married October 2, 1904. 
to Miss Ava Murphy, who was born near 
Abingdon, Illinois, and is a daughter of 
Henry and Althea Murphy. Her father 
was a farmer and removed from Illinois 
to Nebraska, where he lived for two }'ears, 
when he went to Kansas, where he died 
seventeen years ago. Following the 
father's death Mrs. Murphy and the chil- 
dren returned to Abingdon, Illinois, where 
she still makes her home. Mr. Murphy 
was a stalwart supporter of democratic 
principles and was a prominent member 
of the Christian church, serving as elder 
for many years, frequently preaching on 
Sundays, while through the week he fol- 
lowed farming. He served for a numljer 
of vears as one of the trustees of Abing- 
don College, an institution conducted 
under the auspices of the Christian church. 
Unto him and his wife were bom nine 
children, who are yet living, as follows : 
M. C, of Abingdon. Illinois; Adda, the 
wife of C. W. Robinson, of Abingdon ; 
Clinnie, the wife of J. J. Armstrong, of 
Lincoln, Nebraska; I. E., living in Love- 
land, California : Meadie, with her mother 
in Abingdon; J. \\'., of Dallas City, Illi- 
nois; O. H., with his mother in Abingdon. 

Both Dr. and Mrs. Elsea are faithful 
members of the Christian church and take 
an active part in its work. He is a stanch 
prohibitionist, thus giving expression of 
his belief in temperance principles, which 
he labors to uphold in every possible way. 
He has his office at his residence at No. 
1 1 1 Adams street. Though a young man 
he has been very successful. He is a 
15 



gentleman of fine personal appearance, 
reserved and dignified in manner, posses- 
sing an enterprising spirit and laudable 
ambition. Both he and his wife and her 
mother are welcomed into the best social 
circles of the city and have gained many 
friends during the period of their resi- 
dence here. 



SAMUEL T. STONE. 

Samuel T. Stone, deceased, was a florist 
of Carthage and conducted the only green- 
houses in Hancock county. He was born 
at Stone's Prairie, Adams county, Illinois, 
September 2^, 1855, his parents. Enoch 
P. and Emily (Burke) Stone, being 
farming people of that locality. The 
father continued to follow farming there 
until the spring of 1856, when he re- 
moved to Pontoosuc township, Hancock 
county, settling upon- a farm, where he 
made his home until 1869. He then re- 
moved to what became the Stone home- 
stead, where he conducted a nursery busi- 
ness southeast of Carthage. His death 
occurred there December 16, 1880, while 
his wife passed away February 13, 1891, 
the remains of both being interred in 
Myers cemetery in Pontoosuc township. 
Their religious faith was that of the Meth- 
odist church. In their family were eight 
children: E. R., now living in Kansas; 
Eliza J., the deceased wife of Er\-in Kid- 
son ; Mary A., the wife of Richard Pome- 
roy, of Elvaston, Illinois; Melvina, the 
wife of Benton Hull, of Pontoosuc town- 
ship; Ellen, who lives with her sister in 



232 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAIEW 



Elvaston: Trel H.. of Kirksville, Mis- 
souri: Er\in \\'.. of Beardstown, Illinois; 
and Samuel T.. deceased. 

In taking up the personal history of 
Samuel T. Stone we present to our readers 
the life record of one who was a resoected 
and prominent business man in commer- 
cial circles in Carthage for a numlicr nf 
}ears. He ac(|uired his early educatinn 
in the district schools and afterward at- 
tended the L'arthage high sclniol and the 
Carthage college. He then engaged in 
the nursery business with his father until 
twenty-one years of age. after which he 
carried on a farm of his own until i8i>5. 
dexoting it to nurserv stock. In that year 
he aikled a greenh(_)use and more and 
more largelv concentrated his energies 
upon the florist's business. The same 
\ear he took u|) his abode on Main street 
in Carthage, where he established a green- 
house, conducting at the same time the 
one upon his farm. This is the only 
greenhouse in Hancock county. It is 
steamheated and splendidl}' equipped in all 
particulars. Mr. Stone soon secured a 
libend ])atronage and his business in this 
line proxed profitable from the beginning. 

On the ]8th of March. tS()i. was cele- 
brated the marriage of Samuel T. Sti.me 
and Miss .\\a L. Leighton. who was 
born in Des Moines count)'. Iowa. Jan- 
uary 31, 1S07, a daughter of William 1'-. 
and Klla .\. (Waller) Leighton. The 
luother \\;is born in Shellsburg, Iowa, 
September 27, 1S47, and the father, a 
natix'e of the s;une state, was born . Au- 
gust 14. iS3<;. Mr. Leighton was for 
four x'ears connected with the commissary 
deii.artment during the Cixil war. He has 
alw.axs been a farmer and still superxdses 
a farm in Hancock countx', altlniugh he 



makes his home in Carthage, having come 
to Hancock county in 1889. Both he and 
his wife are consistent members and 
earnest workers in the Christian church 
and he is a democrat in his ]>olitical \iews. 
In their family are four children, all of 
whom are lix'ing, uameK' : Mrs. Stone; 
Hojie, a teacher in the jniljlic schools of 
Bowen, Illinois; (ieorge 1'"-., lixdng in 
Calesburg, this state; and l-'dith .M., who 
has successfully taught in the puljlic 
schools of Carthage and Hancock county. 
Mrs. Stone is eligible to membership 
in the Daugthers of the .\merican Revolu- 
tion, as among her ancestors were those 
who fought f(]r the independence of the 
nation. James Leighton, a brother of her 
father, was killed in the battle of Vicks- 
burg. L'nto l\Ir. and Mrs. .Stone were 
born sex'en children; William .\.. (iladxs 
Ida, Edward Harold, Clifford L., Clara. 
Certrude .\. and Adelaide Lenore. all of 
whom are natives of Hancock ccninty. 
Mr. Stone died December Jj, 1905, after 
an illness of sex'eral weeks and his re- 
mains were interred in Moss Ridg'e ceme- 
terw In manner he was (|uiet and re- 
serxed, but xxas alwa}s interested in 
modern enterjn-ises and though he xvas 
no't a ])olitician in the sense of office seek- 
ing he did much in a (|uiet x\ a_x' to promote 
the welfare of his party, to which he was 
;it all times loval. He xoted xxith the re- 
publican organization and was connected 
xvith the Modern Woodmen. He was 
also a city fireman. Both he and his wife 
held meiubership in the Methodist church 
and did all in their poxx er to promote its 
xvelfare and groxxth. In his business 
affairs Mr. Stone xvrought along modern 
lines, realizing that thei'e is no excellence 
xvithout labor and his close application 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



233 



and diligence made his l)iisiness a [jvotit- 
able one. Mrs. Stcnie is still cuntinuing 
the business and she einplo}-.s men to 
keep the furnace going in the greenhouses 
night and day. She is a bright, energetic 
business woman, who has an intimate 
knowledge of the trade and the needs of 
the plants and flowers and the prnducts 
of the greenhouses find a ready sale on 
the market l;)ecause nf beaut)-, color, size 
and fragrance. In his family Air. Stone 
was a kind and lo\-ing husband and father 
and for many years was a \ery dutiful 
son to his aged mother, to whom he ga\e 
filial care and attention. 



WILLIAM H. HON'CE. 

William H. Honce, deceased, who in 
public regard occupied an enviable posi- 
ti(jn. so that his death was the occasion 
of uniform regret when his life's labors 
were ended, was a nati\e of Monmouth 
county, Xew Jerse}'. Ijorn on the J()th of 
Julv, 1830. He remained in the place 
of his Ijirtli until nineteen years of age 
and acquired his education in the public 
schools there. Thinking to ha\-e better 
business opportunities in the west he then 
went to Butler coiuit_\', ()hio. where he 
secured employment as a farm hand by 
the month, residing in that count>- until 
after his marriage to Miss Sarah Jane 
McBroom. a daughter of Andrew and 
Jane (Robinson) AIcBroom. The wed- 
ding was celebrated at Aliddletown, ()hio. 



Xovember 2j, 1851, and the >oung couple 
resided upon a farm in Butler county 
for about three years after their marriage. 

On the expiration of that period they 
removed to Adams couiUy, Illinois, where 
the\" spent two years and then came to 
Hancock county, settling in Montel)ello 
township, where Mr. Honce purchased 
a farm of eighty acres, Ijeginning its 
cultivation with characteristic energ}-. 
He ad<led to this farm from time to time 
until at his death he owned two huntlred 
acres of rich land, all of which was under 
cultiwation. The improvements were 
placed there by him and he developed a 
moilel farm pj-operty. which he carefully 
cultivated until his demise. His fields 
were well tilled and he annually harvested 
good crojis, while the im])ro\ements u])on 
his place were in kee])ing with ideas of 
model farming. 

Mrs. Honce was educated in Butler 
count\-, Ohio, where her father followeil 
farming. Later he removed to Indiana. 
S]iending his remaining da}s in that state, 
his death occurring about twent\-six 
vears ago. His wife also passed awa_\- in 
Indiana when Mrs. Honce was Ijut six 
vears of age. L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Honce 
were Itorn seven children, of whom Mrs. 
W. M. Moore is the eldest. Lizzie, the 
second daughter, is now the wife of Thad- 
deus Thomas and has twn children. A1ta 
and Le.ster. Mrs. William H. Thomas is 
the third of the family and is mentioned 
elsewhere in this work. .\nna is the \\ife 
of George IMiipps and has three children. 
Harry. Vera and Carl. OIlie is the wife 
of John Marshall and has four children. 
Clyde. Greta, ^'etta and Lois. William 
R. married Minnie liradv and has one 



234 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJIEIV 



child, Beulah. Maiy L. died at the family 
home in Montebello township, at the age 
of nineteen years. 

In his political views Mr. Honce was a 
democrat but cared nothing for otifice, 
preferring to devote his time and atten- 
tion to his business affairs, in which he 
met with signal success. He made a 
creditable record in agricultural circles 
and left a valuable farm property to his 
family. He died August i, 1899. 



WILLIAM H. THOMAS. 

William H. Thomas, deceased, was one 
of the early settlers of Hancock county 
and a representative farmer, whose busi- 
ness activity and devotion to the public 
good made him a leading and valued resi- 
dent of this part of the state. He was 
bt)rn near Columbus, in Adams count}-. 
Illinois, November 29, 185 1, and when 
but two years of age was brought to So- 
nora township by his parents, Isaac and 
Louisa (Nichols) Thomas, who ti»ik up 
their abode in this county in 1853. His 
father was Ijorn in Kentucky and his 
mother in Adams county. Illinois. She 
is still living and makes her home in Car- 
thage with three of her children. The 
father, however, passed away upon the 
home farm in 1901. He had for many 
3'ears been a prosperous and enterprising 
agriculturist of the communit\', his resi- 
dence here covering a half centurv- He 



worked earnestly and persistently and his 
diligence and perseverance constituted 
strong and salient elements in his success. 
He was a member of the Christian church 
and his life was in harnion_\- with his 
professions. 

William H. Thomas was reared upon 
the old homestead farm and acquired his 
etlucation in the pulilic schools of Sonor;i 
township, pursuing liis studies through 
the winter months, while in the summer 
seasons he aided in the labors of the fields. 
He worked with his father until his mar- 
riage, after which he purchased a farm 
in Montebello township of two hundred 
acres, de\'oting his attention to its culti- 
vation and imjjrovement until his remowd 
to Elvaston. He was married December 
24, 1878, to ?^Iiss Alpharetta Honce, a 
daughter (jf William H. and Sarah Jane 
(McBroom) Honce, the former a nati\'e 
of New Jersey and the latter of Indiana. 
They became residents of Ohio at an early 
day and in that state Mrs. Honce was 
reared. About fifty-five years ago they 
came to Illinois, settling in ^Montebello 
to\\nship. Hancock count_\\ among its pio 
neer residents. There Mr. Honce pur- 
chased a tract of land and developed a 
farm, making a good home for himself 
and familv. His remaining da}'s were 
devoted to the improvement of the prop- 
erty and upon that place he passed away 
on the 1st of August, 1899, his remains 
being interred in Montebello township. 
His widow still survives him and now 
resides with her children, further mention 
being made of the family on another page 
of this work. She had six children : 
Lydia. now the wife of \\'. M. ^Iot)re. 
of Hamilton, Illinois; Lizzie, the wife of 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



235 



Thaddeus Thomas, of Montebello town- 
ship. Hancock county: Airs. Thomas of 
this review : Anna, the wife of (ieorge 
Phipps. of Prairie township : Ollie. the 
wife of John Marshall: and \\'illiam R., 
who is a grain and produce merchant en- 
gaged in business at Hamilton. 

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas 
was blessed with three children, all of 
whom are yet living. George ^L. resid- 
ing on the old home farm in Montel)ell( > 
township, where he is successfully en- 
gaged in carrying on general agricultural 
pursuits, married Miss Stella ^filler, i.if 
Elvaston, a daughter of Dr. J- R- Miller, 
of Elvaston, Illinois. Minnie Leota is the 
wife of Frank Rohrbaugh. a farmer (jf 
Elvaston. Yetta May is the wife oi 
Claude ^^'alker, a resident farmer of 
Prairie township. 

Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
Thomas resided in Sonora township until 
the spring of 1881 and then removed tn 
a farm, which ]\Ir. Thomas jiurchased. 
about three miles and a half nnrtlnvest 
of Elvaston. There they resided for 
twenty-one years, his attention being- 
given to the work of the fields and the 
further improvement of the property but 
in 1903 he determined to retire from 
active business life and took up his abode 
in Elvaston, where he erected the resi- 
dence which is now occupied I)}- bis 
widow. There he passed away on Sat- 
urday, February 6, 1904, at the age of 
fifty-two years, two months and eight 
days. He had resided in the county fur 
more than a half century, or practicall}' 
throughout the period of his entire life 
and thiise who had known him from his 
boyhood days recognized in him tlie ster- 



ling traits of character in hamiony with 
the strong and salient principles of an 
honorable manhood. He was active and 
industrious in business and was straight- 
forward in his dealings. His political 
views were in accord with democratic 
principles but he did not care for office. 
He held membership in the Presbyterian 
church and was serving as one of its 
trustees at the time of his death. He was 
interested in all that pertained to the 
material, intellectual or moral progress of 
his community and his support of bene- 
ficial public measures was never of a luke- 
warm character but was strong and stead- 
fast, so that he became one of the valued 
citizens of his part of the county. 



HARRISON O. KXOX. 

Harrison O. Knox was the first white 
man born in Wythe township, and it 
would be difficult to find many residents 
of this county who are more familiar with 
its history or have longer resided within 
its borders. Events which are to others 
only matters of hearsay have been to him 
matters of personal experience or obser- 
vation, and he has been an interested wit- 
ness of the growth and development of 
the county from pioneer times to the 
present. His memory goes back to the 
days when many of the homes were log 
cabins, in which were huge fireplaces, 
over which the cooking was done, while 
the little home was lighted by tallow 
candles, and the work of the fields was 



236 



BIOGRAPHICAl. REVIEW 



(lone with primiti\'e farm machinei'}-. All 
this has changed and Mr. Knox has kept 
pace with the (inward march of jiro^'ress. 
He was Ijorn in (ireen I'lains on sec- 
tion 2},, Wythe tiiwnship. Ma)- 3. 1S33. 
His parents were Samuel and Malimla 
(Doughty) Knox, and the maternal 
grandfather was Thomas Diuighty, a sol- 
dier of the Re\'olutii_inar\ war. lvelati\"es 
of Air. l\ni)\ were also memhtrs of the 
L'nioii army in the L'i\il war. The father 
was horn on the ocean while his parents 
were coming from Scotland to the new 
world in 1773. and his wife was a nati\'e 
of Virginia, horn in I7<)4- d hev came 
to Illinois in 1830. and in 1S3J. ti»ik 
up their abode in Hancock county, their 
son Harrison being the hrst white child 
liorn in the part of the count}- where the\- 
made their home. Samuel Knox was a 
member and minister of the Christian 
church, and while li\-ing in Wythe, town- 
-ship. preached the hrst sermon e\er deliv- 
ered within its borders. This was in 
1832. He also preached in McDonough 
and Adams counties, and in Iowa and 
Missouri, doing n-iuch good work in the 
spread of the gospel and in planting the 
seeds of Christian ci\-ilization in the mid- 
dle west. He died in the year 1863, and 
thus passed away one whom to know was 
to esteem and honor. The world is better 
for his having lived and he left behind 
a memory which is still cherished 1)}' all 
who knew hin-i. His wife sun-i\-ed until 
1871, and both were laid to rest in ( h'een 
Plains cemeter)- in Wilcox township. 
Their children were sexen in number, of 
whom four are now li\ing: William, 
who is living in California, and is eig'hty- 
two years of ag-e; Franklin, of Kansas: 



Harrison O., of this review; and Sarah, 
the wife of George B. Reid, of Monroe 
City, Missouri. 

Harrison O. Knox ac(]uired his early 
education in the schools of (jreen Plains 
and afterward attended the \\ arsaw high 
scho(jI. He was reared to agricultural 
pursuits and throughout his entire life has 
followed farming as a \-ocatioi-|. Ha\-- 
ing reached man's estate he was married 
in 1862 to Miss Sarah Louisa Crawford, 
whose birth occurred in \\'ythe township, 
in 1843, her parents being Thomas and 
Jane (Stockton) Crawford, both of wliom 
are now deceased. Airs. Knox died in 
1873, lea\-ing a daughter, Eva J., n(jw the 
wife of Charles Homer McMahan, of 
\\ ilco.x township. The}' became the par- 
ents of fi\-e children, Carl D., Robert F., 
W'illian-i R., (ieorge IT. and h^rancis H. 
On the 22d of March, 1882, Mr. Knox 
was again married, his second union being 
with Miss Hannah \\'. Davidson, whi.) 
was born in Sussex county, Delaware, in 
1 831;, a daughter of Samuel and Ahirgaret 
J. (Christopher) Davidson. They, too. 
were natives of Delaware, the former 
l)orn September 7, 1818, and the latter 
in 1824. The father de\-oted his life to 
general agricultural pursuits, and in i86g 
came to Hancock county, settling in Wil- 
cox township. Thirty }'ears later he 
passed away, in 1899, while his wife died 
in 1898, and they were laid to rest side 
b}- side in the Congregational cemetery 
in W\-the t<iwnship. Mr. Da\-idson was 
drafted for ser\'ice in the Civil war but 
was too old to go tii the front. In their 
famil}- were seven children : Francina, 
who died in infanc}': William Henr}', of 
Carthage; Joseph B., who lives in Basco, 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



Illinois: Sarah Frances, and Elizabeth 
Annetta. both deceased: Hannah W'.. now 
Mrs. Kndx : and Edward P., of Wvthe 
township. Mrs. Davidson died Novem- 
ber 2^. 189S. at the home of Airs. Knox, 
and Air. Davidson passed away at Basco, 
May 30, 1899. They were married in 
1842 and were earnest Christian people, 
respected by all wh(.> knew them. Unto 
Air. and Mrs. Knox has been burn one 
son, Harrison Eucian. whose birth oc- 
curred in 1888 in Wilcox township, and 
he is at hnme with his parents. He has 
lieen liljerally educated and was a student 
in Warsaw Seminar}-. 

After his first marriage Mr. Knox lived 
in \\'\'the tDwnship f(.)r two years, and 
then removed tnW'arsaw. where he en- 
gag'ed in the dry goods business f(_ir three 
years. Subsequently he devoted two 
years to the milling business and in 1873 
he came' to Wilcox township, where he 
has since carried on general farming. In 
1879 he bought forty acres of land on 
section 25, where he built a home, in 
which he has since resided, his attention 
being gi\-en to the culti\-ation and devel- 
opment of the fields. He taught school 
in Walker. Wythe. W'ilc(_)x and Rock}' 
Run townships Iiefore his return to W'il- 
ci.ix township and even before his removal 
to Warsaw, thus being identified with the 
early educational progress of his part of 
the county. He has never been interested 
in the progress and development of the 
count}- along material, social, ii-itellectual 
and moral lines and his cij-operation has 
e\-er lieen a valtied factor in moxements 
for the public good. 1 1 is political alle- 
giance has been given to the Repuljlican 
part}- since its organization. Elis first 



presidential \-ote was cast for Alillard 
Fillmore in the Wythe .schoolhouse on 
tlie 4th of November, [85(), when he was 
defeated by James Buchanai-|. On the Gth 
of November, i860. Air. Knox \-oted for 
Aljraham Lincoln at Bank's schoolhouse 
in Rock}- Run township, where he was 
teaching in a log building, having there 
one hundred and eight scholars, or an 
average of sixty-two and a half for six 
months. Since i8f)0 he has continuously 
voted the republican ticket and he has 
Iieen honored with various local offices, 
ser\-ing as school director, as school treas- 
urer for sixteen years, as lax collector, 
as assessor and as town clerk. Both he 
and his wife are members of the Wythe 
Christian church known as the old brick 
church and li\e in harmony with their 
professions. Air. Knox is one whose 
memon- fonns a connecting link between 
the primitive past and the progressive 
present and he relates in most interest- 
ing manner many incidents of the early 
da}-s. Air. Knox began life as a poor 
bo\- but has worked his way steadil}- up- 
ward and his life record has been charac- 
terized bv continuous ])rogress along 
man\- lines. He has gained success and 
at the same time has developed a charac- 
ter which makes him worthy of the trust 
and confidence oi his fellowmen. 



SIAION D. WEISER. 

S. D. Weiser, superintendent of the 
Hancock County Infirmar}- and poor 



2.^.8 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



farm, was born at Xortliumberland. 
Nortlumiljerland cnunty, Pennsylvania, 
on the 6th of Jnne, 1861, there residing 
until 1872. when he came to Illinois and 
took up his aljode at I'ountain (ireen, 
Hancock county. His ]jarcnts were Solo- 
mon and Mary A. (Miller) Weiser, like- 
wise natives of Northumberland county. 
The great-grandfather, Conrad \Veiser, 
was an early resident of Pennsylvania, 
residing near Philadelphia. He was a 
warm personal friend of Washington and 
ser\e(l as colonel in the Re\-oluti(inary 
war. His son, Philip Weiser, was a pio- 
neer to Xortliumberland county and 
bought a large tract of land there. He 
was a very successful man and at the 
time of liis death, about the close of the 
Ci\'i1 war. he was considered the wealth- 
iest man in Xorthumberland county. 
Solomon Weiser was the eighth in a fam- 
ily of nine children and was educated 
at the high school at Gettysburg. Penn- 
sylvania, and later he was an extensive 
farmer and followed that ocu]iation 
throughout his entire life in order to jjro- 
vide for his family. Selling there he 
moved his family to Plancock count}- ;ind 
purchased a tract of land in I'ountain 
Green township ui)on his reniipxal to the 
middle west in 1872, ;nid there he re- 
mained until his deatli, which occurred 
when he was al)out eighty-one years of 
age. He was a democrat in politics and 
a iniblic-si)irited man, although not an 
office seeker. Plowe\-er, he served as 
treasurer of Xorthumberland county. 
Pennsylvania, at an early da}-. His re- 
mains were interred in bountain (ireen 
cemeter\' ;ind his widow ^till makes her 
home in the \illage of b'ountain (ireen. 



She is a member of the Lutheran church 
and a most estimable lady. She was 
born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. 
Her father was an extensive land and 
mine owner in the coal and iron regions 
of Pennsylvania. 

S. D. Weiser is one of a family of ten 
children, seven of whom yet survive and 
as stated, he came to Illinois with his par- 
ents when a youth <if eleven years. His 
earlv educational privileges were supple- 
mented b_\- study in Carthage College and 
he also attended the \\'estern Illinois Xor- 
mal School, at Macomb, this state. He 
remained upon the home farm for some 
vears after completing his education, and 
then became a school teacher, acting as 
principal of the schools at Nauvoo, Illi- 
nois, for eight years, and also teaching 
in different places in the county. He like- 
wise followed that profession in Kansas, 
where he resided for several years, but 
regarding this merely as an. initial stej) 
to further professional labor, he took up 
the study of law in Carthage in the office 
of Manier & Miller, (ioing to Kanas, he 
was admitted to the bar in that state and 
practiced for a few years, also teaching 
school in Xeosho cijunty. I'pon his re- 
turn to Hancock county he went to 
Xauvoo, where he engaged in teaching 
until the spring of 1901, when he removed 
to Carthage and l)ecame the deputy cir- 
cuit clerk, which jiosition he heUl for a 
vear. He then resigned and again re- 
sumed school teaching, until he was nom- 
inated for the office of circuit clerk on 
the democratic ticket, but was defeated. 
In December. 1904. he was appointed to 
his present positi(^n ;is su])erintendent of 
the Hancock County Intirmary and poor 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



239 



farm by the board of cnunty supervisurs, 
and has since acted in that capacity with 
credit to himself and the satisfaction of 
the public as is shown by his reappoint- 
ment in September, lyoO. He has the 
supervision of the farm of two hundred 
and sixty acres. He is recognized as one 
of the progressive and influential repre- 
sentatives of democracy in this locality, 
his interest therein and his fitness for lead- 
ership making' him well known as a factor 
in local democratic ranks. 

On the 28th of October, 1880, Mr. 
^^'eiser was married U> Miss Hattie J. 
Tvler, of Fountain (ireen, a daughter of 
John H. and Amanda (Williams) Ty- 
ler, who came ti> Illinuis from Cnnnecti- 
cut, where the father was burn. Mr. Ty- 
ler was a farmer by occupation, and also 
an engineer and carpenter He acted as 
engineer on the railroad for some years, 
and he now resides at Fountain (Ireen. 
It was there that Mrs. W'eiser (jlitained 
her education. Four children grace this 
marriage: Hazel Grace, who was born 
in Neosho county, Kansas, and was edu- 
cated in this county and in Carthage C(.)l- 
lege, is now a teacher in the public schools 
of Carthage township. Luther C. died at 
the age of fourteen months. William J 
B,, born in Nauvoo, and Mary .\., born in 
Xauvoo, are both at home. 

The jiarents are members of the 1-iUh- 
eran church at Carthage, and the mem- 
bers of the household occupy an en\iable 
social position. Mr. W'eiser is well (|ual- 
ified for the riltice which he is now filling 
and in which he is giving unifr)rm satis- 
faction in the prompt and able manner 
in which he discharges his duties, and 
all place confidence in him. 



JOHX RICHARD GALBRAITH. 

John Richard Galbraith, deceased, was 
a well known and resjiected agriculturist 
of Hanc(_ick county. His life record be- 
gan in east Tennessee on the ist of Sep- 
tember. 1852, and ended in El Paso, Tex- 
as, July 13, U)05. His father, John R. 
Galbraith, was the owner of extensi\e 
landed interests and slaves in eastern Ten- 
nessee, but owing to the Civil war he 
lost neai'ly all of his jiroperty. and in the 
fall of 1865 came with his family to 
Illinois, hoping to retrie\e his jiossessicms 
in the north. In March, 1866, he pur- 
chased a farm one mile east of herris, 
and thereon made his In )me until his death. 
His sympathies during the period of hos- 
tilities were with the south and his ])olit- 
ical allegiance was e\er gi\en to the de- 
mocracy. His wife, who bore the maiden 
name of Esther X. Hagler, was Ijorn and 
reared in eastern Tennessee, and there 
lived until after her marriage, when she 
came with her husband and the family 
to this state. She, too, died on the home 
farm near Ferris. 

John Richard (_ialbraith was educated 
in the common schools of Hancock coun- 
tv. ha\ ing accompanied his [)arents on 
their removal to the nijrtli when thirteen 
\-ears of age. As a young man he as- 
sisted in the work of the home farm and 
later his father purchased the farm of 
one hundred and sixty acres upon which 
John Richard resided during the whole 
of his married life. In the "70s, John 
Richard Gall>raith and his brother, Ben- 
jamin, went to Texas, where they engaged 
in the cattle business for a few years, 
when, on account of the ill health of the 



>40 



BIOGRAPIIIC.IL REnilll 



farmer, he- retunicil tn lllinnis, sollinj^ 
liis interest in the Liine Star >late to his 
l)rother, and thus ac(juirini^ his Itruther's 
interest in tlie farm in I'rairie l^wnsliip, 
which hail hcen .!;i\en tn them 1)\ llieir 
lather, lie cimtinueil tn reside U])(in this 
place until his death and was one (if the 
pnis])eriius ai^ricultm-ists of the countv. 
As his financial resources increased he 
made extensi\e and judicious inxcstments 
in i)ro])erty and hecame the owner of an- 
'illiei' \alnal)le farm in Hancock counlv. 
At the time of his death he was also 
one of the stockholders of the State Bank 
of Hamilton, and held considerahle ])rop- 
crt}- at I'^Kaston. In connection with his 
hrother, Daxid. he owned and operated 
an electric hs;ht and heating- plant at Min- 
eral Wells. Texas. He jiossessed excel- 
lent business ability. executi\e force and 
keen discrimination, which enabled him 
to readily recogiuze and utilize oppnrtuni- 
lies. He was always straightforward in 
his dealing-s, and it was through his wise 
investment ami careful management that 
he gained the large measure of success 
which he enjoyed in his later \'ears. 

In December of iS8o, Air. (Jalbraith 
was married to Miss .\dona Hagler. a 
daughter of John V. and Elizabeth 
(Ethell) Hagler. Her I'ather was born 
in ea'st Tennessee and when a young man 
came to Illinois, settling" in Scott ccuinty, 
where he engaged in merchandising for 
more than .a quarter of a centur_\', becom- 
ing one of the leading business men of 
that locality. I )uring his residence there 
he also held man\ public offices and po- 
sitions of trust and was called to repre- 
sent his district in the state legislature. 
He becatne the .associate and friend of 



many of the distinguished nieti of the 
state and entertained at his home a num- 
ber <if the prominent political leaders of 
Illinois, including I'. S. Grant and Ste- 
phen A. Douglas. 

h'ollowing his marriage. .Mr. (ialbraith 
continued to engage in farming in this 
county until failing health caused him to 
seek a change of climate in the hope that 
he might be benefited thereby. He went 
to l\\ Paso. Te.xas, but it ])roved una\ail- 
iiig, and he passed away on the 15th of 
July, 1905, after which his remains were 
brought back to Illinois for interment in 
Moss Ridge cemetery. He was a man 
held in the highest esteem by all who knew 
him, possessing a sunn\', genial disposi- 
tion wdiich gained him n^un- friends. He 
x'oted with the dcmocrac\, but was with- 
out political as])iratiou, preferring to de- 
\ ote his time and attention to his business 
interests and the society of his friends. 
He had few, if any. enemies; being on the 
contrary one who gained the kindly re- 
gard of all with whom he cnnc in con- 
tact. He was a Christian man. but was 
lil)eral in his religious views, and in his 
will rememliered several churches, and 
during his lifetime was a willing con- 
tributor 1(1 their support. Throughout an 
;icti\e business career he displa\ed man}' 
sterling traits of character, and wherever 
he was known his name was honored. 
To his wife he was a most devoted hus- 
brnid. countitig no personal effort or sac- 
rifice on his part ton great if it wouKI 
promote her welfare and ha])piness, and 
it is in his own household that his loss 
is most deeply felt, although it is the oc- 
casion of wide-spread regret throughciut 
the cinnmnnilv. 



HJXCOCK COIWTY, ILlJXOfS. 



241 



D.WIU AVERS. 

Aniiin.ii' the native sons o\ Wythe tcwn- 
ship whii are still connected with ii,en- 
eral farmin,^' and stock-raising interests 
within its Ijordcrs is numhered David 
Ayers. whose natal day was May 19. 
1865. His father was William Ayers, 
and his grandfather. David Ayers. hotli 
of \\h<ini were natix'es of Ireland, the 
former ha\ing' I:)ecn born in Uelfast. 
Having arrived at years of maturity, he 
married Miss Mary Clark, likewise a na- 
tive of Belfast, and a daughter of George 
and ]\[argaret ( Arbuckle ) Clark, the 
former a son of David Clark, and the 
latter a daughter of Archie Arbuckle, both 
of whoin were natives of Ireland and were 
of Scotch ancestry. Cieorge Clark, in the 
year 1845, became a resident of lirook- 
h'u, Xew ^'(irk, and in 1S48 arrived in 
Warsaw. Illinois. There he carried on 
business for many years as a stone mason, 
and died in that town in i8(/). at the ad- 
vanced age (if ninety-twn years. His 
wife passed away in 1887. when eight)- 
nine years of age. 

The marriage of William A)ers and 
Mary Clark was celebrated on the ^rst 
of December, 1861. They had come to 
Hancock county with their respective par- 
ents when aljout eight years of age. and 
were reared upon farms in Wythe town- 
ship. Subsequent to their marriage they 
took u\) their abode on a tract of land on 
section 31, \\'ythe townshi]). where they 
lived for many years, and as his financial 
resources permitted. Mr. Ayers kept add- 
ing to his place from time to time and 
extending his landed possessions until he 
owned manv acres on sections i and 2, 



Rock\- Run township, lie died in 18S1;. 
and is still survived by his wife, w Im 
since i8(>3, has made her Imme in 
Carthage. 

David A\'ers, the third in .a family- of 
four sons and six daughters, is indebted 
to the (ireen Plains district school for the 
educational [jrivileges he enjoyed. His 
bovhood and youth was ])assed in his 
parents' home, his tinie being occupied by 
the duties of the .schoolroom, the pleas- 
ures of the plav'ground and the work 
of the fields. On attaining Ins majority, 
he started nut in Inisiness on his own ac- 
count, and fill" one year cultivated rented 
land, after which he purchased forty acres 
on section i, Rocky Run township. There 
was a log house upon the place and a 
])art of the land was fenced. .\ portion 
(if the farm, how ever, was still covered 
with the native timber. .Mr. Ayers be- 
gan its further development and improve- 
ment, but after three years he S(ild that 
propertv and Ijought one hundred and 
seventv acres of impr<jved prairie land (m 
section 30, Wythe township. He has since 
resided upon this place, and has converted 
it into rich and productive fields. His 
wife owns eighty acres adjoining and 
their combined tracts of land constitute 
(iue of the best farms of the neighbor- 
liiKid. Mr. A\-ers has built a good house 
and barn here and set out a good apple 
orchard of eight acres. He carries on 
general farming, also raising cattle, horses 
.and h(i,gs. and his business in both 
In'.anches is proving priifitable. 

On the 1st (if IMarch. 1887, Mr. .Vyers 
was m.-irried to ]\Iiss Minnie McMahan, 
who was born in Wythe tiiwnshi]). a 
daughter (if l\(jl)ert and I'rances (Walk- 



242 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IE]]' 



er) McMahan. Their children are : 
Fannie, bora November i8, 1889; and 
David H., born May 22, 1893. Both 
Mr. and Mrs. Ayers are well known and 
the consensus of public opinion regarding 
them is altogether favorable. Mr. Ayers 
belongs to one of the pn.iminent old pio- 
neer families of the county. Both his 
father and his grandfather were soldiers 
of the Mormon war, the latter hax'ing 
taken up his abode in Hancock county in 
1835. He retained his residence here un- 
til his death, on the ist of December, 1887, 
and thus passed away mie who had aided 
in the early development and progress of 
the county, reclaiming it for the uses of 
civilization. The work instituted by the 
grandfather and carried on by the father, 
is now continued by Da\id Avers, wln) is 
accounted one of the representati\'e agri- 
culturists of his community. His political 
.support is given the democnic_\- and he 
has been road commissioner, while in the 
spring of 1905, he was elected on the 
democratic ticket to the office of super- 
visor. Fraternally, he is connected with 
the blue lodge of Masons, at Warsaw, and 
with the Modern Woodmen camp at Fl- 
derville, Illinois. 



MAJOR LEONARD A. HAY. 

Warsaw will fi>r many )ears be a cen- 
ter of pul)lic interest as the home of tlic 
H;i)- family. On the [lages of militarv 
history .appears the name of ]\Iajor 
I.eon.ard Augustus Hav. wdio rendered 



signal service to his country as a volun- 
teer in the Civil war and as a member of 
the regular army for many years there- 
after. He never sought political prefer- 
ment or honors, but rendered to his na- 
tion no less signal service by a lofty pa- 
triotism and unfaltering loyalty to the flag 
and to e\ery dut}' incident to military 
serx'ice, whether in the 'midst of sangui- 
nary conflict or upon the frontier. 

As stated in the histor_\' of his parents, 
given before, he was the second son of 
Dr. Charles and Helen ( Leonard ) Hay. 
and was born in Salem, Indiana, Decem- 
ber 3, 1834, spending the fir.st six years 
of his life in that town. He was in his 
seventh year, when in 1X41. the family- 
came to Warsaw, and in tlie public schools 
of the city, he pursued his education. In 
earlv manhood he was identified witli 
various business interests and was con- 
ducting an enterprise on his own account 
during the early period of the Civil war, 
but on the 2d of July. 1864, feeling that 
he could no longer content himself to re- 
main at home while the country's safety 
was endangered, he joined ihe Union 
army as a private and was assigned to 
duty with Company D, Third Bat- 
talion of the Fifteenth Infantry. On 
the 2(1 of July, 1864, li<^ was ap- 
pointed as second lieutenant in the 
regular arm}- and was assigned to the 
Ninth Infantry, with which he remained 
throughout the period of his service. On 
the 29th of September. 1864, he was com- 
missioned a first lieutenant and on "the 
iith of ]\Iarch, 1878, he was made a 
c;iptain in the Ninth Regiment of Infan- 
tr}-. He was engaged in acti\'e duty on 
the frontier. co\-ering all the territorv 



HAXCOCK COUNTY, ILLIXOIS. 



243 



from the Dakotas to Arizona and from 
the Missouri river to the Pacific coast. 
During' that period there were many In- 
dian uprisings that called the troops fm-th 
to active hattle. He was \ery popular 
with his fellow officers and with the men 
whii served under him — a fact which is 
indicated by the records, which show that 
there were fewer deserters from his com- 
pany than from any other in the arm)-. 
He continued in command df his cmn- 
pany in active service until -the 15th nf 
June, 1891, when he retired f(.)r disability 
incurred in the line of his dut}'. Cam- 
paigning against the Intlians upon the 
frontier in inclement weather had im- 
paired his health, and he retired to U'ar- 
saw to spend his remaining days in the 
city in which his bo_\hood and youth 
were passed. Here, in accord with an act 
of congress conferring additional rank 
on officers who had served in the L'ivil 
war, he was made a major retired. 

Major Hay was married in Xew York, 
December 5. 1869, to Miss Blanche 
d'Ormond, whose death occurred about 
two decades ago. He left no children 
and yet he had an especial fondness for 
children and y mng people and was greatly 
beloved by them. Of the many memen- 
tos gathered in his lifetime none were 
cherished more dearly than numerous 
keepsakes of these young friends. 

Major Hay was a man of superior in- 
tellectual force, whose leisure was largely 
de\'(.)ted to reading and studv ;inil his 
scholarly attainments and broad culture 
made him a charming con\'ersationalist 
and entertaining compani(in. He held 
friendship inviolable and n(ithing could 
swerve him in his lo\-alt\' to a friend. 



whose claims upon his time and attenti(.)n 
were at all times recognized. He was 
always interested in the general welfare 
of his cit_\- and served as a member of the 
lil)rary board in 1892, but he preferred 
that his public service should be done as 
a pri\'ate citizen rather than as an <jffice- 
holder. In recent Aears, however, the se- 
lection of books for the public library was 
left almost wholly to him. He was of 
the highest type of manhood, noble and 
chivalrous, recognizing genuine w'orth in 
others and showing appreciation for all 
admirable qualities in his friends and those 
with whom he acme in contact in any re- 
lation in life. In manner he was free from 
ostentation or display. A kindly spirit 
and generous sympath}- was manifest in 
all that he said or did and he had the un- 
failing courtesy of a gentleman of the old 
school. Emerson has said, "The way to 
win a friend is to be one," and this state- 
ment found verification in the life of 
Major Hay. 



HEXRY ROBLEY DICIvIXSOX. 

Xo history of Hancock county would 
be complete without mention of Henry 
Robley Dickinson, deceased, who was one 
of the founders of Hamilton, \vho estab- 
lished a lumber business in the town in 
1855, and for many years was one of the 
most active and enterprising citizens of 
the county, carrying fiirward to success- 
ful completion whatever he undertook, 
while his labors were also of a character 



244 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl IIIW 



that conlrilnited imt diil}' tn liis own suc- 
cess l)ut also to [jiiljlic progTCSs ami im- 
provement. He was born December lo. 
1818, in Keene, Xew Hampshire, in which 
state his parents, who were farming peo- 
ple, spent their entire li\es. His educa- 
tion was ac(|uire(l in the old-time subscrip- 
tion schools of the (iranite state and at 
the a,^c of twehe years he ran awa\- from 
home and spent six months on a sailiui; 
vessel. Feeling that he had enough of the 
sea. at the end of that time he made his 
wav to St. Louis, Missouri, where he \\;is 
employed at carpenter work for some 
time. He afterward remo\-ed to (ireene 
count}-. Illinois, where he foll(.)wed that 
trade, and also became the owner of land- 
ed interests. A few years later, in \^-\^). 
he removed to Hancock county and tonk 
uyi his abode in a log cabin near Iron 
Spout Spring. There he liveil for se\eral 
years in true pioneer style amid frontier 
surroundings and enximnments. He was 
one of the original ]jromi iters of the ferry 
across the Mississippi ri\er. l)elonging to 
a compan\' which secured its charter to 
operate the ferry in 1850. With the work 
of development and improvement in his 
communit\' and count\' he was closely 
identified from that time until his death. 
He had sexeral landings for his ferr}' boat 
as it crossed to Keokuk. Iowa, and the 
business proved a profitable one to the lo- 
cality in early days before many l)ri<lges 
spanned the "father "\ waters" and made 
tra\el l)y rail or pri\ate con\-eyance an 
eas\' matter. In connection with llrxan 
Bartlett and others, Mr. Dickinson laid 
out the town of Hamilton and the enter- 
prising village stands today as a monu- 
ment to liis energ\- an<l forethought. In 



connection with Mr. Bartlett, who was his 
brother-in-law. he owned nearl}- all of the 
land upon wiiich Hamilton has been built, 
and he also became the owner (.if sexeral 
farms in the county, purchasing property 
from time to time and thus placing his 
money in the safest of all investments — 
real estate. In 1S55 he embarked in the 
lumber lousiness at Hamilton and contin- 
ued in the trade until his death, securing 
a good patronage as the years passed by 
and making extensi\-e annual sales wdiich 
brought to him a very gratifying income. 
His other business interests also pro\ed 
profitable and as the years passed away 
he became one of the substantial citizens 
of the county. 

One of the early indications of his 
[irosperit)' was that in 1856 he replaced 
his pic.meer log house by a frame residence 
of two stories, which he erected in the 
western part of Hamilton on the blutl' 
overlrioking the Mississippi ri\-er and 
commanding a fine \iew of the attracti\'e 
scener_\- aft'orded by the broad expanse of 
the ri\er and the city of Keokuk beyond. 
,\l)out two years later, in 1858, Mr. Dick- 
inson built another large house, contain- 
ing ten rooms beside basement and clos- 
ets. Into this home he removed and made 
it his ])lace of residence throughout his 
remaining days with the exception of a 
brief period of three \ears during the Civil 
war. when he conducted a hotel in another 
building. ( )n the expiration of that 
jieriod. howes'er. he sold out and returned 
to liis former home and there he lixed 
in comfort for man_\- years, his business 
interests bringing to him all of the ne- 
cessities and main' nf the luxuries of life. 

Mr, Dickinson was first married in 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



245 



Greene county, Illinois, to Miss Wright, 
and they had one child. Oscar, who was 
killed while serving" in defense nf the 
L'nion in the Civil war. 1 he wife .and 
mother, howe\er, died a short time after 
her marriage. On the 6th of April. 1843, 
also in Greene county. Illinois. Mr. Dick- 
inson was married to Minerva Bartlett. 
who died soon after the birth of their 
only child, George R. Dickinson, who for 
a number of years resided on a farm near 
Belfast, Iowa, where his death occurred. 
On the 15th of October, 1848. :Mr. Dickin- 
son was joined in wedlock to Miss Ag-nes 
Decker, a native of Greene county, Illi- 
nois, who died in Texas. April 25, 1857. 
There were three children of that mar- 
riage: Joan, the wife i:)f Henry Marck- 
ley, of \\ ythe township. Hancock county: 
Charles O.. who is living in Hamilton: 
and Frank, who makes his home in Selina 
county, Kansas. The fourth marriage of 
Mr. Dickinson was celebrated on Christ- 
mas day of 1858, when Miss Emeretta 
Jane Hawley became his wife. She was 
born in Onondaga county. New York. 
February 6, i8j6, and came to Ohii) in 
1836. A year later she removed to Lee 
county, Iowa, where she li\ed for twent\' 
years, her home being on the l)luff liack 
of Montrose, just opposite Xauvoo, com- 
manding a scene of rare beauty, this lie- 
ing one of the most attractive districts 
of the great Mississippi valle}', and seri- 
ous discussicju has been held in ])olitical 
circles in \\'ashington concerning the re- 
moval of the capital to this site. AN'hile 
living there Mrs. Dickinson witnessed the 
burning of the Mormon temple. She was 
there residing at the time that Joseph and 
Hiram Smith, the ];)rophets and leaders 



of the Mormon faith, were killed and 
while they lay in state at Xau\o(]. Mrs. 
Dickinson is a tlaughter of Adna and 
Clarissa ( Smeed ) Hawley. natives of 
\'ermont. in which state they were reared 
and married. SubsequentI}' they removed 
to a farm in Onondaga count\'. Xew 
^'ork. where the}' resided until coming to 
the west. B}" the last marriage of !Mr. 
Dickinson there were born two children. 
The daughter, Emma, born Octol)er 20. 
1850. was married on the 3d of May, 
1 892. to Charles Bartlett, of Hamilton, 
and died Januar_\- 30. iS^gO. leaving ;i son. 
Lawrence I). Bartlett. who was born Alav 
16, 1893, and is now with his father in 
Cedar Rapids, Iowa. John Dickinson, 
Ijorn January IC). i8(n. was dnnvned in 
the Mississippi ri\"er at Hamilton. March 
J2. 18S5. 

Mr. Dickinson gave his political alle- 
giance to the Republican party from the 
time of its organization and was one of 
its ardent and earnest supporters. His 
fellow ti.iwnsmen. recognizing his worth 
and ability, frequently called him to pul)- 
lic oflice and he served as alderman, as 
assessor and mavor of Hamilton. He was 
also pri:>minent in Masonr}-, taking the 
degrees of the lodge, chapter and com- 
manderv. The death of ^Ir. Dickinson 
occurred October 7. 1897. He had for 
fortv-eight vears lieen a resident of Han- 
cock count}-, and was known to all the pio- 
neer settlers in this ])art of the state. He 
came here when the count}' was but 
sjiarselv settled and when the work of 
development and improvement lay largely 
in the future. His name is closel}- asso- 
ciated with nianv of the lousiness interests 
and public movements that have resulted 



240 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl AEW 



beneficially to the county and at the same 
time in his private business interests he 
won a gratifying measure of success. He 
started out in life empty handed as a sailor 
boy, but he possessed strong determina- 
tion, unfaltering courage and resolute pur- 
pose and upon those (jualities as a foun- 
dation builded his success. He was not 
only an active and enterprising business 
man. but also a thoroughly reliable t)ne 
and his fellow townsmen entertained for 
him both admiration and respect. Airs. 
Dickinson still survives her husljand, but 
has been gradually losing her eyesight, 
owing to a cataract, since iSgO. She 
has long been a resident of this part of 
the couritry, her home being just across 
the river in Iowa during the period of her 
girlhood and early womanhood, while 
since Christmas day of 1S58 — the date of 
her marriage — she has lived continuously 
in Hancock county and is held in the high- 
est esteem bv manv warm friends. 



LEONARD THOMPSON FERRIS, 
M D. 

Dr. Leonard Thompson Ferris, de- 
ceased, was for fifty-five years actively en- 
gaged in the practice of medicine at Foun- 
tain Green and his life was of utmost ben- 
efit to his fellowmen by reason of his pro- 
fessional skill, his kindly spirit and his 
broad, humanitarian principles. Although 
several years have come and gone since he 
passed away, his memory is revered by all 
who knew him and he left behind him an 



example of professional integrity, loyal 
citizenship and honor in private life that 
is indeed worthy of emulation. He came 
to Hancock C(junty with his parents, 
Stephen G. and Eunice (Beebe) Ferris, 
in December, 1832, journeying westward 
from New York to Illinois by way of the 
Ohio and Mississippi rivers. His parents 
had to clear the land fur a space upon 
which to erect a log cabin and there they 
lived in true pioneer style for many years. 
As the }'ears came and went they pros- 
pered in their undertakings. They made 
needed improvements and in course of 
time had one of the best developed farm 
properties in this part of the county. The 
father was born in Norwich, Chenango 
county, New York, and the mother in 
New London county, Connecticut. He 
was a tanner by trade, but after coming 
to the west followed farming, making his 
home in Fountain Green township. He 
died in 1876, while his wife passed away 
in i860, and they were both laid to rest 
in Fountain Green cemetery. They were 
strong and devoted members of the Bap- 
tist church and instilled into the minds of 
their children lessons of integrity and up- 
rightness which bore good fruit in later 
years. In their family were six children, 
all of whom are now deceased. 

Dr. Ferris of this review was born in 
Steuben county. New York, in 181 7, and 
was therefore a youth of about fifteen 
years when he came with his parents to 
Illinois. He completed his education in 
the schools of Fountain Green and deter- 
mining to devote his life to the practice 
of medicine, he attended medical lectures 
for one winter in Jacksonville, Illinois, 
and afterward was graduated from the 



HANCOCK COUXTV. ILLIXOIS. 



247 



St. Louis ^Medical College in 1848. He, 
however, entered u\nm the acti\e practice 
of medicine in 1845. opening an office 
in Fountain Green, where he huilt an of- 
fice iin 1847. He practiced there for over 
fifty-five years, or until his death. He w\as 
a successful general practitioner, making 
progress in harmony with the advance- 
ment that has ever characterized the med- 
ical fraternity. He attended rich and 
poor, high and low, ne\'cr refusing to 
respond to a call even thijugh he knew 
there was little hope of pecuniary remun- 
eration. He had a most warm, charitable 
heart, and a tale of sorrow or distress 
awakened his ready sympathy. Through- 
out his entire life he occupied the old Fer- 
ris homesead in Fountain (ireen but 
greatly improved the property. 

On the 23d of May, 1850, Dr. Ferris 
was married to Miss Helen M. Gilchrist, 
who was born in Saxton River village, 
in Rockingham county, Vermont, October 
23, 183 1. She is a descendant in the sev- 
enth generation of Edward A. W'inslow. 
who came over in the r\Iayflower. Fler 
grandfather, Samuel ( iilchrist, was born 
in Lunenbury, Massachusetts, was a 
farmer by occupation and lived in the old 
Bay state until he attained his majority. 
He married Miss Elizabeth Allen, wdio 
was born in Pomfret, Connecticut, and 
they had three sons, John, Allen and 
Charles, all now deceased. The grand- 
father resided at W'alpole, New Hamp- 
shire. Her father, Charles G. Gilchrist, 
was born at Walpole, New Hampshire, in 
1802, and there owned a farm. In Sep- 
tember, 1837, he removed with his family 
from Vermont to McDonough county, 
Illinois, being over three months on the 
16 



road. They started on the iith of June, 
reaching their destination on the 13th of 
September. They settled on a farm in 
McDonough county, and there Mr. Gil- 
christ carried on agricultural pursuits as 
long as his health would permit. He, like 
Dr. Ferris's father, had to clear land in 
order to have a space big enough on which 
to build a house. He and his family lived 
in a log cabin for many years and went 
through the usual experiences and hard- 
ships of pioneer life. They saw many 
Indians and there were large herds rif 
wild deer. The county was sparsely set- 
tled and with the development and prog- 
ress of that section of the state Charles 
G. Gilchrist was closely identified Charles 
G. Gilchrist cast his first presidential ^'ote 
for Andrew Jackson and upon the organ- 
ization of the Republican party joined its 
ranks, continuing to give it his support 
until his death, which occurred in 1880, 
when he was eighty years of age. His 
gra\-e is made at Hillsgrove, McDonough 
county, Illinois. His wife, who bore the 
maiden name of Minerva Holton, was 
born in Westminster, \\'indham count}-, 
A'ermont, in October. 1805, spent her 
girlhood days in her native place and 
afterward taught schojl. Benjamin Par- 
sons, her grandfather, was a private in 
the Revolutionary war for a number of 
years. Mrs. Gilchrist died May 30, 1875, 
and was buried by the side of her hus- 
band in Hillsgrove cemetery. She was 
a member of a Baptist church. In their 
family were five children, of whom INIrs. 
Ferris is the eldest. Charles A. died in 
New York city, January 22, 1906. David 
Van Brugh lives at the old homestead at 
Hillsgrove, Illinois. Erastus H. is de- 



348 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IEW 



ceased. Edward M. is a resident of Cen- 
terville, Iowa. Of this family Charles A. 
Gilchrist enlisted for service in the Tenth 
Missouri Infantry in the Civil war, join- 
ing the army as a captain. He served for 
five years and was mustered out with the 
rank of brigadier general, being then in 
command of the Fiftieth Regiment nf 
Missouri Coldred Trodps. Edward ]\I. 
was also a soldier in the Civil war. 

After the parents removed to Illinois, 
Mrs. Ferris and her brothers, Charles .\. 
and VanBrugh Gilchrist, were sent liack 
to New York to be educated, and attended 
the private school conducted by Miss Hol- 
ton, for four years. She was an aunt of 
Mrs. Ferris and her school was then lo- 
cated at Xo. T I Amity street in Xew \'<\\k 
cit\'. When Mrs. Ferris returned Iiduk- 
she brought with her a piano, wliicli was 
the first one in McDonough county, and 
it is still in her possession. It is a S(|uare 
piano, having six lieautiful car\ed legs 
and is much narrower than the square 
pianos were ordinarily made. It was 
manufactured by J. Thurston some time 
between the years iSu and 1S17. This 
piano was shipped from Xew \'ork to 
Xew Orleans, thence up the Mississippi 
river to \\ arsaw, and from there hauled 
to McDonough county. Mrs. Ferris's 
children, grandchildren and friends still 
love to hear her j)lay the old-time melodies 
with which she Ijecame familiar in her 
girlhi)od da_\'s. 

L'nto Dr. and Mrs. Ferris \\-ere Ixirn 
ten children, all born in the old home in 
Fountain Green township. Fidelia, the 
eldest, died in childhood. Dr. Charles L. 
Ferris, of Carthage, the second in order 
of birth, is a graduate of the Rush ^Icd- 



ical College. He married Ella Connor, of 
Warsaw, this county, and they have two 
children, Helen I., a graduate of Carthage 
College and now principal of the high 
school in Mt. Carroll, Illinois ; and Ruth 
A. Lelia, the third member of the family, 
is the wife of Edward Lionberger, of 
Fountain tireen township, and thev have 
four children. Fay, Gay, John and Edith. 
Delia died in childhood. Alice Lovina is 
the wife of Charles R. Martin, of Car- 
thage township, and has two sons, Leon- 
ard Ferris and Edward Stephen Martin. 
John JMilton died in childhood. Ulysses 
Stephen lived in Carthage township, wed- 
ded Miss Mary White and has one son, 
Wilber W^iite Ferris. Ralph \Villiam 
married Carrie Banks, lives on a farm in 
Fountain Green township and has one 
child, Frances. Mary H. Ferris is at 
home with her mother. Hiram Gano is 
traveling f(jr Irwin Xeisler. a druggist, of 
Decatur, Illinois. The death of Dr. Fer- 
ris occurred on the 19th of July, njoo, 
when he was eighty-three years of age. 
In politics he was a repttblican, inflexible 
in support of the party from the time of 
its organization, but his father, his brother 
and his brothers-in-law were all democrats. 
He served as town clerk, as collector and 
SBA\ pUB S.IH3.V XuBUl joj jojoa.iip [ooqos St2 
instrumental in Ijuilding the l)rick school- 
h(.iuse at Fountain C,reen, superintending 
the construction of the same. Fraternally 
he was a Mason, joining" the lodge in Ma- 
comb. McDonough county, in 1849. He 
became a charter member of Carthage 
lodge, in which he passed all of the chairs. 
His remains were interred in Fountain 
Green township by the side of his parents 
and all of the Ferris relatives. There was 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



249 



allotted to him a long life, which was char- 
acterized by usefulness and honor and his 
name was to many a synonym of all that 
is straightforward and upright in life. He 
and his wife not only celebrated their 
twenty-fifth wedding anniversary but alsD 
their fiftieth wedding anniversary, on 
which occasion their children and grand- 
children were present. They traveled 
life's journey happily together for many 
long years and theirs was largely an ideal 
married relation. After Dr. Ferris passed 
awav ]Mrs. Ferris lived in the old home- 
stead, which was in the same }'ard as the 
Doctor's ofifice in Fountain Green. There 
she remained until 1902. when she re- 
moved to Carthage, purchasing a home on 
Madison street, which she has since great- 
ly improved. She and her daughters, 
Mary H. and Mrs. Martin, are all devoted 
members 'of the Presbyterian church and 
likewise belong to the Daughters of the 
American Revolution, in which order 
]\Iary Helen has been the efficient record- 
ing secretary for the past three years. 
Mrs. Ferris is a lady whom it is a rare 
pleasure to meet, for she possesses a true. 
warm heart for all mankind and strong. 
native intelligence and a retentive mem- 
orv combined with innate culture and re- 
finement. She also possesses a marked 
wit and jovial disposition and her kindly 
humor serves to draw to her all with 
whom she is brought in contact. She is 
^■et activelv interested in matters of pub- 
lic moment and she (leser\-es prominent 
mention in this \i:>lume among the resi- 
dents who have li\-ed in this part of Illi- 
nois from pioneer times. She celebrated 
her seventy-fifth birthday October 23, 
1906. when fourteen ladies from sixty- 



five to seventy-five years of age were 
present. 



MARTIN A. HEXRY. 

Martin A. Henry, numbered among the 
veterans of the Civil War. w'ho is now 
living a retired life in Atigusta. for many 
vears was activelv identified with agri- 
cultural interests. He is a native I'f 
Brown count}-. Illinois, born on the lOth 
day iif February. 1844. and there he re- 
sided until about twenty years ago. when 
he came to Augusta. He acquired his 
education in the common schools of his 
native • cottnty, where he was reared to 
manhood, and assisted in the operation 
of his father's farm. He is a son of Rob- 
ert L. and Mary A. (Langdon) Henry. 
The former was born in the state of New 
York, and the latter in Kentucky. Mr. 
Henn- arrived in Illinois in 1820. and his 
wife came a few vears later. They were 
married in Brown county, this state, 
which was then a part of Schuyler county, 
and throughout his entire life Mr. Henry 
carried on general agricultural pursuits 
and also w'orked at the cooper's trade. 
Following the death of bis wife he lived 
with his children and spent his last days 
in Fulton countv. Illinois, where he 
passed away at the age of eighty years. 
He held membership in the Presbyterian 
church, while his wife was a devoted 
member of the Baptist church. Both 
were laid to rest in Brown county. Illi- 
nois. In their family were ten children, 
but only two are now living, the youneer 



250 



BIOGRAPHICAL REFIEJV 



brotlier being Hiram Henry, of Fulton 
county, Illinois. 

As before stated, Martin A. Henry was 
reared in the usual manner of farm lads, 
early becoming familiar with all the work 
incident to the development and tultiwi- 
tion of the fields. When twent_\'-three 
years of age he started out in life on his 
own account and was engaged in farming 
for some years. He continued actively in 
that occupation until 1885, when he sold 
his farm and removed to Augusta. He 
had been enterprising and progressive in 
his methods, tilling the soil and cultivat- 
ing his crops, and gained thereby a com- 
fortable competence, finding a ready sale 
on the market for all of his fanu prod- 
ucts. His labors as an agriculturist were 
uninterinipted save when on the 9th of 
August, 1862, he responded to the conn- 
try'.s call for troops, enlisting as a mem- 
ber of Company D, One Hundred and 
Nineteenth Illinois Infantiy. He contin- 
ued at the front until the close of the war 
and took part in many of the princi]>al en- 
gagements of the AA'estern Armv, be- 
ing frequently under fire. He was mus- 
tered out at Mobile, Alabama, on the i8th 
of August, 1865, and received an Imn- 
orable discharge at Springfield. He held 
the rank of corporal and at the time he 
was mustered out was a sergeant. He 
now maintains pleasant relations with his 
old army comrades through his member- 
ship in Union post. No. 302, G. A. R., 
at Augusta, of which he has been com- 
mander for five terms and is now acting 
as quartermaster of the post. 

Mr. Heniw was first married on the ist 
of December, 1866, to Miss Mary C. Cox, 
who was boni in Brown count\-. Illinois, 



a daughter of JaiTies Cox, one of the early 
settlers of that locality. Mr. Cox was a 
nati\e of Kentucky and reared his fam- 
ily in Brown county, where Mrs. Henry 
acquired her education. She died there 
on the 8th of August, 1870, at the age 
f)f twenty-seven years, leaving two chil- 
dren, Mertie M. and Joseph E. The 
daughter is the wife of Albert H. Kin- 
ney, of Lavonia, New York, where he is 
engaged in merchandising. Joseph E. 
Henry resides in St. Louis, Missouri, 
where he is head shipping clerk for the 
Medart Patent Pulley Company. He was 
l)orn in Brown county, as was his sister, 
and he married Ellen Walsh, by whom he 
has two children, Herbert R. and Isabelle. 
F(^r his second wife Mr. Henry chose 
Eliza J. Burgesser, a daughter of George 
W. and Margaret (Thomas) Burgesser, 
both natives of Pennsylvania. In 1844 
her parents came to the west, locating in 
Brown county, Illinois, where' her father 
followed farming, and there they resided 
until called to their final rest. Mrs. 
Henry was born in Adams county, Ohio, 
but was reared and educated in Brown 
county, Illinois, being only four }'ears of 
age at the time of her parents' removal 
to this state. She was first married to 
Charles Todd, of Springfield, Illinois, 
who died leaving a son, Ala. who died 
when twenty-five years of age. By the 
present marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Henrj' 
there are three children: Robert E., re- 
siding at home, is the principal of the 
schools at West Point, Illinois. Eeltie 
is a teacher at Warsaw, this state. How- 
ard M. died when eight years of age. 

Both Mr. and Mrs. Henry are consist- 
ent members of the Methodist church 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



251 



and he gives his poHtical support to the 
Repubhcaii party. He served as a mem- 
ber of tlie town board for two years and 
has been street commissioner of Augusta 
for the past thirteen years. He is hold- 
ing that position at the present time, and 
is a capable official, manifesting the same 
loyalty whether in public office or out 
of it that he displayed when he followed 
the old flag upon southern battlefields 
and defended the Union cause. His busi- 
ness activity in foiTner years was crowned 
with a measure of success that now en- 
ables him to live retired and he is sperid- 
ing his days pleasantly in Augusta amid 
many friends, who entertain for him 
warm regard. 



W. IT. AND J. A. PLUMB. 

^^'. H. and J. A. Plumb, the ])resident 
and .secretarv respecti\'elv <if Plumb 
Brother^ Brick & Tile Company, with 
offices at Carthage, are prominent repre- 
sentatives of industrial activity in this 
county. The factory is located in Pilot 
Grove township, between Burnside and 
Carthage and is devoted to the manufac- 
ture of brick and tile.- The business has 
been conducted by the present company 
for about foiu- vears and the plant lias 
three kilns wliich turn out about fifty 
thousand brick or twenty thousand tile 
of high grade ever^- week. The com- 
pany is incoiporated and since its estab- 
lishment has borne an unassailable repu- 
tation in business circles bv reason of the 



honorable methods instituted and also 
by reason of the excellence of its product. 

William H. Plumb, one of the active 
members of the corporation and the pres- 
ident of the company, was bom in Ful- 
ton county, Illinois, July 17, 1862. His 
parents are Thomas J. and Elizabeth 
(Anderson) Plumb. The father, a native 
of London, England, came alone to the 
United States when fourteen years of age 
and with brave spirit and resolute pur- 
pose sought to earn a living in the new 
world, thinking that he might enjov bet- 
ter lousiness opportunities on this side of 
the Atlantic. One of his first positions 
was assistant to the cook on a Missis- 
sippi river steamboat, and he gradually 
made advancement in the business world 
until he became connected with the coal 
mining interests of Illinois, continuing in 
that field of activity until his death, which 
occurred at Bemadotte, Fulton county, 
this state, when he had reached the age 
of fifty-one years. His widow still sur- 
vives and resides in Basco, Hancock 
county, at about the age of seventv years, 
lieing now the wife of William Hen- 
dricks, a retired farmer. 

\A'illiam H. Plumb pursued his edu- 
cation in the public schools of Fulton 
countv and became a resident of Hancock 
county in 1881. For two or tliree yercrs 
thereafter he was jocated in Basco and 
then removed to Carthage, where, in con- 
nection with his bmther, he engaged in 
tlie manufacture of brick and tile for 
about twelve years, so that he had broad 
practical experience when they organized 
the present company and removed to Pi- 
lot Grove township, where they reside. 

^^'illiam H. Plumb was married in 



252 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJIEW 



1897 to Mrs. Laura E. Taylor, who was 
born in Bear Creek township and was ed- 
ucated there, she bearing the maiden 
name of Laura E. Fisher, and was a 
daughter of Greenberry Fisher, one nf 
the early settlers of the county. She was 
the widow of Joseph Taylor, by win an 
she had two children, Alta and Gertie, the 
latter now deceased. L'nto Mr. and Mrs. 
Plumb has been born one child, Norvin. 
Mr. Plumb is a democrat in his political 
views and he belongs to the Hancock 
County Mutuals — a fraternal insurance 
order. 

John A. Plumb, wdio is associated with 
his brother in the manufacture of brick 
and tile as secretaiy of the company, was 
bom in Fulton county. Illinois, November 
8. 1864. and was educated in the common 
schools. Since attaining his majority he 
has been as,sociated with his brother Wil- 
liam in the line of business in which the}- 
are still engaged. They have a well 
equipped plant, supplied with ;dl modern 
machinery, and the output is of such a 
qualitv as to command a ready sale on the 
market and liring the highest prices. The 
office of the company is located in Car- 
thage but the factory is situated in Pilot 
Gro\'e township. George \\'. Jones is 
treasurer of the company but the Pluinh 
Brothers hold the greater amount of 
stock, and the enterprise has gained a 
place among the leading manufacturing 
interests of the county. 

John A. Plumb was married to Miss 
Katie Morris, a daughter of O. P. Mor- 
ris, of Dallas City, Illinois, and the two 
families are prominent sijcially, while in 
business circles the brothers have gained 
a most commendable place. Thev ha\e 



the enterprise and detemiination which 
enable them to overcome difficulties and 
to solve intricate business problems and 
their history illustrates the possibilities 
that are open in this country to earnest, 
persistent young men who have the cour- 
age of their convictions and are deter- 
mined to be the architects of their own 
fortunes. 



JOHN H. CRABILL. 

John H. CrabiU. a prosperous and pro- 
gressi\e farmer of Fountain Green town- 
shi]), claims Ohio as the place of his na- 
tivitv, his birth having occurred in Cham- 
])aign county. September 12. 1837. and 
in the paternal line he comes of German 
ancestry, his paternal great-grandfather. 
Jacob Crabill, having been born in the 
fatherland, while his paternal grandpar- 
ents, J<ihn H. and Maiy (Rhodes) Cra- 
l)ill. were natives of Virginia, and liis 
maternal grandparents, John and Eliza- 
beth ( Pence) Steimberger. were natives 
of Mar^•Iand and Virginia respectively. 
His parents. Benjamin S. and Angeline 
(Steimberger) Crabill, were natives of 
Culpepper county, Virginia, and Cham- 
paign county, Ohio, the former born in 
i8t6. while the latter was bom in 1814. 
Thev were married in the Buckeye state, 
where the father engaged in farming pur- 
suits until 1S49, when he made an over- 
land journey to this township, the tri]) 
covering a period of twenty-two da)s. 
Here he purchased one lumdred and sixty 
acres of land located on section t, and 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



253 



owned by William Dunn, one-half c:if the 
tract being covered with timber, while an 
old frame house was the only building 
that stood on the place. He at once set 
to work to further clear and develop the 
land and made many impro\-ements in the 
way of fences and buildings. In 1858 he 
erected a large brick residence, and he 
burned the brick on his place which was 
used in the construction of the house. 
From time to time he also increased the 
boundaries of his fann by adding at dif- 
ferent times two eighty-acre tracts, so 
that in all he owned three hundred and 
twenty acres all in one bodv, this being 
placed under a very high state of culti- 
vation, so that he annually gathered 
abundant haiwests. He was a \-er\' prom- 
inent and influential man in his part of 
the country, and his integrity and honesty 
were never called into cjuestion. for he 
was noted for his reliability and trust- 
worthiness. His death occurred in 1896. 
while his wife had passed awav several 
years previous to that time, her death oc- 
curring in Januar}-, 1880. 

John H. Crabill is the eldest of five 
sons and two daughters, of whom one 
son and both daughters have passed 
away. He was reared in Ohio to the 
age of twelve years, where he attended 
the Runkel district school, and then ac- 
companied his parents on their removal 
to this state, where he contintied his 
studies in the Rossville district school in 
this township, near his father's home. He 
remained under the paternal roof until 
twenty-four years of age, assisting his fa- 
ther in clearing and developing new land, 
so that he early became familiar with all 
the duties and labors of the farm, and 



shared with the family in the hardships 
and privations, as well as the pleasures of 
a frontier existence. 

Choosing as a companion and helpmate 
for life's journey, he mas married, Octo- 
ber 10. 1 86 1, to Miss Prudence Tipton, 
likewise a native of the Buckeye state, 
her birth having occurred in ^luskingum 
county, December 10, 1842, a daughter 
of John and Elizabeth (Dunlap) Tipton, 
natives of Maryland and Ohio respective- 
ly. Her mother died in 1845. when the 
daughter was a little maiden of three 
years, and the father was afterward mar- 
ried again, his second union being with 
Margaret Llo_\-d. a native of Ohio, where 
they were married, and in 1856 the fa- 
ther removed with his family to Illinois, 
their home being established in McDon- 
ough county, where the father passed 
away about t888. while his widow sur- 
vived until i88q. when she. too. passed 
away. 

Following this marriage Mr. Crabill 
located on a farm on section 34. La Harpe 
township, which he operated for one year, 
when he removed to Sheridan county. 
Missouri, remaining there one year, after 
which he returned to Illinois and operated 
leased land in McDonough and Hancock 
counties for eleven years, when, in 1872, 
he returned to the old homestead farni 
and continued his fanning operations 
there until the time of his father's death, 
when he purchased the interest of the 
other heirs in the estate, and has here 
continued his residence to the present 
time. He has continued the work of de- 
velopment and improvement which was 
begun by his father and now has an up- 
to-date and well improved farm property. 



254 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFA'IEIV 



Fr(jm time to time he lias added to his 
landed possessions and now owns two 
hundred and six acres all in one body, 
lying on section 5, Fountain Green town- 
ship, and at one time he owned eighty 
acres on section 4. but has since disposed 
of this t(i his son b'rank. In ad(]itiiin to 
carrying on general farming pursuits, 
Air. Crabill is also engaged quite exten- 
si\-ely in raising stock, including Norman 
horses. Short Horn cattle and Poland- 
China hogs, and this branch of his busi- 
ness is proving a profitable source of rev- 
enue to him. 

Unto our subject and his wife ha\-e 
been Ijorn five sons and five daughters, 
nameh': Ida, now the wife of J. \V. 
Ketchum, of Durham township: Ella, at 
Iiome: Benjamin, of Fountain Green 
township: Emma, the widow of William 
Burrow, who likewise resides in this 
townshi]) : Frank, who owns and operates 
a farm in this township: Marv. the wife 
of Edward Rich, of this township : Janie 
and Fred, at home; Mahlon, wlio lives in 
this township; and Ray, at home. 

Politicalh' a democrat, Mr. Crabill has 
taken a deep and helpful interest in the 
work of the party, having served three 
terms as assessor, while for iweh-e years 
he acted as school director. He is a mem- 
ber of the Masonic order, belonging to 
the lodge at La Hai-pe. and is popular 
among the brethren of the craft. Having 
resided in Illinois since the age of twelve 
\ears, which covers a period of more than 
a half century, the greater portion of 
which has been spent in Hancock county, 
he has here a very wide and favorable ac- 
(|uaintance, for the name of Crabill has 
long been associated with the develop- 



ment and improvement of this portion of 
the state. He is ever reliable in all trade 
transactions and has won the confidence 
and good will of all with whom he has 
come in contact and is accounted one 
of the representative agriculturists of this 
C(juntv. 



ROBERT C. GIBSON. 

Robert C. Gibsoti is the owner of one 
of one of the model farm properties of 
Hancock county, situated in Pilot Grove 
township, and is also engaged in general 
merchandising and in the hardware busi- 
ness at Burnside under the firm name of 
R. C. Gibson & Company. He is like- 
wise one of the extensive landowners of 
the county and is a factor in its finan- 
cial circles. The extent and; importance 
of his interests make him one of the fore- 
most representatives of business interests 
in this part of the state, and while promot- 
ing individual success he has at the same 
time contribtited to general progress and 
prosperity, which are ever dependent 
upon the activity and enterprise of the 
leading- business men of the community. 

]Mr. Gibson was bom on section 27, 
Pilot Grove township. Hancock county. 
August II. 1850. and in the common 
schools of the township acquired his edu- 
cation, while spending his boyhood days 
in the home of his parents, James and An- 
geline ("Bennett) Gibson. The father, a 
native of Ireland, came to this country 
with his father, the mother having died 
on the Emerald isle. He was at that time 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



255 



only three years of age. The grandfa- 
ther of our subject settled in New York 
and there engaged in farming and also 
worked on the canal. When still a young 
lad James Gibson also began working on 
the canal and was there employed until 
about eighteen years of age. He at first 
was driver on a packetboat and afterward 
worked on what was called a scow boat, 
utilized in dredging out and repairing the 
canal. He continued in that labor until 
twenty-three years of age. when he was 
married and came to the middle west, lo- 
cating first near Rushville in Schuyler 
county, Illinois, where he spent a few 
months. He afterward went to Ray 
county, Missouri, where he remained for 
about two years, and then became a resi- 
dent of McDonough countv, Illinois, 
where he purchased land and made his 
home for about three years. On the ex- 
piration of that period he took up his 
abode on section 27, Pilot Grove town- 
ship, Hancock county, and invested in 
eighty acres of land upon which he made 
his home, residing there for about forty 
years. When the four decades had passed 
he removed to section 16 of the same 
township, where he lived for fifteen years 
and afterward located at Buniside, where 
for eight years he lived retired from ac- 
tive business cares. His life had l)een 
one of untiring acti\'ity and enter|)rise 
through a long period and he well merited 
the rest which came to him in the ex'ening 
of his days. He died at Buniside at the 
age of eightv-nine \ears and was a re- 
spected residait of the locality, for 
he was a faithful member of the Christian 
cliurch and had lived in harmony with 
its teachings and his professions. His po- 



litical support was given to the democ- 
racv. His wife passed away in i860, at 
the age of forty-four years. She. too, 
was a member of the Christian church 
and both lie buried in McKa}- cemeter}-. 
Thev were the jiarents of four children of 
whom two are now living. 

Born and reared on the old homestead 
Robert C. Gibson continued to reside 
there until fi\-e years ago, when he pur- 
chased his present farm just north ijf the 
village of Burnside, comprising one hun- 
dred and thirty-six acres. He has placed 
all of the improvements upon it and has 
a niiidel farm, on which he raises the 
cereals Ijest adapted to soil and climate. 
He also engages in stock raising and has 
fed from one hundred to five hundred 
head of cattle annually for the past thirty 
years. He has likewise made investment 
in property that has proved profitable and 
is today the owner of eleven hundred and 
fort^' acres of the rich farming land of 
Hancock county, all of which is well ini- 
prrived, the greater part being in Pilot 
Grove township. He therefore stands as 
one of the leading representatives of agri- 
cultural interests, and his sticcess is rich- 
Iv merited, having come to him through 
ca])able business management, unfalter- 
ing industry and close application. In 
addition to his fanning interests he has 
nianv other Ijusiness enterprises under his 
control. Being a man of resourceful abil- 
itv he readily recognizes and utilizes the 
opportunities which surround .all. He 
engages in general merchandising and 
also in the hardware business at Buni>^ide 
under the firm style of R. C. Gibson & 
Company. For two years he was \-ice 
president of the State Bank at Burnside 



256 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJIEW 



anil he was one of the organizers of llie 
While Cottage Telephone Company, of 
whicli he has been treasurer and the ofti- 
cer of the line since its establishment. He 
erected a large brick store building in 
Burnside and is one of its most enter- 
prising citizens, having contrilnited in 
large and substantial measure ti 1 its 
growth and improvement thmugh the 
conduct of his varied interests. 

Mr. Gibson was married on the jlh 
of November, 1872, to Miss Hattie Low- 
rey, who was bom in Schuyler county. 
Illinois, a daughter of Edward and Hat- 
tie Lowrey, who came to Hancock county 
about 1865. The father was for man}' 
years a farmer of Carthage township and 
died at the age of eighty-eight years, 
while his wife passed away when eighty- 
seven years of age. Unto Mr. and Mrs. 
Gibson have been born six children, all 
of whom are living, as follows : Elmer, 
a farmer of Pilot Grove township, where 
he owns one hundred and sixty acres of 
land, married Amanda Miller, by whom 
he has a daughter, Frances. Charles C, 
residing on section 27, Pilot Grove town- 
ship, wedded Miss Carrie Pennock, by 
whom he has a son, Virgil. James F. is 
a practicing attorney in Carthage, and is 
represented elsewhere in this volume. He 
married Miss Birdie Tyner, and they have 
one son, James. Iva is now the wife of 
John Houd, their home being in Dallas, 
Illinois. She is the mother of one child, 
Arlo. Ida is the wife of Lesley Brad- 
field, and has one child, Eizie. Sylvia is at 
home, and completes the family. All were 
born and educated in Pilot Grove town- 
ship. 

Mr. Gibson is a member of the Ma- 



sonic fraternity, in which he has attained 
the Royal Arch degree and also holds 
membership relations with the Independ- 
ent Order of Odd Fellows. His wife is a 
member of the Christian church and is 
a lady of culture and refinement. The_\- 
ha\'e a handsome modern home upon 
their farm, together with large barns and 
(ither outbuildings, all of which are kept 
in perfect repair and are typical of the 
utmost spirit of progress and improve- 
ment along agricultural lines. Mr. Gib- 
son is widely recognized as a most public- 
spirited man and has taken an active and 
heljiful interest in many movements 
which ha\'e lieen of direct benefit to the 
communit\' and the county. In manner 
he is free from ostentation and displa}", 
caring not for notoriety, yet he deserves 
the praise that is usually given a self- 
made man and the high regard which is 
accorded him by his friends. Among the 
names of the prominent business men of 
Hancock county who have been closely 
identified with its interests and have as- 
sisted in its rapid and substantial growth 
he is numbered. By the force of his na- 
tive ability and steady perseverance he 
has raised himself to a position of wealth 
and honor. 



WILLIAM OLIVER BUTLER, 
D. D. S. 

Dr. William Oliver Butler, serving for 
the second term as postmaster of La 
Harpe and has for almost a third of a 
century been an able and leading repre- 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



257 



sentative of the dental fraternity here, 
was bom in St. Francisville, JMissouri, 
March 25, 1850. His father, Noah B. 
Butler, was born near Louisville, Ken- 
tucky, and in early manhood wedded Lu- 
cinda C. Dickenson, a native of Tennes- 
see, whose birth occurred near Memphis. 
His grandparents were Hezekiah and 
Elizabeth (Payne) Butler, natives of 
Penns_\'l\ania and Ohio respectively. 
The father. Xoah B. Butler, became a 
l)hysician and in the spring of 185 1 re- 
nii i\ ed tcj La Harpe, Illinuis. accompanied 
1)\ his wife and then their only child, 
William O. For a quarter of a century 
thereafter Dr. Butler de\-oted his time 
and energies to the practice of medicine, 
continuing an active representative of the 
medical fraternity in this town until his 
death, which occurred September 17. 
iS/f). His widow still survives him and 
makes her home in La Harpe. 

William 01i\-er Butler, the eldest in a 
fanu'h- of seven sons, spent his boyhood 
days in La Harpe and completed his lit- 
erary education by a course of study at 
Kno.x College, at Galesburg, Illinois. He 
afterward began preparation for the med- 
ical profession in the Missouri Medical 
College at .St. Tenuis and afterward at- 
tended tlie Pennsyh-ania Dental College. 
Between the twu periods of his college 
work, however, he engaged in practice 
for two years. He was graduated in the 
spring of 1876 but had purchased the 
practice of D. W. Mills in [873. While 
he was attending his second course of 
lectures a dentist from Burlington, Iowa, 
took charge of his practice. He now 
occupies one of the finest offices in the 
.state in towns of the size of La Harpe 



and has a large practice, which is ac- 
corded him in recognition of his skill and 
ability. His equipment is unusually good 
and he has always kept in touch with the 
progress made by the profession as the 
years have gone \)y. On the 15th of 
June, 1882, Dr. Butler was united in 
marriage to Miss Louella Holliday, who 
was born in Shelbina, Missouri, June 2y. 
1854, and was educated in the public 
schools of Blandis\-ille. Illinois, and in 
Lewiston Seminary in Fulton county, this 
state. She is a daughter of Louis and 
]\Iary ( Parker) Holliday, both of whom 
were natives of Virginia. Unto Dr. and 
Mrs. Butler have been bom five daugh- 
ters and two sons, but one of the sons is 
now deceased. 

Dr. Butler has given close attention to 
his professional duties and yet has found 
time for activity in political and fraternal 
circles. He is a prominent Mason, be- 
longing to the lodge, chapter and com- 
mandery and has held the position of 
deputy- grand lecturer of the state of Illi- 
nois since 1883. He is also a member 
of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- 
lows and he belongs to the Christian 
church, in which he has long served as 
deacon and has also been secretary for 
six years. In his political views he is 
an earnest republican and in igoi was 
reappointed by President Roosevelt to 
the office of postmaster, in which position 
he is now seiwing. He takes a deep in- 
terest in clean politics, being opposed to 
misrule in municipal affairs and feeling 
that political business should be adminis- 
tered with the same honesty and fidelitv 
that is demanded in industrial, commer- 
cial or professional life. In his own ca- 



258 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



reer he has been actuated by worthy mo- 
tives and high principles and during al- 
most a lifelong- residence in La Harpe, 
covering a period of fifty-five years, he 
has commanded the uniform confidence 
and respect of his fellowmen b}- his close 
adherence to rules of conduct and action 
that neither seek nor require disguise. 



GEORGE WALKER. 

Investigation into the history of anv 
community -will show that a few courag- 
eous spirits ha\e become pioneer settlers 
and that the work that they have insti- 
tuted, the plans they have formed and 
the labors they have carried forward con- 
stitute the foundation upon which lias 
been builded all of the later progress and 
prosperity It was to this class of citi- 
zens that George \\'alker lielonged ami 
his name is inseparably interwoven with 
the historv of AVarsaw ami of Hancock 
county. He was born in Maryland, Fel>- 
ruary 29, 1804. his parents being John 
and Mary (Wilmot) Walker. He was 
reared in the place of his nati\it\' ;',n(l 
attended the old-time subscription schools 
of that day, pursuing his studies for only 
about three months each \-ear. In the 
school of experience. howe\-er. he learned 
many valuable lessons and became a well 
informed man of good practical business 
education. He was reared to farm life 
and in early manhood became a firm be- 
lie\er in the Christian religion. When 
but nineteen years of age he began jireach- 



ing as a minister of the Baptist faith and 
for fifty years continued the work of the 
gospel. Ide reared his family in that 
faith and labored untiringly for the up- 
l.iuilding of his church. He never accept- 
ed a <lollar for marrying a couple, for 
l)reaching at a funeral or for anv reli- 
gions service, but gave his time and tal- 
ent freel}' to the gospel work. 

While living in Kentucky Mr. Walker 
rented land from Zachaiw Taylor and in 
1 83 1 liad his goods all packed ready to 
load and start for Illinois. He was at 
that time taken sick with bronchitis and 
did not come till 1S33. He first lo- 
cated at Onincy and two weeks later en- 
tered one hundred and sixty-two acres of 
land about twenty-two miles north of that 
city. There he began the development 
ami improvement of a farm njion which 
he resided through the succeeding two 
}-ears. On the expiration of that period. 
"1 T833. he purchased six hundred and 
forty acres of land from twri atto^^e^•s 
who spent the night at his home. .\n in- 
teresting fact about these attorneys is 
that on that trip they were going from 
Carthage to Ouincv on horsel)ack. One 
horse ga\'e out and they put both saddles 
on the remaining horse and with each 
man in a saddle on the one h(>rse proceed- 
ed on their way to Ouincy and were thus 
riding when they stopped over night at 
Mr. Walker's residence. This tract was 
located a half mile south and a quarter 
of a mile west of the land which he had 
entered for a dollar and a quarter per 
acre. Upon his second purchase he built 
a double log house with one room above 
and two below. This was his home until 
1840, in which year he built a kiln. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



259 



burned brick and then erected a brick 
residence. 

Mv. A\'alker was closely identified with 
the early development and progress of 
his portion of the state and for years 
was one of the largest land holders of 
Hancock county. He shared in the usual 
hardships and' privations of pioneer life, 
but as the years passed by changes were 
wrought and he was enabled to secure all 
of the advantages and comforts known to 
the older civilization of the east and 
south. For many years he engaged ex- 
tensively in stock raising, being one of 
the leading representatives of this busi- 
ness in his section of the state. He also 
made large purchases of land and after 
giving one hundred and sixty acres to 
each of his seven children he had over 
two thousand acres remaining. He was 
perhaps the wealthiest citizen of his lo- 
cality at this time. He improved his 
land from its primitive condition, setting 
out immense orchards and placing his 
fields under a high state of cultivation. 

In 1870, 'Sir. \\'alker went to Florida 
and set out an orange orchard covering- 
five hundred acres within three miles of 
Jacksonville. He remained there for 
nine winters and in the tenth winter was 
stricken with paralysis. He also pur- 
chased one hundred and fifty acres of 
land adjoining the home of Harriet 
Beecher Stowe and he and his family be- 
came well acquainted with the Stowe 
family, by whom they were entertained 
for some days. He was a very industri- 
ous man of unfaltering perseverance and 
indeed may be numbered among the 
world's workers. He was a man of keen 
insight into business affairs and of un- 



faltering energy and was seldom at error 
in a matter of business judgment. He be- 
came moreover one of the influential ancl 
leading citizens of the community and in 
1848 was elected to represent his district 
in the state legislature of Illinois. He 
spent two winters in Springfield and be- 
came associated with many of the dis- 
tinguished men of the state. During the 
second winter in company with Stephen 
A. Douglas. Abraham Lincoln and Jacob 
C. Davis in a hired vehicle he drove to 
his home in Hancock count)', a distance 
of one hundred and twenty miles, to make 
a visit over Sunday. They arrived Fri- 
day nig'ht, and that night such a heavy 
fall of snow took place that the next 
Monday morning they had to drive a 
herd of cattle ahead of them to break the 
road to Quincy, to which place they rode 
on horseback. They were three days in 
getting to Springfield. Mr. \\'alker was 
re-elected to the Illinois legislature in 
1854. his family, however, remaining 
upon the farm, while he discharged his 
official duties in the general assembly. 
He took an active part in the delibera- 
tions of that body and was connected with 
much of the constructive legislation of 
that period. In his home community he 
was also elected justice of the peace and 
filled that office for fifteen years, his home 
being his courthouse. Mrs. Robert Mc- 
Mahan, who was an exceedingly bright 
girl, would sit at her father's knee when 
between the ages of eight and twehe 
years and from his dictation would read 
the revised statutes to the court. His po- 
litical allegiance was given to the democ- 
racy, but though he differed in his views 
from manv of the distinguished Illinois 



26o 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



statesmen of that period he always en- 
joyed their warm personal regard and 
friendship. 

In May, 1826. Mr. Walker was mar- 
ried to Miss Rachel Clark, a daughter 
of James and Susan ( Naswanner) Clark. 
Mrs. Walker was born in Pennsylvania 
and 1)\- this marriage there were nine chil- 
dren. Heni-y M., the eldest, lived near 
Carthage, Illinois, but died in California 
at the age of seventy-nine years. He had 
four sons, one of whom, Charles Wil- 
liam, is living in Carthage, George San- 
ford in Missouri, Franklin \\'., on a 
farm near Carthage, and one, John 
Henrv' C, probate judge in Ft. Collins. 
John E. W'alker, the second of the famih'. 
born in February, 1829, was a railroad 
man and died in 1891, at the age of si.xty- 
two years, leaving a wife and two chil- 
dren, who are residents of Boston, Mas- 
sachusetts. Mary Jane is the wife of Dr. 
James Caples, living about sixteen miles 
from Sacramento, in Sacramento county, 
California. Rebecca Ann is the widow 
of Joseph Her and lives in Gault, Califor- 
nia, about thirty-two miles from Sacra- 
mento. James Ely died at the age of 
five years. George Walker died in 1905 
in Warsaw, leaving a son, Warren W., 
of Joplin, Missouri, and a daughter, Mrs. 
Lillian Pederson. Susan Frances became 
the wife of Robert IMcMahan and is men- 
tioned later in this sketch. Henrietta 
became the wife of Taylor Doty and after 
his death married James Jenkins and died 
April 17, 1904, on the old home farm in 
Hancock county. Charles I-"'ierce i^; a 
resident of Los Angeles, California, 
where he is engaged in merchandising 
and is also vice president of a bank. TIk- 



father, George Walker, died October 9, 
1879, at the age of seventy-five years 
and his wife passed away October 9, 1883, 
also when seventy-five years of age. In 
the ^•ears of an active and useful career 
he had become widely known and in fact 
was one of the historic figures in Illinois 
history during the middle portion of the 
nineteenth centuiy. His influence was 
widely felt in behalf of public improve- 
ment, his business operations were of an 
extensive and profitable character and his 
genuine personal worth was such as to 
win for him the admiration, g'ood will 
and respect of all with whom he came 
in contact. Though more than a quarter 
of a century has passed awa}' since he 
was called to his final rest he is yet re- 
membered by many of the early citizens 
of the county who knew and honored 
him. 

As before stated, Susan l~rances 
Walker became the wife of Roliert Mc- 
Mahan. The latter was a son of Andrew 
Mc^Iahan, a native of Kentuck\'. who 
came to Hancock county. Illinois, in 1831. 
This was the year of the great snow — a 
winter memorable in the histor}- of Illi- 
nois. There were few settlers in the 
northern part of the state and the cen- 
tral and southern sections were l)ut 
sparselv settled. All over Illinois there 
were great stretches of uiiim])n)ved 
lands and Mr. McMahan to..k up a tract 
of gT)\'ernment land of about one hun- 
dred and sixtv acres which was developed 
into a gO(>d fann and remained, the fam- 
ily homestead until the death of himself 
and wife. As the years passed b}- he 
added to his original holdings until he 
became an extensive landed proprietor 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



261 



and at the time of his demise still re- 
tained possession of six hundred acres, 
while in the meantime he had given in 
each of his four children a tract of one 
hundred and sixt}' acres. 

Three of his children are now living, 
while Angeline. who became the wife nf 
Captain Williams, of Warsaw, died 
March 26. 1901. 

Robert William McMahan, l)orn June 
15, 1830, on the old family hdniestead in 
Hancock county, Illinois, acquired his 
education in the subscription schools of 
the early day. He was reared to farm 
life, spending the greater part of the 
year in the labors of the field and 
meadow, while in the winter seasons he 
])ursuetl his studies. With the family he 
shared in the hardshijjs and privations 
incident to the settlement nf the frontier. 
He chose as a life nccupation the pursuit 
to which he had lieen reared and cuntinu- 
ously followed fanning until he reachecl 
the age of sixt}'-six }-ears, when he re- 
tired from business and has since lived 
in Warsaw, purchasing a beautiful Imme 
in the city. On the 13th of July, 1859, he 
was united in marriage to Miss Susan 
Frances A\'alker, daughter of nenrge 
Walker, the honored pioneer, and unto 
them have been born si.x children. Clara, 
the eldest, born j\pril 3, tS6o. died June 
26, 1864. Charles Homer, born Decem- 
ber 4, 1861, is living in Wilcox townsln'i). 
this county. He married E\'a J. Knox 
and they have five children li\'ing. while 
Harrv and one rither died in infanc\-. 
Those who still sur\ive are C;irl Da\id. 
Robert Francis. A\'illiam ]\.. Ceorge 
Howard and Francis McMahan. Cora 
E. McMahan died in infancv. Marv Ida 



McMahan, bom September 15, 1866, is 
now the wife of David Ayers and their 
])lace adjoins the old homestead. They 
have two children, Francis and David. 
Nellie Rachel McMahan. born November 
25, 1875, is the wife of Howard Baker, 
a lumberman of St. Eouis. Missouri. 
George W . \\ . McMahan, born July 9, 
1873. li\es upon the old homestead and 
rents tlie farm which his parents gave 
him. He married Florence Frv and has 
one daughter, Anna Rozetta. 

John IMcMahan, the second son of An- 
drew Mc]\Iahan. lives on the old home- 
stead where he was born sixty-three years 
ago. He married Clara Reed, now de- 
ceased, and thev had five children, of 
whom one has passed away. 

Thomas Jefferson McMahan. the 
^•onngest member of the faniilv of An- 
drew AfclMahan. is li\-ing in St. Fouis 
and has l)een married twice. l>nt his sec- 
ond wife is als(;) now deceased. 

P.oth the Walker and McMahan fam- 
ilies ha\-e li\ed in this county from i)io- 
neer times and have been closely associ- 
ated with its history in all of its \-,arious 
phases. Mr. Walker li\'ed here during 
the Ahirmon siege, but did not take part 
on either side. He saw many houses 
burned, however, and knew of the whole 
])roceedings. i\[rs. McMahan can re- 
member seeing Joseph and Hir;im .'^mitli. 
the Mormon prophets and leaders, who 
were murdered. She saw the blriod on 
the floor and also the hole made thi-ongh 
the window pierced by the bullet that 
killed Joseph Smith. Fler min<l bears 
manv interesting pictures of jiioneer 
davs and she relates in vivid st_\-le and 
with great accuracv manv of the e\'ents 



262 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



which lia\'e left their impress upon the 
annals of Hancock county. 



ASA L. P.ENNINGTOX. 

Asa L. Bennington is the leading con- 
tractor and builder of La Harpe. No 
man has done more for the impri:>\-ement 
of the village, for the greater part of its 
leading business houses and fine residences 
have been erected by him and stand as 
evidence of his skill and enterprise in the 
line of his chosen vocation. His life rec- 
ord began in Bloomfield, Iowa, on Christ- 
mas clay of 1 86 1, his parents being Jacob 
S. and Emeline (Lane) Bennington, 
the former bom in Adams cuuntv, 
Ohio, December 5, 1826, and the latter 
near Mount Sterling, Illinois. Decemljer 
24. 1829. The paternal grandfather. 
Jonathan Bennington, was born in Penn- 
sylvania, October 20, 1789. and was 
reared near Hagerstowai, Maryland. He 
wedded Jane C. Ramsey, who was bijm 
near Boone Station, Kentucky. January 
9, 1799, and was a daughter of Robert 
Ramsey, who was one of Washington's 
body guards in the Revolutionan- war. 
The maternal grandparents were Asa and 
Matilda (Conover) Lane. On leaving 
Ohio Jacr)b S. Bennington remo\-ed to 
Davis county, Iowa, and in 1869 became 
a resident of Henderson county, Illinois, 
where he lived until 1892, when the fam- 
ily removed to La Harpe. His wife 
pa.ssed away in September, 1885. In their 
family were the following named : Ma- 



tilda, who w^as born in Iowa, June 7, 
1853; Lee J., born in Iowa, December 
II, 1856; John F.. born in Iowa, May 
10. 1858; Phebe. M.. born in Missouri, 
August II, 1863; Jacob S., born in Mis- 
souri, March 28, 1865; Carroll L., bom 
in Missouri, April 6, 1867; and Charles, 
born in Illinois, Februai-y 28, 1870. 

Asa L. Bennington was reared in his 
father's home to the age of sixteen years, 
when he started out upon an independent 
business career and since that time he has 
provided entirely for his own suppurt, 
so that whatever success he has achieved 
has ci:)me as the direct reward of his 
own labors. He was employed at farm 
work for about five years and then 
learned the carpenter's trade under the 
direction of his father. He has engaged 
in building operations since that time 
and for the past seventeen years has been 
contracting. At the present writing, in 
1906, he has the contract for. the erection 
of the new Carnegie lilirary in La Harpe 
all the lousiness houses and larg-e build- 
and with a few exceptions he has built 
ings erected in this village for the past 
fourteen years. He keeps abreast W'ith 
the most modem progress as displayed 
in the builder's art and his efiforts have 
been an important factor in the substan- 
tial improvement of the city, greatly aug- 
menting its attractive appearance. His 
excellent workmanship and his fidelity to 
the terms of a contract have been impor- 
tant elements in his success. 

In 1 89 1 Mr. Bennington was married 
tn Miss Hattie Landis, who was born 
Ajiril 3, 1871, and is a daughter of Isaac 
and Finett (Levings) Landis, natives of 
La Harpe township. They have four 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



263 



children: Clair, born 2\Iarch 23, 1892: 
L'elia iNIay, January 14, 1894; Beulah 
Vernon, January 21, 1896; and iNIinnie 
AL, October 14, 1900. 

Mr. Bennington votes with the Repub- 
lican party and has served for two temis 
as alderman at La Harpe. Community 
affai-rs are of deep interest to him and 
his co-operation can always be counted 
upon as a factor to further the welfare 
and promote the progress of his adopted 
town. Fraternally he is connected with 
Bristol lodge. No. 653, I. O. O. F., and 
with the Modern \\'(iodmen of America, 
and in his life exemplifies the beneficent 
spirit of these organizations. An analy- 
zation of his character shows that his sal- 
ient traits are such as are universally ad- 
mired and valued and in his home town 
they have made him a representative 
citizen. 



JAMES W. CASSIXGHAM. 

James W. Cassingham dates his resi- 
dence in Hancock county since 1857. He 
is now living retired in La Harpe but 
was formerly identified with agricultural 
and manufacturing interests. He was 
born in Muskingum county, Ohio, June 
16, 1840. and in the paternal line comes 
of English ancestrj', his grandfather be- 
ing Thomas Cassingham, a native of 
England. His father, James Cassing- 
ham, was also born in that country and 
came with his parents to .America in 1S26. 
the family home being established upon a 
farm in Ohio. In early life he learned 
17 



the shoemaker's trade, which he followed 
throughout his entire business career. 
He wedded Miss Martha Oden, a native 
of Virginia and a daughter of Elias 
Oden, and they became the parents of 
four children, three sons and a daughter. 
James W. Cassingham. the third in 
order of birth, left home in 1855 when 
only fifteen years of age and came to 
Illinois with a family of the name of 
Decker, settling upon a farm in McDon- 
ough county. There Mr. Cassingham 
remained until March, 1837, when he left 
the Decker family and came to Hancock 
count)-, where he was employed at farm 
labor by the month until 1861. When 
the tocsin of war sounded and men from 
all departments of life flocked to the 
standard of the country, coming from the 
workshop, the fields, the offices and the 
counting rooms, he too gave evidence of 
his spirit of valor and loyalty and on the 
loth of May, 1861, enlisted in the Six- 
teenth Illinois Infantrv' as a member of 
Company F. He sensed for four years, 
being mustered out at Louisville, Ken- 
tucky, in July 8, 1865. He was once 
wounded, though not seriously, and after 
the close of the war. having for four 
years been a most faithful soldier, he re- 
turned _to Hancock county, settling in La 
Harpe township near the village of La 
Harpe. There he purchased a farm of 
one hundred and sixty acres, which he 
cultivated for almost a quarter of a cen- 
tury, or until 1889, when he took up his 
abode in the town. In that year, in 
connection with C. H. Ingraham and J. 
R. Booth, he established a brick manu- 
facturing plant in La Harpe and was en- 
sraeed in the manufacture of brick for 



264 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJ'IEIV 



about ten years, when he sold his interest 
to Mr. Ingraham and retired from active 
business. On tiie 26th cjf Feljruary, 
1903, he sold his farm of one hundred 
and sixty acres, all of which was under 
cultivation. 

.Mr. Cassingiiam was married Feb- 
ruary 4, 1866, to Miss Elizabeth Bryan. 
who was born ]\Iarch 22. 1839. in I'enn- 
s_\-l\ania. They became the parents of 
si.K children; Arthur, who was born De- 
cember 18, 1866. and resides in Memphis. 
Missouri ; Martha, who was born Novem- 
ber 10. 1868. and is the wife of \\'arren 
Talbott. of Warren countv, Illinois: 
Charlie C. who was burn October 2'^. 
1870, and lives in Spokane, \\'ashino-ton : 
Mar)' D., who was born March 22. 1872. 
and is the wife of John ]\I. Lyon, of La 
Harpe: Rose, who was born August 2, 
1876, and is the wife of Herbert Locke, 
of Blandinsxille, Illinois: and Lora, who 
was born September 16. 1879. and who 
is the wife of Clifford Pratber, of La 
Harpe. On the 21st of October. 1886. 
the family uKiumed the death of the wife 
and mother, who on that day passed away 
at the age of fort}'-seven }'ears. On the 
1st of October, 1887, Mr. Cassingham 
wedded Mary A. Bryan, the widow of 
Cowden AI. Bryan. She was born in La 
Harpe, April 24, 1845. It was soon 
after his second marriage that Mr. Cas- 
singham retired from the farm and re- 
moved tcj La Harpe. where he b^s since 
resided. His political affiliation is given 
to the Republican party and in the Ma- 
sonic fraternity he has taken the degrees 
of the lodge and chapter. .\ residence 
of almost a half century in this county 
makes him widely known an<l numliers 



him with its early settlers, while his ac- 
tivity in agricultural and manufacturing 
lines gained him considerable prominence 
as well as a gratifying measure of success 
in his business dealings, so that he is 
now enabled to live retired in the enjoy- 
ment of a rest which he lias justl}- earned 
and richly deserves. 



SAML'FX C. VINCENT. 

Samuel C. Vincent, deceased, came to 
Hancock county in 1844 and although be 
passed away in 1870 he is \'et remem- 
l)ered by man}- of the older settlers who 
knew him anil respected him as a man 
of genuine personal worth. He was hiirn 
Januar_\' 6, 1822. in West Avon. Li\ing- 
ston county. New York, aiad attended 
school in Erie county, that state, but was 
largely self-educatetl. On the 8th of Oc- 
tober. 1843. he wedded ^Iar\- J. .Vn- 
drews. who was born in Comiecticut in 
1 82 1. In the s]:(ring of 1844 they re- 
mo\-ed to La Harpe. where for about ten 
\-ears Air. A'incent was engaged in teach- 
ing school. Soon after his arrival in 
this count}-, howe\'er. he |)urchased a 
tract of land, to which he added at inter- 
\-als until at his death he owned one hun- 
dred and si,\t}' acres of land in the cor- 
porate limits of La Harpe. He died .\u- 
gust 15. 1870, leaving a wife and six 
children. He was well known among 
th'e earh' settlers of this jiart of the 
count\- and his interests were closel}' 
allied with its progress and develojjment. 



HAXCOCK COUXTY. ILLIXOIS. 



26: 



for he g-a\-e heart}' support to any ino\e- 
metit that tended to promote the material 
or moral welfare of his community. 

The six children of the Vincent family 
are: Alary A., born April 24. 1845, and 
now the wife of J. W". Cassingham ; 
Alaria Rosabel, who was born April 10. 
1847. and is the wife of Farmer R. Nudd ; 
Frances A., who was born February 19, 
1850, and is the wife of Frank James, 
of Galesburg", Illinois ; Byn)n Zelotus. 
who was born Jul\' 4. 1852. and is in 
Shenandoah, Iowa; Judith Keziah. wlm 
was b(jrn Julv 8. 1S55. and after her 
marriage to Charles Sanford died in De- 
cember, 1873: and Elma, who was biirn 
September 19. 1858, and died October 
25, 1903. The mother, Mrs. Alaiw J. 
Vincent, passed away January 28. 1890. 

The eldest daughter, Mary A. Vin- 
cent, was educated in the public .schools 
of La Harpe and at the age of fifteen 
began teaching, which profession she fol- 
lowed for fourteen years. She was then 
married, on the ist of July, 1874, to 
Cowden M. Br}-an, who was born in 
Pennsvhania. June 16. 1830, a son df 
Jacob and Mary ( Bagsley ) Bryan, who 
were likewise natives of the Ke\'Sti.ine 
state. Cowden M. Bryan came tn La 
Harpe township with his ])arents aljuut 
1840 and li\'ed upon a f;irni until 1857. 
when thev removed to the \-illage of La 
Harpe. He was a natural mechanic and 
possessed considerable genius in that di- 
rection. At different times he was C' >n- 
nected with photography, gunsmithing 
and the jewehy business and conducted 
a jewelry store in La Harpe for about 
fifteen years. 

LTnto Mr. and Mrs. Bryan was born 



a daughter, Juie L. Br}-an, whose birth 
occurred March J~. 1875, and who on 
the 2 1 St of August, 1894, became the 
wife of Frank J. Sci>tt, now a resident of 
(ialesburg, Illinois. The death of Mr. 
Bryan occurred December 9. 1884, and 
on the 1st of October, 1888, his widow 
became the wife of James W. Cassing- 
ham, of La Harpe township. 



JAMES J. AIOFFITT. 

Few native sons of Hancock county 
can claim so extended a residence within 
its borders as James J. Moffit, who was 
born on section 7. Sonora township. Feb- 
ruary 15, 1831. This was the winter of 
the g'reat snow in Illinois — memorable in 
the history of the countv — and a vear 
prior to the Black Hawk war. a fact 
which indicates that the Indians were 
still numerous in this part of the Missis- 
sip|)i valle}-. His parents were John and 
Mary CAIoflit) Moffit, natives of count}- 
Sligo, Ireland. The latter was a daugh- 
ter of Thomas Moffit, who on a sailing 
vessel crossed the Atlantic f'om the 
Emerald isle to the new world, and made 
his way to St. Louis by the Ohio river 
route and up the Mississippi. Eventually 
he settled in St. clair count\'. Illinois, liv- 
ing on the river bottom for three years, 
after which he returned to the state of 
Xew York and took u|( Ins abode iii 
Rochester. John Moffitt, father of our 
subject, emigrated from Ireland to Amer- 
ica in t8i8, and settled in the district of 



206 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriEir 



Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, wliere he 
Worked at farm labor for two years. At 
the end of that time he journeyed west- 
ward with George Middleton and his un- 
cle, James Moffitt, going to Galena, Illi- 
nois, where he worked in the lead mines 
111! ihrec years. They then left tliat state 
in canoes, floating down the Mississippi 
river. Becoming hungiw while thus mak- 
ing their way down the stream, they one 
evening saw a lig'ht, toward which the_\^ 
proceeded to make their way. It was 
upon the present site of the city of 
Ouincy, and on landing they found there 
a camp of Indians, so that they hastily 
made their departure. They continued 
on their way to St. Louis, and in a short 
time left that place for Rochester, Xew 
York, making the overland journey with 
ox teams. John Moffitt was married 
there about 1826 to Miss Mary Moffitt. 
and with his brifle returned to St. Louis, 
where he resided until the fall of 1828, 
when he came to Hancock county, set- 
tling near Nauvoo. He entered from the 
government about three hundred and 
twenty acres of land on sections 7 and 
18, Sonora township, most of which was 
at that time covered with timber. In the 
midst of the forest he built a log cabin 
and began clearing away the trees. As 
soon as it was possible to plow he would 
place his land under cultivation and in tlie 
course of time became the owner of a well 
developed property there. The year 1830 
witnessed the advent of the Mormons into 
that locality and he gave them some of 
his land that they might improve it. The 
pictures of pioneer life indicated exactly 
the conditions which existed in Hancock 
county at that period. The streams were 



unbridged, the prairie was covered with 
its native grasses, the timber was uncut, 
and only here and there had a little clear- 
ing been made to show that the work of 
civilization had been begun on the fron- 
tier, while deer was plentiful and there 
were many wild animals roaming over 
the prairies or in the woods. The In- 
dians, too, were numerous and going 
upon the warpath, Mr. Moffitt, during- 
the Black Hawk war, enlisted in the army 
under Captain James White. He partici- 
•pated in the military movements that 
ended in the ejection of the savages and 
received a land warrant for his services. 
He afterward added to his land until he 
had about four hundred acres in Sonora 
township. He figured prominently in 
many events which are now recognized 
as of historic importance and lived in this 
locality throughout the period of the 
Mormon difficulty. He saw them estab- 
lish the city of Nauvoo, and. later saw 
them driven from their homes and the 
Mormon temple destroyed by fire. He 
died March 15, 1853, while his wife long 
survived him, passing away March 17, 
1 88 1. They were the parents of eleven 
children, of whom three sons and three 
daughters reached mature years but the 
daughters are all now deceased. The liv- 
ing sons are: James J.; John, a lawyer 
of Chicago: and Thomas B., who is liv- 
ing on the (lid home place. 

James J. Moffitt lived with his parents 
until 1852, sharing with the family in the 
liardships and privations of pioneer life, 
and aiding in the work of the fields when 
l)lowing, planting and harvesting were 
largeh' done bv hand, for the improved 
farm machinery of the present da)' was 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



267 



then unlciiown. In 1852 lie \vent to Cal- 
ifcmiia, starting across the country with 
ox teams, and after getting near the 
mountains he traded his oxen for pack 
horses. At length the party with which 
he tra\-e!ed reached Eldorado county. 
Colorado, where he remained for a year 
and a half. During that period his fa- 
ther died, and his mother wishing him 
to return home, he made the journey by 
way of the Xicaraugua route and up the 
Mississippi to Xauvoo. He then re- 
mained with his mother and established a 
general mercantile business in connectinn 
with T. J- Newton, his father-in-law. 
Three years later, on account of failing 
health, he retired from the stiire and took 
up his abode on his fami. which ci.mi- 
prised eighty acres of the old homestead. 
He then bought forty acres from his sis- 
ter and subsequently made purchase of 
another tract, so that he owned altogeth.er 
one hundred and seventy acres on sectmn 
7, Sonora township. In 1859 he erected 
a good frame residence thereon and h.as 
since made some additions to this house. 
As a companion and helpmate for life's 
journey Mr. Moffitt chose Miss Saman- 
tha A. Newton, to whom he w^as married 
on the 13th of February, 1855. She was 
bom in Erie, Pennsylvania, December 3. 
1837, a daughter of Timothy J. and Fi- 
delia (Webster) Moffitt, the fomier a na- 
tive of Erie and the latter of Fredonia, 
New York. She is also a granddaughter 
of Thomas and Mary (Hillsgrove) New- 
ton, natives of England, and Ebenezer 
and Roxie (Benjamin) ^^'ebster. nati\-es 
of New England. Mrs. Mofifitt was the 
eldest of seven children and accompanied 
her parents on their remo\-al frrmi the 



Keystone state to Canfield. Trumbull 
county, Ohio. A year later they became 
residents of Rochester, Iowa, where her 
father engaged in merchandising, and in 
JNIay, 18-17, they took up their abode in 
Nauvoo, where the following" spring Mr. 
Newton established a general mercantile 
store, which he conducted successfully 
until his death on the 4th of February, 
i860. His wife long sui'vived him and 
died March 24, 1891. Unto Mr. and 
Mrs. Moffitt were born se^-en children : 
Ida E., now of Billings. Montana: Fran- 
cis E., who died at the age of one and a 
half years; Louis J., who is engagefl in 
mining at Wallace, Idaho; Mary F., the 
wife of J. Henry Dover, a cattle dealer 
and horseman of Billings. Montana: 
James A., who die'd at the age of two 
years: Julia, the wife of J. F. Ochsner, of 
Nauvoo: and Edward P., who is cashier 
in a bank at Anaconda, Montana. 

Mr. iNIoffitt is a democrat anrl has held 
the offices of assessor, collector and nther 
local positions. His religious faith is 
that of the Catholic church. The name 
of Moffitt has been interwoven with the 
history of the county since its earliest 
pioneer development, and he of whom we 
write has taken an active and helpful 
part in the progress and improvement 
from a ver\- early period. His mind 
bears the impress of many of the early 
historic annals of the countv and he can 
relate many interesting incidents of this 
locality, when it w^as a frontier section 
far removed from the older settled dis- 
tricts of the east because of the lack of 
all rapid transportation facilities cw rapid 
means of communication. It was then 
the "far west," in which there were manv 



268 



BIOGRAPHICAL RE\ lEW 



difficullies of pioneer lite to be borne, 
while dangers were not lacking owing to 
the proximity of the red men and their 
(opposition to the encroachments of the 
white race upon their hunting grounds. 
Air. Moifitt has li\etl to see remarkable 
changes here and as a worthy pioneer set- 
tler deserves prominent mention in this 
volume. 



WILLIAAI K. SMITH. M. D. 

Dr. William K. Smith, successfully en- 
gaged in the practice of medicine and sur- 
gery in La Harpe, was born in Philadel- 
phia, Pennsylvania, on the 25th of De- 
cember, 1844, of Scotch parentage. 

Dr. Smith completed his more specitic- 
ally literary education in a high school 
of Iowa and ha\'ing determined upon the 
practice of medicine and surgery as a life 
work he prepared for his chosen calling 
in the College of Physicians and Sur- 
geons at Keokuk, Iowa, from which he 
was graduated in 1S73. He had, how- 
ever, been a student in the Chicago Med- 
ical College in the winter of 1867-8 but 
completed his medical training in Keo- 
kuk. He entered upon the active prac- 
tice of medicine in Mercer county. Illi- 
nois, and was a practitioner of Hender- 
son county, Illinois, fmm 1869 to 18S:;, 
when he came to La Harpe, where he has 
since built up a good business, having to- 
dav an extensive patronage which is in- 
dicative of the confidence reposed in his 
skill by the general public. 

In earlv manhood Dr. Smith enlisted 



for ser\-ice as a soldier of the Cixil war 
in 1861, becoming a member of the \inth 
^ilissouri Infantry, with whicli he ssrx'ed 
until the spring of 1862, when that regi- 
ment Ijccame the Fifty-ninth Illinois In- 
fantr\-. He continued at the front for 
three years and was honorably discharged 
in 1864 but was afterward attached to 
the c;ualr)' bureau and did duty in the 
southwest and on the frontier until 1866. 
The same spirit of loyalty that he dis- 
])layed during the dark da}'S of the Civil 
war has ahvavs been manifest in his citi- 
zenship. 

In January, 1873, Dr. Smith was unit- 
ed in marriage to Miss Alice M. Hub- 
bard, who was born in Hatfield. Hamp- 
shire county, Massachusetts, a daughter 
of the Hon. Elisha and Cordelia ( Ran- 
dall) Hulibard, who were natives of 
Alassachusetts. Dr. and Mrs. .Smith 
have now resided in La Harpe for twenty- 
three years and have a wide acquaintance 
here, the hospitality of the best homes 
being cordially extended them. Alore- 
over Dr. Smith has the respect of hi-^ pro- 
fessional brethren, for he always closely 
adheres to a high standard of professional 
ethics and has that laudable ambition 
which prompts thorough and discrimi- 
nating study whereby his skill and effi- 
cienc\' are being continually increased. 



WILLIAM L. WOODSIDE. 

William L. Woodside. who for many 
i-ears was connected with agricultural in- 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



269 



terests in ^IcDonough county, Illinois, 
but is now living retired in La Harpe. 
was born in Washington county, Vir- 
ginia, February 2, 1833, a son of John (i. 
and Jane \\'o(Hlside, natives of Virginia 
and Xorth Carolina respectively. His 
paternal grandparents were James and 
Mary (Goliher) Woodside. also natives 
of Virginia. The father was a faruier 
bv occupation and at a \-ery early peri(-)d 
in the development of Illinois made his 
way across the country to this state from 
Virginia, being six weeks on the road. 
He arrived in Blandinsville townshi]>. 
McDonough C(.)unty. November 16, 1833. 
and took up his abode in a little log 
cabin on section 9, securing the title to 
one hundred and sixty acres of land. Not 
a furrow had been turned or an improve- 
ment made upon the farm and with char- 
acteristic energy he began its develop- 
ment, clearing- away the timljer and 
breaking the prairie land and in course 
of time the farm was developetl into a 
good property, the fields yielding rich re- 
turns in bounteous harvests. There the 
father resided until his life's laljors were 
ended in death on die 18th of [March. 
1833, and his wife survived until Se])- 
tember it,. 1871, when she. too. was 
called to her final rest. 

\^'illiam L. Woodside was the young- 
est of a family of three sons and three 
daughters and is now the onl_\" one sur- 
viving. He was educated in the comuKin 
.schools of IMcDonough county an<l after 
his father's death he purchased the inter- 
est of the other heirs in the old home- 
stead property, which was then partialh' 
improved. In 'iSjz he built a large frame 
house. He also has a large hay and horse 



l)arn on the place and grain and imple- 
ment sheds. He bought at different 
times one hundred and fifteen acres which 
is situated on the northwest corner of the 
old home place. The land has never been 
out of possession of the family and 
through the efforts of ^Nlr. Woodside and 
his father has been converted into a very 
valuable and productive farm. In all of 
his business undertakings he has been 
practical and progressive antl his labors 
have brought him very desirable success. 
He continued to engage in general farm- 
ing and stock raising until October 2. 
1899, when he was injured by a tree fall- 
ing uiHiu him. breaking his left leg and 
hurting him internally. He was con- 
fined to his bed all winter and on the jth 
of March, 1900, the famil)- removed to 
La tlarpe, where he has since resided. 
He remained upon the old homestead 
place from November i(>. 1833. until 
March, 1900, covering a period of more 
than two thirds of a century. He still 
owns the farm, which he now rents 1or 
six dollars per acre and this brings liim 
a verv gratifying income. On the ist of 
[March. 1901, he purchased his present 
residence on Ea.st Main street and is now 
comfortably situated in a pleasant home 
in La Harpe. 

On the loth of April. 1859, Mr. W.n.d- 
side was married to Miss Maiy Isabell 
Frits, who was l)orn in Monroe county, 
Indiana, August 24, 1839. a daughter of 
Captain James Frits, who commanded 
Companv F of the Sixteenth Illinois In- 
fantrv in the Civil war and was a brave 
and loval soldier. Her mother bore the 
maiden name of Julia Ann Kern and was 
born in Indiana, while [Mr. Frits was a 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEIV 



native of Virginia. Mrs. Frits' parents 
were Conrad and Mary A. (Berry) 
Kern. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Woodside 
have been born six children : Thomas 
Frankhn, who was born April i, i860, 
and is living in Keokuk, Iowa ; Emma 
Jane, born January i, 1862, and now the 
wife of Nathan Ferris, of Blandinsville, 
Illinois: .Sarah. Louisa, bom July 23, 
1864, and now the wife of Joel Smith, of 
Walnut, Kansas; Maiy Ella, born Janu- 
ary II, 1868: Jennie May, who was born 
May 14, 1870, and is the wife of J. E. 
Quayle, of Orion, Illinois; Mina Alice, 
who was bom October 18, 1874, and is 
the wife of Dr. C. H. Stockon, of Love- 
land, Colorado. The wife and mother 
passed away October 18, 1903, and was 
laid to rest in La Harpe cemeter>-. She 
was a most estimable lady and they had 
traveled life's journey together for fiirty- 
four years. Mr. Woodside is a member 
of the Christian church, in the work of 
whicli he has taken an active and helpful 
interest. He served as deacon of the 
church fnr many years and was clerk and 
treasurer for ten years. His political al- 
legiance has been given to the Republican 
party since age conferred upon him the 
right of franchise and he is a member nf 
the Blue lodge of Masons and of the .\n- 
cient Order of Ignited Workmen. His 
entire life has been passed in this section 
of Illinois and he has a wide acquaint- 
ance, having long been known as an en- 
terprising farmer and one thoroughly re- 
liable in all business transactions. His 
success is attributable in verv large meas- 
ure to his own efforts and his persever- 
ance and energy have enaliled him to 
work' his \va\' steadilv u|)\\;ir(l until he is 



now numbered among the men of afflu- 
ence living in La Harpe. 



JOHN FAULKNER. 

John Faulkner, a horticulturist and 
agriculturist living in Sonora township, 
is one of the worthy citizens that Penn- 
svlvania has furnished to Hancock 
county. His birth occurred in Chester 
countv of the Keystone state, ou the 6th 
of June, 1839, and he comes of Irish and 
Geriuan lineage. The paternal grandfa- 
ther, a native of the Emerald isle, took up 
his abode in New Jersey in the latter part 
of the eighteenth century and died soon 
afterward. His son, James Faulkner, 
was born in Ireland and came to the 
L'^nited States when only eighteen months 
old. When about fifteen years old he 
went to sea and for five years was upon 
the water. He was afterward married in 
Philadelphia. Pennsylvania, to Miss 
Catherine Kimes, who was born in Penn- 
sylvania and was a daughter of Jacob 
Kimes. a native of Germany. The young 
couple began their domestic life in the 
Kevstone state and James Faulkner 
worked at the shoemaker's trade, whicli 
he had learned after leaving the sea. In 
the spring of 1844, however, he made his 
way westward to Nauvoo but on reach- 
ing his destination he found things very 
different than had been reported and in 
consequence thereof he removed to .-\n- 
gusta, where he lived until 1848. when 
he returned to Nauvoo. Not long after- 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



271 



ward he purchased sixty acres of land 011 
section 6, Sonora township, and ninety 
acres in Appanoose township, where he 
carried on general farming and also 
raised stock. Thus his Hie was one of 
activity and his industry was to liim a 
source of gratifying income. He died 
December 28, 1870, and was laid to rest 
in the Catholic cemeteiy, at Nauvoo, on 
the first day of the year, 1871. His wife 
survived him for exactly fifteen years, 
passing away on the 28th of December, 
1885. In their family were the follow- 
ing named: Ellen, who died the wife of 
IMartin Roser. :\Irs. Sarah Ritter, of 
Fort Madison. Iowa : John, of this re- 
view : j\Irs. Catherine Fulton, of So- 
nora township : and ]\Irs. Mary Webber, 
of Las Vegas, New Mexico. 

John Faulkner was only alx)ut six 
years of age when his parents removed 
from Pennsylvania to Hancock county, 
so that his education was acquired in the 
common schools of tliis part of the state. 
He always remained at home with his 
parents and following their death he pur- 
chased the interest of the other heirs in 
the old home property, since which time 
he has resided upon and conducted the 
farm. He raises peaches and grapes, 
having six acres planted to both fruits. 
He has followed farming with the. best 
methods of carrjdng on agricultural pur- 
suits and has made a close stud}- of the 
work of cultivating fruit trees, so as to 
produce the best results. He and his fa- 
ther built a house of stone taken from 
their place, and he also has a large barn 
thirtv-two bv thirty-six feet witli stone 
basement. 

On the 7th of October, 1871, Mr. 



Faulkner was married to ^liss Lillian 
W^ard, who was born in Middletown, 
Ohi(j, August 3, 1850, a daughter of 
James and IMargaret C. (Striker) Ward, 
natives of Ireland and New Jersey re- 
spectively, the latter a daughter of Ste- 
phen -A. Striker. Mr. and Mrs. Ward 
were married in Ohir> in 1841, and for 
some years he engaged in merchandising 
in Middletown. In 1852, however, he 
closed out his business interests in the 
Buckeye state and came to Nauvoo, after 
living for one year at Montrose, wdiere 
he conducted a tavern. Subsequent to 
his al5ode in Nauvoo, he lived retired. 
His wife died May 12, 1852, while he 
sundved until Februar)- 4, 1874. Each 
had been previously married, this being 
their second union. Mr. \\'ard had three 
children by his first wife, and slie had two 
children by her first husband. There 
were four children by the second union : 
Ella, the wife of Fred Hellerrich, of Louis- 
ville, Kentucky: Laura S., the wife of 
Frank Brown, of Marion county, Mis- 
souri : and Charles and Lillian, twins, but 
the former died in infancy. 

The home of ^Mr. and Airs. Faulkner 
was blessed with nine children : Mary, 
who was bom August 26, 1872, and is 
the wife of Thomas G. Kelly, of Rock 
Creek township : James, who was born 
February 16, 1874, and is now living in 
Carthage: John, who was bom April g, 
1876, and resides in Sonora township: 
Helen, born July 19, 1878; William, who 
was born November 5, 1880. and is lo- 
cated in Nauvoo : Aloysius, wdio was born 
December 19, 1882, and is at home: 
Thomas, wdio was born .April i. 1885. 
and died in December. i886- Lorena. 



BliJGRAPlilCAL REI lEW 



l)oni July 1, 1XS9: and Henry. August 8, 
1891. The tamil)- are ctjmmunicants of 
the Catholic church at \auvoo, and Mr. 
Faulkner's political support is given to 
the Democratic party. More than six 
decades have passed since he came to this 
county and he has therefore witnessed 
the greater part of its growtli and de- 
velopment, for the wrirk of progress had 
heen scarce!}- hegun when he tiiok up his 
abode within its borders. He has vivid 
recollections of the typical pioneer con- 
ditinns. for in his yi mth much land was 
still uncultivated, while the log cabin 
was no unusual feature in the landscape. 
Now these primiti^•e homes have been re- 
placed by substantial farm residences and 
there is even' evidence of advancement 
along agricultural and iKirticultural lines 
as well as industrial and commercial 
pursuits. 



HUGH JACK.SOX. 

Hugh Jackson, a prominent and jim- 
grcssive fanner, owning one hundred and 
forty acres of valuable land situated on 
section 23. Appanoose township, is a na- 
tive of Fulton county. New York, his na- 
tal day being September 23. 1837. His 
parents, James and Mary (Ferguson) 
Jackson, were natives of Scotland, the 
father bom near Glasgow, while the 
mother's birth occurred on the island of 
Bute. The paternal grandparents were 
James and Bell (Thompson) Jackson, 
and the maternal grandparents were 
Hugh and Catherine ( McFarlane ) Fer- 



guson, who located in Fulton county, 
New \'ork. about 1830. where he en- 
gaged in general agricultural pursuits. 
The father of our subject emigrated from 
Scotland to America in 1832, his destina- 
tion being Fulton county, in the Empire 
state, where he was united in marriage to 
Aliss Mary Ferguson. Here he engaged 
in farming until 1840. when he removed 
to Albany county, where his death oc- 
curred in November, 1861. His widow 
then caiue to Hancock county in 1862. 
where she passed away in July. 1885. In 
their family were nine children: James, 
who died at the age of twenty-two years; 
Hugh, of this review; Peter, of Carthage 
township. Hancock county ; John and 
Ro])ert. both residents of .\ppanoose 
townshi]): William, of Orang'e countv. 
California : Miller, who was drowned in 
the Mississippi river in 1867: Lansing, 
living near Durango. New ^Mexico ; and 
Catherine, who makes her home with her 
brothers. J( ihn and R( ibert. in Appanoose 
township. 

Hug'h Jackson, whose name intro- 
duces this record, acquired his education 
in the district schools of New \'ork, and 
was there reared to farm life, assisting- 
his father in the operation of the honie 
farm until nineteen years of age, when 
he can-ie to Plancock county, where he 
worked at fann lalior, being in the eni- 
ploy of others until i8()2. .Saving his 
earnings, he was at that time al:)le to 
niake purchase of land and engage in 
farming on his own account. He first 
bought eighty acres situated on section 
23, Appanoose township, which at that 
time was wild prairie. He impro\-ed 
his land, and placed the fields under cul- 



//.-/.VCOr/v' COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



273 



ti\-ation. He built a small house con- 
taining three rooms, and he also erected 
board stables and other outbuildings for 
the shelter of grain and stock. Here he 
carried on agricultural pursuits and as 
the years passed b}- he prospered in his 
undertakings, so that he was later en- 
abled to make further ])urchase of land, 
adding' sixty acres which adjoined his 
original purchase, so that he now has one 
hundred and forty acres in all. In 1870. 
he built a kitchen to his house, and in 
1886 remodeled and added to his dwell- 
ing, so that it now contains eight rooms. 
In 1872 he built a horse and ha}' barn, 
and he also has aiiiplc cattle sheds, corn 
cribs and other outbuildings found upon 
a model fann of the present age. In ad- 
dition to his farming- interests he former- 
ly engaged extensively in the raising of 
horses, cattle and hogs, shipping about 
two carloads of cattle annually. He, 
however, abandonetl this branch of his 
business in 1895, '^■""^l since that time ]-.as 
left the more arduous tasks to others and 
at the present time merely gives supervi- 
sion tc> his Ijusiness interests. In the 
winter of 1859-60, in companv with two 
comrades, he started with ox teams for 
Pike's Peak, where he prospected for two 
months and took up a mining claim, 
which he later traded for a cow. He then ' 
journeyed on to New Mexico, where he 
disposed of the cow for thirty-five dol- 
lars, which was considered a good price. 
He then sold his oxen and bought ponies 
and started toward home, stopping in 
Kansas City, where he disposed of his 
ponies and took passage on a steamer 
for Xew Orleans. He then spent two 
winters on a steamboat. In the sunimer 



of i860 he traveled through eastern Kan- 
sas and southern Illinois and then re- 
turned to Xew Orleans, where he spent 
some time, subsequent to which time he 
went to St. Louis, being in that city at 
the time of the inauguration of President 
Lincoln. 

On the 30th of March, 1865, Mr. 
Iacks(jn was united in marriage to Miss 
'Shivx A. Han-unond. who was born in 
Staft'ordshire, England, in 1840. and 
when two years of age was brought by 
her parents to Hancock county, where 
the father bought three hundred acres 
of land, situated in Pontoosuc township, 
where they both passed away, the former 
on the 26th of December, 1885, while 
his wife survived for only four days. 
])assing away on the 30th of the same 
month, and they were buried in the same 
grave. In their family were ten chil- 
dren: William, who was killed by light- 
ning; Thomas, who was drowned in the 
}vlississippi river: John, a resident of 
Monterev county, California ; Isaac, of 
Butler county, Kansas: Mary A., now 
Mrs. Jackson: James, of Lancaster 
countv, Nebraska: Hannah, the wife of 
John Cosgrove. of Appanoose ti-)wnship; 
Fannie, \\'ho died in infancy; Sarah, the 
wife of J. J. W'orley. of Valisca, Iowa; 
and Martha, the widow of Thomas 
Stretch, of Appanoose township. 

L'nto Air. and Mrs. Jackson have been 
born the following named : Man' Ellen, 
born August 29, 1866, married Charles 
A. Thompson, of Butler county. Kansas. 
Arthur AI., bom Januan' 22, 1868, died 
in Appanoose township June 6, 1905, 
leaving a widow, who in her niaidenhood 
was Miss Annie Bradv. and who now 



274 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFJIEIV 



makes her home in Nauvoo. James T., 
born November 2, 1871, is employed in a 
lumber office in Kansas City, Missouri. 
Ada, born August 18, 1873, is the wife 
of L. R. Traverse, and makes her home 
in Oquawka, Illinois. Laura, born June 
5. 1875, is at home. 

Mr. Jackson gives his political support 
to the Democratic party, and has taken a 
very active and helpful interest in the 
local ranks of his party, being called to 
fill a number of offices of public trust. 
He was town clerk for several years, 
served as supervisor for one year, as col- 
lector three years and as township treas- 
urer for twenty years, and in all of these 
offices he discharged his duties with sat- 
isfaction to the public anil with credit to 
himself. In his religious faith he is a 
Presbyterian, and since 1875 has served 
as elder of the church. 

He is a public-spirited man who gives 
his aid and co-operation to every move- 
ment which tends for the advancement 
of his commum'ty. He has led a very 
busy life, and, having come to Hancock 
countv when much of the land was still 
unimproved and uncultivated, he made 
purchase of a tract which he improved 
until it is today one nf the fine farming 
properties of Appanoose township. 



GEORGE FRAZER. 

George Frazer, filling the office of su- 
pervisor in A\'alker township, where he 
carries on general agricultnra' pursuits. 



is a son of Lafayette and Caroline Frazer, 
who are mentioned elsewhere in this vol- 
ume, in connection with the sketch of J. 
I. Frazer. He whose name introduces 
this record was bom in Adams county, 
Illinois, in 1850, and following the re- 
moval of the family to Hancock county 
he pursued his education in the district 
schools of Walker township. He re- 
mained under the parental roof until the 
time of his marriage, wdiich was cele- 
brated Februaiy 26, 1873, when he was 
twenty-two yeai's of age, the lady of his 
choice being Miss Rebecca Shipe, wlm 
was born in Rocky Run township in 
1854, a daughter of A\'illiam and Mary 
(".Shipe) Shipe, wjio were farming people 
and came to Hancock county in the early 
'50s, their home being in Rocky Run 
township. In the Shipe family are fnur 
daug'hters: Rebecca, now Mrs. Frazer: 
Emma, the wife of William Sauble. of 
Adams county : Gertrude,' at home : and 
Catherine E., the wife of Harry Frazer, 
of Ouincy, Illinois. 

At the time of his marriage ^Ir. Fra- 
zer's father gave him two hundred and 
twentv acres of good land, situated on 
section 19, Walker township, and he has 
made splendid improvements upon the 
place, erecting an elegant residence in 
1876 and building a commodious and 
substantial bam in 1880. This structure 
is forty by si-xt}' feet and other buildings 
are in keeping with it, ample shelter being 
thus afforded to grain and stock. Mr. 
Frazer has engaged in the raising' of stock 
quite extensively and at tlie same time has 
tilled his fields so that they have brought 
forth rich haiwests. He has also added 
to his landed possessions as the years 




ilouLicAf^. 



HAXCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



have passed b}' and his labors have in- 
creased liis financial resources. He now 
has two hundred and sixty acres in the 
home place, one hundred and twelve acres 
elsewhere in Walker township, a tract of 
one hundred and twenty acres in the same 
township where his daughter resides, one 
hundred acres in Rocky Run township 
and ninety acres in Adams county, Illi- 
nois. His holdings are therefore exten- 
sive and indicate a life of thrift and en- 
terprise, of good business ability and 
keen foresight. 

The home of Mr. and Airs. Fraxer 
has been blessed with six children, all 
bom in Walker township: Mar\- C, who 
died at the age of sixteen months ; James 
L., who is a graduate of the Gem City 
Business College at Quincy and assists in 
the operation of the home farm; Edith, 
the wife of William Schildman. who re- 
sides upon her father's farm in Walker 
township, and by whom she has had one 
daughter; Elberta May; Lafayette, who 
is living on one of his father's farms in 
\\'alker township, and who married Ina 
Tripp, by whom he has two children ; 
Marvin, who at the age of twenty-two 
years is at home; Elberta G.. also at 
home. Marvin and Elberta are attending 
the Gem City Business College at Quincy. 

Mr. Frazer is a stalwart democrat in 
his political views and is now serving as 
supervisor of this township for the fourth 
or fifth term — a fact which is indicatix'e 
of the confidence reposed in him by his 
fellow townsmen and his promptness and 
fidelity in the discharge of his duties. He 
has also seiwed as school director and as 
treasurer of the school board. Frater- 
nallv he is connected with the Odd I'el- 



lows and has been treasurer of his local 
lodge. Both he and his wife are members 
of the Methodist church, contributing 
generously td its support and are actively 
interested in its work. Wherever known 
they are held in high esteem and are rec- 
ognized as leading people of the commu- 
nity. Both are representatives of well 
known and honored families of the 
county and they have reared a family of 
whom they have every reason to be proud. 
They are now comfortably situated in 
life, and with the exception of the farm 
received from his father Mr. Frazer has 
acquired all that he possesses. He now 
has a most attractive home, supplied with 
all the comforts which go to make life 
worth living and both he and his wife 
gladly extend the hospitality of their 
home to their many friends. In disposi- 
tion he is kindly and charitable and in all 
life's relations he has been straightfor- 
ward and honorable. He has ever been 
a great reader and deep thinker and is 
recognized as a man of sound judgment 
whose opinion is often sought by friends 
and neighbors in matters of individual or 
ptiblic interest. 



JUDGE CHARLES J. SCOFIELD. 

Judge Charles J. Scofield. of Carthage, 
whose ability as lawyer, jurist, orator and 
author has made him widely known be- 
yond the borders of his native county and 
state and whose life has been one of sig- 
nal ttsefulness and activitv not onlv for 



276 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI lllW 



the benefit of liis iiidixiilual interests but 
for the benefit of his fellowmen as well, 
was born in the city which is yet his 
home, on Christmas day of 1853. his par- 
ents lieing Charles R. and Elizabeth 
(Crawford) Scotield. The family is of 
English lineage and was established in 
Stamford, Connecticut, between the years 
of 1635 and 1640. His father was born 
at Dewittville, Chautauqua c<:iunty, Xew 
York, in 1 8_' 1 . and spent the days of his 
boyhood and youth in the place id' his na- 
tivity, corning when a young man to Han- 
cock county, Illinois, where, in 1851, he 
joined his brother, Bryant T. Scotield, 
who was one of the prominent earl_\- at- 
torne\'s of Cartilage. He read law with 
his brother and afterward entered into 
partnershi]) with him. On the dissolution 
of this business connection Charles R. 
Scofield formed a partnership with David 
Mack under the style of Mack & Scofield 
and this liecame one of the strongest and 
most prominent law firms in the county, 
the connection being maintained imtil the 
death of Mr. Scofield in January. 1857. 
In February. 1853. he was married to 
^liss Elizabeth Crawford, a native of 
Crab Orchard, Kentucky, and a daughter 
of Harrison Crawford, who was one of 
the early residents nf the county and wlm 
at the time of Mr. Scofield's death was 
engaged in agricultural pursuits near 
Carthage. Mrs. Scofield had two sons. 
Charles J. and "I'imothy J., and with them 
she returned tn her father's home aliout a 
mile from the cit\'. Subse(|uentl} they 
again tonk u]) their abude in Carthage, 
where her death nccurred on the Jjth df 
]\Ia\-. 1877. She was a member of the 
Christian church and she devoted her life 



untiringly to the welfare of her sons, the 
\ounger nf whom, Timothy J. Scofield, 
is now at the head of the trial department 
of the Union Traction Company, of Chi- 
cago, and was formerly assistant att(jrney 
general under (reneral Moloney. 

The elder son, Charles J. Scofiekl, was 
a student in the public schools of Car- 
thage until 1868, when he matriculated in 
the Christian University at Canton, Mis- 
souri, from which institution, he was 
graduated in the class of 1871 with the 
degree of Bachelor of Arts. For three 
\-ears thereafter he was a teacher in the 
high school of his native city and during 
that period devoted his leisure hours out- 
side of the schoolroom to the study of law 
under the direction of his uncle, Bryant 
T. Scofield, and William C. Hooker and 
George Edmunds, who occupied the same 
offices. On examination he was admitted 
to the bar in June, 1875, and in the fol- 
lowing October was appointed master in 
chancery of the circuit court of Hancock 
count\', which position he filled continu- 
iiusly until going upon the Ijench. In the 
meantime he also entered upon the active 
practice of law, which he continued alone 
for four years, (Kcupying offices, however, 
with \\'illiam E. Mason, a prominent at- 
torne\'. His success came soon because 
his ei|uipment was unusualh- good. His 
iiati\e and ac(|uired al)ilities were soon 
ni;inifcst in the able manner in which he 
liandleil inii>iirtant litigation. His mind 
is ;nial\tical, logical and deducti\e and 
nioreoxer he is a worker, recognizing that 
close application and unfaltering indus- 
try are concomitants for success at the bar 
as truly as in the fields of manual labor. 
In February, 1879, he formed a partner- 



HJXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



ship with Henry \\'. Draper, one of the 
most prominent la\v}ers of Carthage and 
an able poHtician. Under tlie firm style 
of Draper & Scofield they practiced until 
the death of the senior member, Jul}- 8, 
1 88 1, when his brother, Timothy J., hav- 
ing been admitted to the bar. Judge Sco- 
field formed a partnership with him un- 
der the firm of Scofield & Scofield. In 
the fall of 1884 A. W. O'Hara was ad- 
mitted to the firm as Scofield. O'Hara & 
Scofield, which relation was continued 
until June. 1885, when Charles J. Sco- 
field was elected one of the three judges 
of what was then the sixth judicial circuit 
of Illinois, comprising the seven coun- 
ties of Hancock. Adams, Pike, McDon- 
ough, Fulton, Schuyler and Brown. On 
the expiration of his six years term he 
was re-elected and sat upon the bench for 
twelve consecutive years. He was nomi- 
nated for a third term in 1897 but in the 
meantime the legislature had changed the 
boundaries of the district whereby Han- 
cock was assigned to a district so stronglv 
republican that there was no h(jpe of 
election for a supporter of democracy and 
Jtidge Scofield, who lias ahva\s been a 
stanch democrat, therefore declined to be- 
come a candidate. In 1893 he was ap- 
])(iinted by the supreme court of the state 
one of the judges of the appellate court 
for the fourth district and sat upon that 
bench for four years, rir until tlie expira- 
tion of his second term as circuit judge. 
His legal learning, his analytical mind. 
the readiness with which he grasps the 
points in an argument, all comljine t<> 
make him one i>f the capable jurists of the 
state and the jmlilic and the profession 
acknowledge liim the peer iif any member 



of the appellate court. Since retiring 
from the bench Judge Scofield has en- 
gaged in practice in Carthage, at various 
p(Mnts in the state and in other states as 
well. His practice has been of a most 
important character, calling him into In- 
diana, Iowa, Mis.sijuri, to Chicago and 
other cities. Various offers have been 
made to him in the line of his profession 
in Chicago, but he has preferred to main- 
tain his residence at his old home in Car- 
thage and from this point goes forth to 
perform his professional seiwice. being 
recognized as one of the strong and able 
members of the Illinois bar. 

Judge Scofield was married Septem- 
ber 12. 1876. to Miss Rose Spitler, the 
adopted daughter of Dr. .Vdam Spitler. 
of this city, and a graduate of Carthage 
College. Their home is situated on the 
same lots where his parents began their 
domestic life and its hospitality is well 
known to the citizens of Carthage. They 
are members of the Christian church, in 
the work of which they have taken a most 
active and helpful part. In addition to 
his law practice Judge Scofield has acted 
as a minister of the Christian church for 
many years, and although accepting no 
regular pastorate has filled many pulpits 
and -is regarded as one of the strong rep- 
resentatives of the Christian ministrv. 
He liolds the degree of LL. D from Eu- 
reka College, one of the schools conduct- 
ed under the auspices of liis denomina- 
tion. He belongs to the Knights of 
Pythias, to the Independent Order of Odd 
Fellows and other fraternal organizations 
and gives unfaltering allegiance to the 
democracy with firm faith in the partv 
principles. He has won much more than 



278 



BlOGRAl'HICAL REl'IE]]- 



local fame as a writer and has published 
two volumes, "A Subtle Adversary," a 
leading temperance work, and "Altar 
Stairs," a work bearing on the questions 
of Christian faith, both of which have 
had good sales. His ability as an orator 
has caused his services to be much in de- 
maud for public addresses and for the de- 
li verv of addresses before various con- 
ventions in Boston, Chicago, Denver rmd 
elsewhere. He is a fluent, earnest and 
forcible speaker, and while he employs 
the adornment of rhet<iric with g(j()d ef- 
fect, they are but the avenue of expression 
for facts which he deems of vital interest 
to the race at large or to the body which 
he is addressing. He has frequently 
been chosen as a delegate to the church 
federations. In an analyzation of his 
character it will be seen that he has 
brought all of his native talent, acquired 
ability and energies to bear upon the one 
purpose of the fulfrlling of his duty to 
his fellowmen and to his country. With 
a keen sense of individual responsibility, 
believing that man is his brother's keeper, 
he has labored to uphold the political and 
legal status and to promote intellectual 
and moral advancement, his work being 
directed not only by a sense of duty but 
the higher motive of principle. 



JAMES L. BRADFIELD. 

James L. Bradfield, a retired farmer 
and large landowner, making his home 
in La Harpe, was bom in Coshocton 



county, Ohio, June 2y, 1854. His pater- 
nal grandfather, James Bradfield, was a 
resident of Virginia and married a Miss 
Nichols. Their son, James N. Bradfield, 
was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, 
and having" arrived at years of matm'ity 
was married in Ohio, April 12, 1853, to 
Miss Ada Wolfe, who was born in Co- 
shocton county, Ohio, and was a datigh- 
ter of James and Sarah ( Meredith j 
Wolfe, natives of the Buckeye state. 
After their marriage James N. Bradfield 
followed farming in Ohio for a year and 
in the fall of 1854 removed to Muscatine, 
Iowa. In Hardin county, that state, he 
purchased a farm whereon he resided un- 
til the fall of 1870, when he sold that 
property and came to Hancock county, 
Illinois. Here he invested in a tract of 
land in Durham township, whereon he 
resided for about twenty-one years, when 
in 1 89 1 he sold out and went to Ne- 
braska, making his home in . the latter 
state until 1899. In that year he made 
a visit to the old home place in Durham 
township and died there on the 4th of De- 
cemlier of that year. He had for a num- 
ber of years survived his wife, who 
passed away June 25, 1886. In their 
family were four -children: James L., 
of this review; William F., of La Harpe; 
Henry S., of this county: and Laura M.. 
the wife of Clark H. Rice, of Hancock 
county. 

James L. Bradfield spent his boyhood 
days on the home farm under the parental 
roof and at the age of seventeen years be- 
gan farming on his own account upon 
rented land, which he operated for four 
years. On the expiration of that period 
he established a general store at Disco. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



-'79 



where he also engaged in the grain and 
stuci< business in partnership with his fa- 
ther. After a year he sold out and 
through the succeeding three years op- 
erated rented farms. He next bought 
eight}- acres of improved land in Durham 
township, whereon he resided for si-x 
years and at the end of that period in- 
vested in one hundred and fifty-six acres 
in La Harpe township. Taking up his 
abode thereon he made the ].)lace his home 
until March, 1905, when he removed ti.i 
'La Harpe, building a fine residence, con- 
taining ten rooms, besides Iialls and clos- 
ets. It is heated with furnace, supplied 
with bath and all modern improvements 
and is one of the fine modem residences 
in the city. Li addition tu this property 
]\Ir. Bradfield has extensive landed in- 
terests and is now the owner of four hun- 
dred acres of valuable land in Durham 
and La Harpe townships. He also owns 
an interest with others in a half section of 
coal land in Colorado and has seven hun- 
dred acres of unimproved land in north- 
western Nebraska. He likewise owns- 
stock in the Waldorf Metal Mining Com- 
pany, of Colorado, is a director in the La 
Harpe State Bank, of which he was one 
of the organizers, and is a stockholder of 
the Coulson, Brundage Hardware Com- 
pany, of which he is vice president and a 
director. His business investments are 
now extensive and return to him a splen- 
did income, so that he can well enjov a 
retired life, his property returning him 
sufficient capital to bring him all of the 
comforts and many of the luxuries of 
life. 

On the 15th of February, 1872, Mr. 
Bradfield was married to Ellen Retzer, 
18 



who was hum in Durham township and 
was educated in the district schools, a 
daughter of Daniel and Hannah (]\Ior- 
ris) Retzer, natives of Lancaster and 
Green counties, I'ennsylvania, respective- 
1}'. 'Idle mother came with her parents 
to this Count}' in 1843, while the fatlicr 
arri\-ed in 185 1, so that they were closely 
connected with the county from pioneer 
times. Unto Mr. and Airs. Bradfield 
were born foiu" children: Estella R., 
Ijorn December 31, 1872. is the wife of 
\\'esley Davis, who resides upon the first 
farm which Mr. Bradfield purchased in 
the countr}'. James Harvey, born De- 
cemlier 17. 1875, i^ "^ practicing plnsi- 
cian of Sheridan. Wyoming; Leslie S.. 
born August 30, 1869, is living in Pueblo. 
Colorado. Mary E., born September 22, 
1883, is the wife of Clair J- Thomas, who 
resides upon one of her father's farms in 
La Harpe townshi]). 

Mr. Bradfield is a member of the Meth- 
odist Brotestanl church and his political 
allegiance is given to the Republican 
party. He has served for three vears as 
commissioner of highways of La Harpe 
township, also as school director and jus- 
tice of the peace of La Harpe township, 
being elected to the last named position 
in the spring of 1905. His interest in 
community afifairs is that of a public-spir- 
ited citizen whose labors are actuated by 
an earnest desire to benefit the locality 
and promote the welfare of town and 
county. In an acti\'e life he has displayed 
excellent ability and keen discernment, 
making judicirais investments and gain- 
ing gratifying success. He has earned 
for himself an enviable reputation as a 
careful man of business and in his deal- 



280 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



ings is known for his prompt and honor- 
able methods, which have won him the 
desei-ved ruid unbounded confidence of liis 
fellowmen. 



ADAM KROPP. 



When a man passes on the highway of 
life others who perhaps started out ahead 
of him surrounded by more advantageous 
circumstances, it is always interest- 
ing to examine into his career and note 
the causes of his advancement and suc- 
cess. Mr. Kropp is one whose life rec- 
ord has been characterized by many good 
business traits that have resulted in his 
winning a place among the substantial 
residents of Hancock county, where he 
now owns valuable farming propert\-, 
situated in ^^'alker township. He 
was born in Germanv in 1831, a 
son of Peter and Elizabeth ( Carman ) 
Ivropp, who were likewise natives 
of that country, in whicli they s]ient 
tives of tliat county, in which they s])ent 
their entire lives. Of their family of nine 
children Adam Kropp is the only one now- 
living. The days of his boyhood and 
youth were passed in his native countr}- 
and when twenty-two years of age he 
came to .\merica, the voyage consuming 
twenty-eight days. A colony of three 
hundred people made the trip at the same 
time. Locating in Pennsylvania, Mr. 
Kropp remained for two years, after 
which he removed to Miss<iuri and then 
came to Tdancock count}', Illinois, wliere 
he worked as a farm hand b\ the month. 



In 1862 Mr. Kropp was married to 
Mrs. Annie Catherine Staff (nee Cress), 
who was born in Germany, November 16, 
1835. Her parents coming to America, 
settled on a farm in Hancock county, but 
both are now deceased. Their family 
numbered six children, of whom four are 
now living : John, a resident fanner of 
Walker township ; Mrs. Kropp, deceased ; 
Elizabeth, the wife of Lewis Keiner, of 
\\'alker township; and another John, who 
died in Xeliraska ; Catherine, the wife of 
Leonard Egley, living in \\"arsaw, Illinois: 
and Caroline, the wife of Fred Beeler, 
of Walker township. Mrs. Kropp's first 
husband was Nicholas Cress, a native of 
Germany, who died in Warsaw, Illinois, 
in the latter part of the '50s. There were 
three children by that marriage, of wdiom 
one is now living, Caroline, the wife of 
Lewis Brackensick, who lives in Adams 
county, Illinijis, and has four children. 
Annie, Lewis, Irma and Albert, who are 
with their parents on a farm. Mrs. 
Kropp had two brothers, both named 
•John, who were soldiers in the Civil war 
and served until its close. One of them 
was called big John and the other little 
John. 

After his marriage Mr. Kropp inir- 
chasefl ninety-five acres of good land on 
section 29, Walker townsliip, and the 
young couple began their domestic life 
in a log cabin there. He afterward re- 
placed the primitive home by a frame 
residence, which later was destroyed by 
fire, and he then built his present dwell- 
ing. In addition to his farm he likewise 
owns twenty-seven town lots in Tioga. 
He carried on general f;irming and stock- 
raising and his business was carefullv 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



281 



conducted, being therefore a source of 
gratifying income. He was drafted for 
service in the Civil war but hired a sub- 
stitute and remained at home, concentrat- 
ing his energies upon his business inter- 
ests. He came to America on borrowed 
money and while in Pennsylvania, as the 
result of industiy and frugality, paid off 
the debt. He has since been a hard work- 
ing man and his earnest toil and perse- 
verance, together with the assistance of 
his estimable wife, brought him a goodly 
competence and he is now comfortably 
situated. His land is rented and he prac- 
tically lives retired from active business, 
enjoying a well merited rest. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Kropp were born 
four children, all natives of Walker town- 
ship, namely : Heniy, a farmer of Rockv 
Run township, who married Anna Keith 
and has four children, W'innard, Leoline, 
Carlton and Eugene : John, a farmer of 
Walker township, who wedded Louisa 
Kunz, and has five children, Ursula, \Vil- 
lis, Eva, Esther and Edith ; Elizabeth, 
who is keeping house for her father: and 
Annie, the wife of Rev. P. Ott, of Calu- 
met, Iowa, by whom she has one daugh- 
ter, Lizzie. The children were all edu- 
cated in the district schools. In 1890 the 
family was called upon to mourn the loss 
of wife and mother, for Mrs. Kropp 
passed away in Januan' of that vear, 
amid the deep regret of many friends as 
well as her immediate famil}-. She was a 
member of the German church at Tioga, 
and was laid to rest in the Tioga ceme- 
tery. . Mr. Kropp is also a member of the 
same church and his political allegiance 
is given to the Republican party. He has 
justlv won the broad American title i)f 



a self-made man. He recognized the fact 
that in America labor is king and he paid 
his allegiance to that sovereign. Work- 
ing persistently year after year he has 
steadily advanced toward the goal of 
prosperity and is now accounted one of 
the substantial residents of Walker 
township. 



JAMES W. BOLINGER. 

Among the retired farmers who now 
make their home in Disco but wIkj in for- 
mer years were actively identified with the 
agricultural development of Hancock 
county is numbered James \\\ Bolinger, 
whose birth occurred in Monroe county. 
West Virginia, July i, 1838. When only 
about four years of age his parents, Philip 
and Mary Bolinger, drove with team and 
wagon from West Virginia to Meigs 
county, Ohio, where the father engaged 
in farming for about ten years, and then 
continued his journey by wagon to Ed- 
gar county, Illinois, where he continued 
his farming operations for several years 
and then removed to this county, where 
he followed the pursuits which had l)een 
his occupation through many long years. 
During their later years, however, they 
resided for a time in the eastern part of 
this state, but at the time of their demise 
were making their home with our sub- 
ject. The father passed away in 1872, 
while the wife sui-v'ived for only aliout 
two vears. being called to her final rest 
in 1874. 

Tames ^A^ Bolinger is the fourth in or- 



282 



BIOGRAPHICAL RE 11 Ell ' 



del" of hiiili in a family of ei^iil ilauylitcrs 
and twii Sons, of whom only three sur- 
vi\-c. the sisters lieing Ehzalieth. the \\ife 
of John 'i'aylor, of Hamilton, Illinois, 
and Sarah, the wife of John Fvedford. a 
I'esident of Terre Haute. Indiana. ^Ir. 
Bolinger acqiiifed a common school edu- 
cation, but his advantages in this direc- 
tion were somewhat limited. He has. 
ho\ve\'er. in later years added much to liis 
knowledge by reading and investigation. 
He remained under the parental roof un- 
til twenty-five years of age. assisting in 
the develoi)ment of the home farm. when, 
on the 14th of January. 1867. he was 
united in marriage to Miss Alariette Zer- 
b}-. whose birth occurred on the farm 
which is still her home. Her parents 
were Daniel and Mary Zerby. 

Following their marriage 'Slv. and ]\[rs, 
Bolinger took up their abode on the farm 
which belonged to his father-in-law, and 
which constituted one hundred and twche 
acres situated on sectiiMi 6. La Harijc 
township. The land was unimpro\-ed 
and the onlv building upon the place was 
a small house, but ovu" subject at once set 
to work to clear the land and culti\'ate 
the fields, and in due course of time he 
gathered rich crops. The property is 
now well impro\ed, the fields being d'\- 
\-ided l)v W(.)ven wire fences, and there are 
likewise many substantial otitbuildings 
for the shelter of grain and stock. In 
1891 the original home of the family was 
replaced Ij}- a modern frame residence 
and altogether the place is one of the at- 
tractive country homes in this section of 
the state. He also set out an orchard, 
containing apple, peach and plum trees, 
and grapes are also found u])on the place. 



Mr. Bolinger continued to improve and 
cultivate his farm until 1903, when, feel- 
ing that bis labors in former years now 
justified his retirement from the more ar- 
duous duties of life, he purchased two lots 
in the \^illage of Disco, on wdiich he 
erected a good frame residence, contain- 
ing eight rooms and supplied with all 
modern conveniences and accessories and 
here he and his wife are now living in 
honoral)!e retirement, the farm being con- 
ducted by his son-in-law, Allen St. Clair. 
In the family of this w'orthy couple are 
three children: James W.. a telegraph 
operator, being stationed at W'ilburton, In- 
dian Territory: ■Minnie, the wife of Cyrus 
Rice, a resident of Durham township; 
and Emma, the wife of Allen St. Clair, 
residing on the homestead farm. In his 
political \iews Air. Bolinger is a stalwart 
<lemocrat but has never been acti\e in the 
work of the party. He holds membership 
in the Methodist Protestant church at 
Disco, in the work of which he is a help- 
ful and interested factor. Starting out in 
life a poor man. he has worked diligently 
and persistently to acquire a competence 
that now enables him to rest from further 
labor and he and his wife are companion- 
able people, highly esteemed in the com- 
munity where they have lived and labored 
throughout the greater part of their lives. 



JOHN B. HASTINGS. 

John B. Hastings. wdi(,) is the owner of 
\aluable fanning and stock raising inter- 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



283 



ests ill Hancock count}' and moreover has 
extensive landed possessions in the west, 
owning and conducting a ver\- large stock 
ranch in Kearney county. Nebraska, is a 
native son of Illinois, his birth having oc- 
curred in Adams county on the 30th of 
December. 1842. His parents were Sam- 
uel R. and Martha A. (Anderson) Hast- 
ings, natives of Kentucky and Maryland 
respectively. The father was a son of 
Benjamin and Rachel (Hitch) Hastings, 
also natives of >ilaryland. and the mother 
was a daughter of Jnhn and Elizabeth 
( Guerrant ) Anderson, who were natix'es 
of Virginia, while the great-grandfather. 
James Anderson, was alsn l)()rn in the 
Old Dominion. In the }-ear 1837 Benja- 
min Hastings became a resident of 
Quincv, Illinois, and Jnlm Vnderson had 
previously located in Adams county in 
1835. entering land witliin twd miles nf 
the present site of the city of Ouincy. He 
became the owner of an extensi\-e and 
\-aluable tract of six hundred and furt}' 
acres, while Mr. Hastings owned the 
northeast (|uarter nf section 22. Mel ruse 
township. He died in the year 1839. 
while John .Vnderson survived until 1885. 
The son of the former and the daughter 
of the latter were married in Adams 
ciiunty and Samuel R. Hastings liecame 
the owner of two hundred acres of land 
on section 22. Melrose townshi]), which 
was unimproved. He transformed it into 
a richly cultivated tract and jnit up a 
number of buildings thereon. It was tim- 
ber land when it came into his possession. 
Init he cleared away the trees and brush 
and while thus engaged he cultivated 
land, which he rented. He continued to 
rent a farm for about fi\'e vears. at the 



end of which time he removed to his 
home place. In 1868 he bought one hun- 
dred and sixty acres of the southeast 
quarter of section 13. Montebello town- 
ship. Hancock county. This was im- 
pro\'ed prairie land and he also invested 
in one hundred and sixty acres in Marion 
county. Missouri, near Palmyra, and one 
hundred and sixty acres near Kingston. 
Caldwell county, Missouri. He resided 
upon the home place until he had a stroke 
of jjarah'sis in the spring of 1903. Los- 
ing the use of his vocal organs thereby, 
he has since lived with his son. John B. 
Hastings, and on the t^^ of October. 1906. 
he will have reached the age of eighty-six 
vears. Earnest, persistent labor consti- 
tutes the strong element in the success 
which he has enjoyed as the _\'ears have 
gone by and as the result of diligence and 
perseverance he became the owner of val- 
uable farming property. 

John E. Hastings is the eldest of a fam- 
ilv of fi\e sons and two tlaughters. of 
whom three sons and one daughter are 
yet li\-ing. He made his home with his 
fatlier on the old farm until twent}'-two 
vears of age and ac((uired his education 
in the public schools. On the i6th of 
January. 1865. he was marrieil to Miss 
Martha E. Watson, who was born near 
Ouincy on the i6th of December, 1845, 
her parents being Benjamin and Maria 
( Tvrer ) Watson, natives of Kentucky, 
in which state alsci li\-ed her grandfather. 
Tames T\rer. Mrs. Hastings was edu- 
cated in the public schools of Ouincy. For 
two and a half years after their marriage 
they resided upon the old Hastings farm 
and at the end of that time ^Ir. Hastings 
fitted up a freight train for the go\-ern- 



284 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl 'lEII 



meat to be used from the Missouri river 
west to designated points. He was in 
Denver, Colorado, on the i6th of June, 
1866, at which time a pubhc celebration 
was iield because of the turning on of the 
first irrigation water. For two years Mr. 
Hastings engaged in freighting in the 
west, after which he spent the succeeding 
year upon the old home place and in the 
fall of 1868 he came to the farm which 
his father had purchased in Montebello 
township and which was given to John B. 
Hastings and his brother, Green B. Hast- 
ings, who have always been equal part- 
ners in their business dealings. They se- 
cured the home place of one hundred and 
sixty acres and have added to it until 
they now own four hundred acres on sec- 
tions 14 and 15, Montebello township. 
They own three hundred and sixty acres 
of improved land in Faulkner township, 
Clark county, Missouri, which is used 
as a stock farm, and in 1887 they began 
the importation of horses from England. 
France and Belgium, devoting their at- 
tention to the raising of three breeds. 
They at first bought twelve head and 
since that time have made two other ship- 
ments, one of thirty-two head and the 
other of thirty-eight head. They contin- 
ued in business until 1893, when they re- 
tired from the field as importers. Tliey 
now raise draft horses and have one stal- 
lion for service of the Percheron breed 
upon the home place, and one Belgium 
stallion on the Missouri farm. They rais; 
from ten to twelve head of draft horses 
each year and they raise short-horn cat- 
tle, Poland-China hogs and Shropshire 
sheep. Their place in Hancock county 
is called the Montebello Stock Fann. In 



addition to this property they alsij own 
twelve hundred acres of land in Kearney 
county, Nebraska, which is used as a 
stock farm for the raising of cattle, horses 
and hogs. They also have five hundred 
acres of plowed land devoted to the rais- 
ing of wheat, corn, oats and alfalfa. 

Unto Mr. Hastings and his first wife 
were born four children: Emily J., who 
died at the age of twenty-one years : Sam- 
uel R., at the age of twenty-four; Cura 
E., at the age of twenty-three; and An- 
drew L., at the age of twenty-five; while 
the wife and mother passed away in No- 
vember, 1877. On the 8th of June, 1899, 
Mr. Hastings was again married, his sec- 
ond union being with Iva Simmonds, who 
was born in Adair county, Missouri. July 
15, 1S75, and is a daughter of John S. 
and Mary (McConnell) Simmonds, na- 
tives iif Illinois and Missouri respecti\'e- 
ly. Her grandparents were Squire and 
Martha A. (Cox) Simmonds; natives of 
Indiana, while the maternal grandparents 
were Asa and Martha V. ( Peusa) Mc- 
Connell. the former a native of Missouri 
and the latter of France. Their children 
are: Lessie E.. bom March 15, 1900: 
Mary E.. November 17. 1901 ; Green. 
June 4, 1903; And John, September 4. 
1905, the two sons being named for tlie 
father and the uncle, who have long been 
partners in business. 

Mr. Hastings of tliis review votes with 
the democracy and has held the office of 
road commissioner in his township, but 
is not active as a politician, preferring to 
leave office seeking to others, while he 
concentrates his energies upon his busi- 
ness affairs. Both brothers are recog- 
nized as men of excellent business enter- 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



285 



prise and capacity, straightforward in 
their dealing-s and quickly recognizing 
good business opportunities and ad- 
vantages. 



ler survived her husband and passed away 
in \Vinterset, Iowa, at the advanced age 
I if ninety-one. She was the mother of 
eleven children, nine of whom still sur- 



CLINTON CLTTLER. 

Clinton Cutler, living retired in Car- 
thage after many years' connection with 
agricultural interests, has now passed the 
eighty-first milestone on life's journey, his 
birth having occurred in Erie county. 
New York, September 9, 1825. There 
he lived until twelve years of age, his 
youth being largely passed in attendance 
at the public schools. His parents were 
Jonas P. and Martha (Jones) Cutler, 
both natives of Vermont, where they 
lived until after their marriage. They 
then removed to Erie county, New York, 
and the father served as a justice of the 
peace in the town of Holland. He also 
engaged in farming there for a number of 
years, or until his removal t(_) the middle 
west about 1837, in which year he lo- 
cated in Fulton county, Illinois, where he 
devoted his time and energies to farming 
until 1 85 1. He then came to Hancock 
county, settling in Pilot Grove township, 
where he purchased a tract of land, on 
which he carried on general fanning until 
his death when he was sixty-eight years 
of age. He was a member of the Mis- 
sionary Baptist church and a man whose 
entire life was characterized by the most 
honorable principles and manly conduct. 
His political allegiance was given to the 
democracy. For many years Mrs. Cut- 



Clinton Cutler, whose name intro- 
duces this review, was a youth of twelve 
summers when he accompanied his par- 
ents Du their removal from the Empire 
state to Illinois. He attended the public 
schijols of Fulton county and through 
the periods of vacation assisted his fa- 
ther in the farm work, remaining with 
his parents until after their removal to 
Hancock county in 185 1. Subsequently 
he lived in Pilot Grove township, where 
lie purchased one hundred and six acres 
of land, making his home thereon for a 
number of years or until after the death 
of his first wife. He later purchased 
land in several different townships of 
this county and successfully carried on 
fanning until 1903, when he took up his 
abode in the city of Carthage, where he 
has since lived retired, enjoying in well 
earned rest the fruits of his former toil. 
His property he has divided among his 
first children and he now occupies a 
pleasant home in Carthage owned by 
Mrs. Cutler. 

Mr. Cutler has been married twice. He 
first wedded Miss Mary Ann Christ, who 
was born in Pennsylvania and became 
the mother of six children. Charles H., 
the eldest, now a resident of Des Moines. 
Iowa, married Sarah Walker, who died 
leaving a large family: Benjamin, a 
farmer of Winfield, Kansas, died at the 
age of forty years; Caleb is residing in 
Centerville, Iowa ; Joel S. makes his home 
in Chicago; John A. died in infancy; and 



286 



BIOGRAPHICA L RE HEW 



Laura is the wife of John Lawton. a 
blacksinilli of Carthage, by whom slie 
lias fi\e chil(h"en. For his second wife 
Mr. Cutler chose Mrs. Xancy A. Booth, 
the widow of John X, I>(i()th, a farmer 
who resided in Cartilage tnwnship. He 
was horn in Kentucky and in his boyhood 
da}s came with his parents to Hancock 
ci>unt\'. At the time of his death he was 
the owner of two hundred and thiity- 
li\'e acres of valuable farming land, which 
Constituted the visible e\'idence of a life 
of thrift and enterprise, and through the 
kindness and lil.ierality of his father-in- 
law, jolm Booth, she received the cleed 
of this farm. In politics he was a demo- 
crat. Cnto him and his wife were born 
three ciiildren. Amanda M., Eddie and 
John E., all of whom were bom in Car- 
thage township but are all now deceased. 
Mr. Booth was forty-two years of age at 
the time of his demise. Mrs. Cutler was 
educated in the common schools of Car- 
thage township. She was a daughter of 
Edward and :\Iahala White (Collins) 
Russell. Her father was horn in jMar\"- 
land and there resided until after his mar- 
riage. \ farmer b\- occupation, he fol- 
lowed that ])ursuit in the south and in 
183S came to Illinois, settling in Car- 
thage township. Hancock county, where 
he became the owner of extensi\e prop- 
ertv interests and carried on general ag- 
ricultural pursuits there throughout his 
remaining days. He died at the age of 
sixtv-eight years in the faith of the 
United Brethren church, of which he was 
a devoted member. His political \-iews 
accorded with the principles of the Re- 
]niblicaii ])art\'. His wife li\ed to the 
advruiced age of ninet\'-ti\e \ears and. 



having passed awa}- on the 25th of De- 
cember, 1899, ^^'"is laid to rest by his side 
in Franklin cemetery of Carthage town- 
ship. Unto the second marriage of Mr. 
and Mrs. Cutler have been l)orn six chil- 
dren, of whom ti\e are }"el living. Clara 
Josephine, the eldest, is the wife of Sam- 
uel Law. of Carthage, and they have one 
child. DeW'itt Clinton, residing in 
Carthage township, married Olive Rhor- 
bough and they ha\-e two children. Clara 
Ethel and Edith, the latter a music teach- 
er residing at home. Edward P.. living 
in Carthage township, where he owns 
and operates one hundred and sixty acres 
of land, was married to Xellie Haney and 
the\- have two children. Harrison H. and 
Cieorge C. Frank Clarence, residing in 
Carthage township, where he owns a 
farm of eighty acres, married Matilda 
Huey. a daughter of Robert Huey, and 
they have two children. Paul and Leotta. 
Fialph Cyrus, residing on the home place, 
which he now owns, married Daisy Reno, 
a daughter of Xewton and Leonora Rer.o. 
of Carthag'e township, and they have two 
children. Kenneth and Mildred. Mr. and 
Mrs. Cutler are most highh' esteemed 
jieople. wideh' and favorably known in 
Carthage, and during the long }ears of 
his residence in Illinois. co\'ering almr)St 
six decades. Mr. Cutler has ever com- 
manded the respect and good will of those 
with whom he has been associated 
through social, political or business rela- 
tions. He well luerits the ease and re- 
tirement he now enjoys. Mrs. Cutler 
from her father and husband received a 
good estate and has arranged for the suc- 
cess of her sons by aiding each to get a 
start in the business world. 



HAXCOCK COUXT]\ ILLIXCUS. 



287 



FREDERICK MA I RE. 

Frederick Maire. wiio for a number of 
years was a traveling' salesman for a 
paint house but is now living retired in 
Hamilton, was bom in Alsace, France. 
December 31, 1844. The ancestrv of the 
familv can be traced back through au- 
thentic records to a date prior to 1700. 
The g;reat-grandfather was Theodore 
Maire and the grandfather Francis Maire. 
The latter was a captain in the French 
army and served under Xapoleon. His 
son, Alexander ]\Iaire, also a native of 
France, was married to Aliss Mary Ann 
Liirentz. a daughter of Ignatius Lorentz, 
who was sergeant maior in the command 
of the Prince of Comle in the army which 
opposed X'apoleon. Alexander Maire. a 
man of broad and liberal education antl 
strong mentality, ser\-ed as prfifessor of 
ancient languages in the university of 
France. In 1856 he came to America 
with his wife and their only child Freder- 
ick, arri\-ing in Xew York, whence he 
went to Rochester, spending (jiie term as 
a teacher in a seminary for young ladies. 
He afterward removed to Basco, Han- 
cock county. Illinois, where he purchased 
two hundred and fifty acres of land as an 
investment. He rented the farm, how- 
e\-er, and made his home in the town, 
where he conducted a general store for 
several years. In 1868, howexer, he sold 
all of his interests in Hancock C(.)unt}' and 
removed to York county, Virginia, where 
he was engaged in the oyster business and 
in the conduct of a general store for three 
years. On the expiration of that period 
he disposed of his interests in the south 
and removed to Xew York cit\'. wiiere he 



purchased a book store on Ann street, con- 
ducting his business in the metropolis and 
making his home across the river in Xew- 
ark. Xew Jersey. He continued a resi- 
dent of Xew York until 1880. when he 
returne<l to France, \vhere he died in 
1893, while his wife jiassed away in 1891. 

Frederick Maire pursued his prelimi- 
nar}- education under private tutors and 
spent three years as a college student. He 
was associated with his father until 1872, 
when at the age of twent}--eight years he 
secured a position as decorati\'e painter, 
which trade he had learned in France. He 
was thus engaged until 1880 in Xew York 
city and from 1886 until 1888 was ed- 
itor of a magazine called the House 
Painter and Decorator, which was pub- 
lished in Philadelphia. He has also writ- 
ten se\"eral books on painting and he is 
certainly an expert in the art of decora- 
ti\-e painting. In 1880 he went to Basco. 
where he remained until 18X3. when he 
remijved to Hamilton and purchased two 
acres of land just north of the cemetery. 
In 1888 he l)ought eleven acres on the 
bank of the Mississippi ri\-er just north 
of the city, there residing for three years, 
during which time he was employed by 
Harrison Brothers & Company, of Chi- 
cago, as a traveling salesman for paint 
and alsei as an expert on paint. He con- 
tinued with that house foi- eleven years, 
lieing one of its most efficient and trusted 
representatives, but in i8<)() he severed 
his ciinnection with Flarrison Brothers & 
Companv' and has since been li\-ing re- 
tired with his familv in Hamilton. He is 
one of the finest artists in the county and 
some of his work has won high jiraise. 

On the 24th of May. 1864, Mr. :\Ian-e 



288 



BIOGRAPHICAL RE I 'IE 1 1 ' 



was married to Miss Hannah Fislier, who 
was burn in Ivockville, Indiana, a daugh- 
ter of Samuel and Ehzabeth (Cox) Fish- 
er, natives of Ohio. They came to Han- 
cock count}^ in 1856 and Mr. Fisher gave 
his attention to general agricultural pur- 
suits. Mr. and Mrs. Maii'e were married 
in Alexandria, Missouri, and unto them 
lia\e been bcjrn the following named : 
3ilarie, the wife of Cj-prien Pkdouin. a 
captain of the French army ; Renee, the 
wife of J. V. Crum, a merchant of Ham- 
ilton; Elizabeth, who is the widow of Eu- 
gene Droussent, of Hamilton ; Theresa, 
the wife of Henry Cuerden, a merchant 
of Hamilton; Annette, at home; Paul M.. 
who owns a farm in Montebello town- 
ship; and a son and daughter, Samuel A. 
and Louise, now deceased. 

Mr. Maire is a Catholic in religious 
faith, while his political allegiance is 
given to the Republican party. While 
living in Virginia he sei^ved as township 
clerk. He gave his attention to his busi- 
ness interests for a number (jf years 
and with a desirable capital retired to 
private life to enjoy a well-eanied rest. 
He devotes considerable time and atten- 
tion to artistic work and his excellent 
Conception of artistic subjects, his fine 
shading and color ha\'e made him an artist 
of more than local fame. 



HARRY R. FOLCKEMER. M. D. 

Dr. Harry R. Folckemer, who thougii 
a voung man has attained success and 



prominence in his profession that many 
an older practitioner might well envv, is 
now located in Dallas City, where al- 
ready a liberal patronage has been accord- 
ed him. He was born in Camp Point, 
Illinois, in 1880, his parents being Henry 
and Ellen (Craver) Folckemer. Some 
of his ancestors were in the war of 1812 
and his great-great-grandfather on the 
mother's side served as a major in the 
second war with England. The father. 
Henry Folckemer, was bom in Shrews- 
bury. York county, Pennsylvania, in 
1836, while his wife's birth occurred in 
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1845. ^^^ 
learned the tinner's trade in his native 
town and came to Illinois in 1866, set- 
tling at Camp Point, where he established 
a hardware store, which he is still con- 
ducting. During the period of the Civil 
war he served in the Fifty-first Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteer Infantry and was in the 
army of the Potomac under General Mc- 
Clellan, participating in the battle of An- 
tietam. He served for one year, after 
which he returned home and has since 
1866 been connected with the hardware 
trade of Camp Point. In politics he is 
an unfaltering advocate of the democracy 
and has held a number of local ofifices, 
serving for several terms as alderman 
and in other positions of public trust. 
Fraternally he is connected with the Odd 
Fellows and with the Knights of Pythias 
and he attends the services of the Meth- 
odist church, of which his wife is a mem- 
ber. In their family are three living chil- 
dren: Paul M., who is in business with his 
father; Harry R., of this review; and 
Richard, who is in Indian Territory. 
Dr. Harr>^ R. Folckemer acquired his 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



289 



early education at Camp I'uint and passed 
throug-h successive grades until he was 
graduated from the high school. Later 
he attended the University of Illinois at 
Champaign for two )-ears and acquired 
his professional education in Chicago as 
a student in the College of Physicians and 
Surgeons, from which he was graduated 
in the class of 1905. In the same year he 
came to Dallas City, where already he 
has obtained a large city and country 
practice. He is a regular physician, thor- 
oughly proficient in his profession and fs 
constantly adding to his knowledge by 
reading and obsen-ation as well as by 
practical experience. He has a well 
equipped ofifice on Third street in connec- 
tion with his home and has done excellent 
work as a representative of the profes- 
sion. Like his father he gives his polit- 
ical allegiance to the democracy. He is 
also a member of the Knights of Pythias 
fraternity and of the Masonic lodge, and 
of the Hancock County Medical Society 
and the American Medical Association. 
A young man of strong intellectual force 
and laudable ambition, he is wide-awake 
and enterprising and it needs no gift of 
prophecy to foretell that a successful fu- 
tin"e awaits him. 



JOSEPH F. DEITRICH. 

Jo.seph 1*". Deitrich, deceased, was an 
indusrious, enterprising and representa- 
tive citizen of Hancock count}-. He be- 
came a resident of Illinois in 1865 and 



of this county in 18O7. He was born in 
Xorthumberland county, Pennsylvania, 
September 14, 1826, and passed away on 
the 18th of December, 1901, at the age of 
seventy-fi\e years. His parents, Joseph 
and Rosana (^Fullmer) Deitrich, lived and 
died in Pennsylvania, where the father 
was a successful farmer. Unto him and 
his wife were born ten children, but only 
two are now living; Daniel, who resides 
in Williamsport, Pennsylvania; and 
Sarah, the wife of John Kaiser, of Mil- 
ton, I^ennsylvania. 

Joseph F. Deitrich was educated in 
the subscription schools of his native state 
and was reared to farm life, remaining 
at home with his father until twenty-six 
}ears of age. He was then married on 
the 1st of January. 1852, to Miss Sarah 
A. Benner and they have become the par- 
ents of five children, of whom three are 
now living: ^lary, the wife of Ludwig 
H. h'oresman, of Dallas City; Ellen, the 
wife of George M. Cummings, who is 
mentioned elsewhere in this work; and 
Hettie, the wife of Walter Cummings, of 
Los .\ngeles, California. The wife and 
mother died Fel)ruar}- 21. 1862, and on 
the 13th of ]\Iay.- 18(14, ^Nlr. Deitrich was 
married to Miss Sarah E. Wolf, who was 
born in Northampton count}', Pennsyl- 
vania, December 28, 1845, ^ daughter of 
Joseph and Mary Magdalena (Beck) 
Wolf, who were natives of Pennsylvania. 
Her great-grandparents in the maternal 
line came from Germany. Fler father 
was a shoemaker by trade and thus pro- 
vided for the support of his family. Both 
he and his wife were members of the 
Lutheran church and passed away in the 
Kevstone state, where the^^ \\ere laid to 



290 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



rest. In their familv were five cliildren, 
l)Ut cinly two are imw li\ing: Josepli, 
whn resides in W'illiamsport, Pennsyl- 
vania : and Mrs. Deitricli. By her mar- 
riage Mrs. Deitrich l)ecame the mother of 
thirteen children, of whom six are Hving. 
Ktta A., the wife of James Paulus, of Co- 
hisa. lias eight cliildren- Edith, the wife 
of Homer Matthews, of Burnside. by 
wh(ini she has nne child, Phineas I'rank- 
lin: drace, Juseph 1"., Clarence \\, \'esta, 
lulna, Irene and Ellen K., at home. El- 
niira, the second member of the family, is 
the wife of Warren II. Jacobs, of Mis- 
souri, and they ha\e two sons: Verner 
Lloyd and -Otis Cleon. William, living 
in Dallas t(_)wnship, is married and has 
one child. Snsanna. (iroxer C. and John 
W. are at home with their mother. 

It was in the year 1863 that Mr. Deit- 
rich came to Illinois, settling first in Mc- 
Donough county, where be liveil for two 
years. He then came to Dallas township, 
where be purchased sixt_\'-nine acres of 
land on section [3. It is upon this farm 
that his widow yet resides. Here he car- 
ried on general agricultural pursuits. He 
built a new house after his cottage was 
destroved b\- fire, also built a new barn 
and made other needed imjirovements. 
He also bought one hundred acres of land 
across the road from his home on section 
II, l^allas township. He li\ed a life of 
industr^• and enter])rise and xvas a model 
farmer, keeping everxthing about his 
l>lace in neat and thrifl\- condition. In 
matters of citizenshi]), too, he was also 
])rogressive and loval. He ga\'e his po- 
litical sup])ort to the democracy and served 
as super\isor for se\eral vears. No pub- 
lic trust reposed in bim was ex'cr betra\ed 



in the slightest degree. He belonged to 
the Lutheran church, in which he served 
as deacon and of which bis wife is still a 
member. Tvlr, Deitrich was generous al- 
most to a fault, being particularly kind 
and helpful ti 1 the poor and needy. In bis 
family be was a devoted husband and 
father and where\'er be was known he 
was respected because of those sterling 
traits of character which in e\-erv land 
and clime conimand resjiect and admira- 
tion. Mrs. Dietrich still survi\'es her 
husband and is managing the home prop- 
ert\-. Like bim, she has manv friends in 
the conntx' and is well wortln of repre- 
sentati<in in this \'r)lume. 



ARTHLR RAV M.WIFOLD. 

Arthur l\a\" Manifold is a native son 
of Hancock count v, his l)irth having oc- 
curred in Ln Llarpe township, .August i, 
1883, and is one of the younger represent- 
ati\-es of agricultui'al interests in this por- 
tion of the state. His father. John Mani- 
fold, was biirn in Roane county, Tennes- 
.^ee, a son of (Jeorge and Mary Manifold, 
who, on lea\"ing their nati\e state came 
to Illinois, locating on a farm on section 
K), La Harpc townshii), this county. Here 
the !;on John was reared to f.arm life and 
after reaching man's estate was married 
in 1834 to Miss VXv/.-A Ann ]\Iiller, and be 
continued to reside on the home place, 
assisting bis mother in the management 
of her farming interests bis father ha\ing 
dietl in 183O. Alter the death of his 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



291 



mother he inherited the homestead prop- 
erty, to which he added from time to time 
until he possessed an extensive tract, com- 
prising four hundred and eighty-nine 
acres all in one hody except twenty-five 
acres situated on section ig. La Harpe 
township. Here he engaged extensively 
in general farming and stockraising until 
his death, which occurred February 16, 
I go I. B\' this marriage there is one son, 
William Edison, who is a resident of this 
township. The father was married a sec- 
ond time to Elizabeth Loretta Chapin, the 
widow of Henry Foley, and a daughter of 
Robert P. and EIizal:)eth Chapin. She 
was a native of Oliio, and hv her mar- 
riage became the mother of Arthur Ray 
Manifold, the suliject of this sketch. Her 
death occurred November 10, 1900. 

Arthur Ray ]\Ianifokl acquired his edu- 
cation in the public schools, passing 
through consecutive grades until he bad 
completed a high school course, subse- 
quent to which time he pursued a course 
of study in Gettings Seminar\'. at La 
Harpe. Fie assisted his father in the op- 
eration of the home farm and always re- 
mained with his ])arents. and at their 
death came into possession of a valuable 
farm property, which he is now success- 
fully operating. 

On the 19th of October, 1904, our sub- 
ject was united in marriage to Miss Alice 
May Smith, who was born at Raritan, 
Illinois, but was reared in Fort Madison, 
Iowa, where she accjuired her education, 
there completing a high school course. 
She is a daughter of Alljert R. and Ella 
THarris) Smith, the former a native of 
Fort Madison, Iowa, where he still re- 
sides, being engaged in tlie conduct of a 



dairy, and also as a dealer in real estrUe. 
A daughter, Eleanor Lois, was born to 
this union Xovember 24, igo6. 

In his political views Mr. Manifold is 
a republican, while his religious faith is in- 
dicated by his membership in the Chris- 
tian church at La Harpe. He is a Mason, 
belonging to lodge Xo. 195. .\ncient Free 
and Accepted Masons, at La Harpe. Hav- 
ing been l)i)rn and reared in Hancock 
count}" Mr. Manifold has a wide ac(|uaint- 
ance bdtli in business and social circles 
and both he and his wife are popular 
}"oung ])eo])le. the hospitality of their 
home being freely extended to their many 
friends. 



JOHX M. HABBEX. 

John M. Habben. who is now one of the 
most prominent German-.\merican farm- 
ers of Hancock county, residing in Prairie 
township, where he owns a very rich farm 
nf three hundred twent}- acres, where his 
time and energies are devoted to g'eneral 
agricultural pursuits, is a native of Eur- 
ich. Hanover. Germanw He was born 
December 13. 1859. and when but seven 
years of age was brought to tiie United 
States by his parents. Mimka and .Vnna 
(Jaspers') Habben, likewise natives of 
Germany, who. on crossing the Atlantic, 
made their wav at once to Illinois, settling 
in Adams county. There the father rent- 
ed land for three years, after which he 
made purchase of one hundred and sixty 
acres in Prairie township. Flancock 
cnunty — the farm upun which his son 



292 



BIOGRAPHICA L RE I 'IE 1 1 ' 



Jdlin iKJw resides. He transformed this 
from a tract of wild land into a well im- 
I)r(.i\ed farm and made it his home until 
his <leath, which occurred when he was 
fift\-t\\M }ears of age. his remains being 
interred in Concord cemetcr\-. He pros- 
pei'ed in his undertakings and was a self- 
made man. whose prosperity was attribu- 
table entirely to his own effurts. Ide 
ne\'er cared for public office or sought t<i 
figure priiminenth' in ;uiv public light. 
Content to devote his attention to his busi- 
ness affairs whereby he prnxided a com- 
fortalile li\ing for his family. His widow, 
who held membershi]! in the I^utheran 
church at Carthage, died at the age of 
se\ent\--three years. 

John ^I. Habben largely acquired his 
education in the public schools of Car- 
thage, attending both the district and city 
schools, and in his }'outh assisted in the 
work of the home farm. He has always 
remained u])on this place since his par- 
ents took up their abode here and he now 
owns the property which he b(iught in 
1901 after the death of his mother, to- 
gether with one hundred and sixty acres 
adjoining the old homestead. Soon after 
buying the farm he built one of the most 
beautiful and commodious residences in 
the vicinity, the main part ha\'ing a front- 
age of thirty-eight feet by si.xteen feet 
deep, two stories, and a larg-e ell in the 
rear. .Ml is nicely finished and fur- 
nished, and also has modern cnn\'eniences 
as windmill, telephone and those acces- 
sories usually found on the place of the 
more successful men. His fields are all 
under cultivation and in addition to rais- 
ing the cereals best adapted to soil and 
climate he devotes his attention to the 



raising of high grade stock, tie is well 
known as an enterprising, successful 
farmer, who is never idle a day and who 
through his diligence has gained a place 
among the substantial agriculturists of 
the community. He has almost entirely 
unaided brought himself to a position of 
wealth and independence. 

Mr. Habben was married April 16. 
1881. to Miss Anna Ficht, who was boni 
in Enrich, Hanover, German\", March 8, 
i860, and came to the United States 
about 1868, living in Prairie ti:)wnship 
until her marriage. Her parents were 
Id enry and Marie (Bruntz) Ficht. Thev 
were born in Germany, and there they 
followed the occupation of farming and 
all but one of their six children were 
born. When Anna (now Mrs. Ficht), 
was about eight years old they embarked 
for America on one of the oldtime sail 
vessels, being eight weeks making the 
voyage, and after arriving in New York, 
it took eight days to come to Illinois. He 
rented land first near Golden, Adams 
county, and there he lived but a shrrt 
time when he moved to Prairie township, 
his wife dying within a few years. He 
was a farmer of Prairie township during 
his active life. He is now living retired 
and makes his home with Mr. and ]\Irs. 
Habben at the age of eighty-three vears. 
Unto our subject and his wife have been 
born five children and the family circle 
yet remains unbroken. These are: Mim- 
ka, who aids in the operation of the 
home farm; ]\Iar}'. I.ouis, Henn- and 
George, all of whom are yet under the 
jtarental roof. All were born upon the 
homestead farm in Prairie township. The 
|)arents are members of the German Luth- 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



293 



eran church of Carthage and are well 
known residents of the community in 
which they make their home, enjoying the 
favorable regard of all with whom social 
or business relations have brought them 
in contact. 

While a democrat in politics he is 
rather independent, voting each time for 
the best man. He does not care for office, 
preferring to gi\'e his time to his exten- 
sive farming interests. He has been 
school director for a number of terms, the 
cause of education finding in him a wanu 
friend. 



JAMES F. GIBSON. 

James Finley Gibson is one of the na- 
tive sons of Hancock county, whose life 
record stands in contradistinction to the 
old adage that "a prophet is never with- 
out honor save in his own country." fur 
here in the locality where he has spent his 
entire life he has gained signal recogni- 
tion as a lawyer of ability, who, though 
yet a young man, has gained prominence 
equal to that of many a practitioner of 
twke his years. He was bom in Pilot 
Gnn'e township. June ig, 1879, and is a 
son of Robert C. and Harriet (Lowrey) 
Gibson. He is a graduate of Carthage 
College and prepared for his chosen pro- 
fession as a student in the law department 
of the University of Wisconsin, from 
which he was graduated in the class of 
1903. He was president of his class and 
commencement orator, the two highest 
honors that could he bestowed in the law 



school. Following his graduation Air. 
Gibson located at once in Carthage and 
opened an office. He has met with very 
gratifying success in his chosen field of 
labor and has secured a liberal clientage 
that has connected him with much impor- 
tant litigation tried in the courts of his 
district. He is a close and discriminating 
student and has comprehensive knowl- 
edge of the principles of jurisprudence 
and is correct in their adaptation. In 
1905 he was elected city attorney of 
Carthage, which position he still fills. 

On the 1st of September, 1898, Mr. 
Gibson was united in marriage to Miss 
Sarah Alberta Tyner, who was born in 
Pilot (iroN'e township in 187S and is a 
daughter of Jared L. and Emily L. Tyner. 
Her father was a popular druggist of 
Burnside, where he died and is buried. 
In the family were three children : May, 
now the wife of George W. Rhea, of 
Carthage: Viola, the wife of Edward 
Lvon, of this city ; and Mrs. Gibson. 
Unto our subject and his wife has been 
born a son, James C. whose birth oc- 
curred in Madison, ^^'isconsin. July 21, 
1903. Her mother, ]\Irs. Tyner, is still 
living and makes her home with her 
daughters in Carthage. 

Both 'y.lv. and Mrs. Gibson hold mem- 
bership in the Christian church and take 
an active and helpful part in its work. He 
sen-ed as church treasurer in 1905 and 
has put forth effective effort in behalf of 
the church and has contributed gener- 
ouslv of his means to its support. He be- 
longs to the Masonic fraternity, in which 
he has served as senior deacon and he is 
a stanch advocate of the democracy, fie 
owns one of the largest and finest law 



294 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriEll 



libraries in the city, with the contents cif 
\\'liich lie is largely familiar. In the prep- 
aration of his cases he is most thorough 
and careful, preparing for the unexpect- 
ed which happens in the courts quite as 
frequently as out of them. He is always 
well armed for any point of attack and 
is quick to notice the weak points in an 
adversan-'s position. He has won man_\- 
notable forensic triumphs and is regarded 
as an al)le member of the bar, who is mak- 
ing rapid progress in the line of success- 
ful i)ractice. He and his wife are recog- 
nized as pe(_>ple of culture and refinement 
to whtiui an enviable social position is 
readilv accurded. 



GOTTLIEB BOLLIN, 

Gottlieb Bollin, in his farming opera- 
tions, keeps fully abreast with the most 
modern methods of fanning, using the 
latest improved machinei-y and all the 
accessories which facilitate farm w(.>rk. 
Advancement along agricultural lines has 
been rapid and pronounced, and Mr. Bol- 
lin is a typical representative of this spirit 
of progress. He resides on secticm 2^. 
Sonora township, where he has a tract of 
tw() hundred acres, and he also owns one 
hnndred and twenty acres on section 15, 
besides twelve acres of timber land in 
Sonora township on the banks of the Alis- 
sissippi river. .Mr. Bollin was Ijorn in 
Baden, Germany, Septemljer 15, 1841. 
and is a son of Joseph and Agnes 
( Haire ) Bollin. likewise natives of the 



fatherland. The father on leaving his 
native country made his way to Cincin- 
nati, Ohio, where he located in 1856, there 
following farming for three years, and ih 
1859 he removed to Nauvoo, where he 
operated rented land in Sonora township. 
Two years later he removed to Rock 
Creek township, where he remained for 
tluTe years and then came to Nau\'(jo, 
where he spent his remaining days. His 
wife had died in Cincinnati, Ohio, lea\'- 
ing si.x sons and three daug-hters. The 
father was married a second time to Mrs. 
Kimes, of Nauvoo, and her death oc- 
curred in this city, while the father also 
passed away here in the fall of 1881. 

Gottlieb Bollin, the second in order of 
birth in his father's family, pursued his 
studies in Germany to the age of twelve 
years, and continued his education for 
two years after the family arri\-ed in Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio. He remained with his 
parents to the age (if seventeen years and 
then started out to face the responsible 
duties of life on his own account. He 
began work as a farm hand in Sonora 
township, where he was employeil for one 
season and also worked for a time in 
Xauvoo township. In June, 1861, how- 
ever, he ])Ut aside all l)usiness and per- 
sonal considerations, and in response to 
the countr}''s call for aid offered his serv- 
ices to the govennnent, enlisting as a 
member i)f the First Iowa Ca\'alrv, at 
Keokuk. The C(.impany was mustered in 
at Burlington in August, and did duty 
in the state of Alissouri. He served 
in the armv uiuil the close of the war, 
and then went with ( ieneral Custer to 
Texas, where he was honorably dis- 
charged at ,\ustin in the spring of 1866. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



295 



After the close of hostilities Mr. Bol- 
lin returned to his home, where he was 
employed as a farm hand b}- the montli 
until 1871, when, through his industry 
and economy, he was enabled to make 
purchase of forty acres of land on sec- 
tion 15, which he had hitherto rented. 
Three years later he added another tract 
of forty acres, adjoining on the west. 
Later he added another forty-acre tract, 
belonging to the estate of his father-in- 
law, and known as the Theodore Lohr 
farm, thus making in all one hundred and 
twenty acres situated on section 15. Here 
he carried on general agricultural pur- 
suits and as the years passed by he pros- 
pered in his undertakings, so that in 
course of time he was able to make fur- 
ther purchases, at one time adding eighty 
acres situated on section 23 and at a later 
date, eighty and then forty acres, mak- 
ing a total of two hundred acres on sec- 
tion 23, and one hundred and twenty acres 
on section 15. On the two-hundred-acre 
tract he erected a house and barn, and 
has since made an addition to his house 
of brick, the residence now containing 
nine rooms, and two stories in height. 
He built a horse and cattle barn, corn 
cribs and all substantial outbuildings for 
the shelter of grain and stock. He also 
set out a fine orchard, containing apple, 
peach and plum trees. He has a wind- 
pump on his place, and has two wells, one 
thirty-three feet in depth, while the other 
is forty-three feet deep, thus furnishing 
water for stock and for use in the house. 
He has used both wire and Osage hedge 
fencing in dividing his farni into fields 
of convenient size, and thus his is one of 
the valuable farms of this portion of the 
19 



state. He is practical and progressive 
in all that he does and each year his finan- 
cial resources are greatly enhanced and 
today he is numbered among the wealthy 
citizens of Sonora township. 

On the 1st of August, 1S70, occurred 
the marriage of Mr. BoUin and Miss 
Christina Lohr, a native of Prussia, bom 
February 9, 1848. Her mother died in 
Germany, and Mrs. Bollin then accom- 
panied her father to America in 1855. 
being then a little maiden of seven sum- 
mers, and one of three sons and two 
daugiiters. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Bollin 
have been born nine children, as follows: 
John Theodore, born March 13, 1871, 
and a resident of Sonora township; An- 
nie Katherine, born April i, 1873, and 
her death occurred October 26, 1874; 
Andrew, born December 18, 1874, and a 
resident of Sonora township, married 
Julia Beecher; Mary Josephine Benedic- 
ta, whose birth occurred September 20, 
1877; Jacob Joseph, bom May 27, 1880, 
of Sonora township, who married Miss 
Jennie Terry, August 22, 1906: Frances 
Louisa, bom March 5, 1883, and likewise 
a resident of this township ; Xellie Ger- 
trude, jjorn October 30, 1886, and Wil- 
liam Adolph and Frank Leo, twins, born 
July 22, 1889, are still under the parental 
roof. 

Mr. Bollin's study of the political ques- 
tions and issues of the day have led him to 
give his support to the Republican party 
although he has never been an office seek- 
er, for he finds that his business affairs 
make sufficient demand upon his time and 
attention, and he has attained through his 
own labors his position as one of the 
progressive and prosperous farmers of 



296 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriEJI' 



Hancock count)-. He is a member of the 
Grand Army of the Re|>ubhc and in reli- 
gious faith is a Cathoh'c. Although start- 
ing" out in life eniptv-handed, he ])ossesses 
that spirit of enterprise and industry so 
characteristic of the ( lerman race, and by 
the i)i'()per use of his native talents has 
worked his way up to a position of prom- 
inence and aftluence. 



GUY P.. CHANDLER. 

Ciuy B. Chandler is the owner of a fine 
farm in Wythe townshi]i. An attracti\e 
residence stands in the midst of fine shade 
trees and there are ample builcHngs in the 
way of barns and sheds for the shelter 
of grain and stock. There is also an ap- 
ple orchard of two and a half acres, while 
the well tilled fields annuall\' ])ro(luce 
good crops, showing that the owner is 
thoroughly conversant with the l)est 
methods of tilling the soil. 

The owner, ( 'iu\- 11. Chandler, is one 
of \\ ythe township's native sons, his birth 
hax'ing occurred within its borders on 
the 15th of September, 1^42. His pater- 
nal grandfather. Dr. Chandler, was a 
noted physician who practiced near 
Zanesville in Muskingum county, Ohio, 
but died there when comparati\ely a 
\iinng man. llis son, Rudolphus Chan- 
dler, bi.irn in X'ermont, was but a young 
lad at the time of his father's demise. 
He learned the trade of a harness maker 
and coach finisher, and, attracted by the 
o]i])ortunities of the growing west, in 



1836, he dro\-e acr<iss the c<juntry with 
team and wagon and purchased one liun- 
dred and sixt}' acres of land, constituting 
the northwest quarter of sectiiMi jo, 
Wythe township. Hancock count}-, Illi- 
nciis. This was all wild prairie co\-ered 
with the nati\-e grasses and there was 
little indication in the entire neighborhood 
that the work of impn^venient and prog- 
ress had lieen begun. .Mr. Chandler 
brought with hnu to Illinois his family, 
constituting wife and three children. 
He had been n-iarried in Ohio to ]\Iiss 
L\-(lia Hutchinson, a native of that state, 
and unto them were born tw-o sons and a 
daughter ere they left their old iKjme. 
After reaching this count\- Air. Chandler 
built a log house and log stable, and in 
true pioneer style began life here. He 
broke the ])rairie with the crude imple- 
ments then in use, finding it an arduous 
task, but he persevered in his work and 
continued the cultivation and improve- 
ment of the farm until his death, which 
occurred December 13. 1876. His wife 
passed away January 10. 1871, and was 
laid to rest in the Congregational church 
cetiieter\' in Wvthe township. 

( iu\- I!. Chandler was the young'est liv- 
ing child at the time of his father's death. 
His earl\- education acquired in the dis- 
trict schools, was supplemented by three 
terms of stuilx' in Warsaw Seminary, antl 
he ren-iained upon the old homestead un- 
til the time of his marriage, aiding in the 
work of tilling the soil and caring for 
the crops. On the uth of March, 1864, 
when twenty-one years of age, he wedded 
Miss Elizabeth A. Smith, w-ho was born 
in Clark county, Indiana, March 23, 1839. 
a daughter of William and Susan ( Scott) 



HANCOCK COUXTV. ILLIXO/S. 



297 



Smith, natives of Eng-land and Maryland 
respectively, the former a son of John 
Smith, and the latter a daughter nf John 
Scott. In the spring of 1856 they went 
to \\'arsa\v and soon afterward settled 
with his brother. Jnhn Smith, in \\'ythe 
township. 

Following his marriage Mr. Chandler 
purchased a farm (if one hundred and 
twenty acres in Cla^k county. Missouri, 
of which sixty acres had lieen cleared. 
fenced and was under cultivatinn. He 
resolutely undertook the task df impro\- 
ing the remainder of the fami and there 
lived until after his mother's death, when 
he returned to the home place in Hancock 
countv. conducting the farm for his fa- 
ther until the latter's demise, when he 
purchased (.me hundred and sixty acres 
of the old homestead. Eight years later 
he remodeled and improved the residence, 
which his brother had built. After his 
father's death he also fenced the place 
with hedge and with wire fences and he 
[jlanted many fine shade trees, which add 
much to the value and attractive ap]jear- 
ance of the farm. He nho has an apple 
orchard covering two and a half acres. 
In 1903 he replaced the old liome 1)\' a 
fine residence, containing all modern 
equipments and conveniences. It is sup- 
plied with hot and cold water and heated 
b}- furnace and con\enient in its arrange- 
ment and tasteful in its furnishings. 

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Chandler 
has been blessed with three daughters: 
Luella, now the wife of P. .\. Fulton, of 
Keokuk, Iowa : Xettie S.. the wife of Re\-. 
Edward Montgomery, a Presbyterian min- 
ister at Warsaw, Indiana: and Eve E., 
the wife of Rev. \V. H. Matthews, pas- 



tor of a Presbyterian chvnxh in Chicago. 
The daughters were educated in Knox 
College, the older two pursuing the regu- 
lar course, while the other pursued the 
scientific course and also studied music 
in that institution. Mr. and ?ilrs. 
Chandler thus ga\-e their children excel- 
lent educational privileges and have lived 
to see them well settled in life. The_\' 
hold membership in the Presbyterian 
church, in the work of which they are 
deepl}- interested and to the support of 
which they contribute generously. ' Air. 
Chandler is a repulilican. who has seiwed 
as trustee of his township and also as 
assessor, discharging the duties of these 
offices with promptness and fidelitv. His 
entire life has been passed in Wythe 
townshi]) and he is both wideh' and fa- 
vorably known in this [lart of the county. 
He has made an enxialile record as a 
business man and has achiexed a measure 
of success which is most creditable, as it 
has been honorabh' won. 



CH.VRLES R. DOOLITTLE. 

Charles B. D(.iolittle. owning and op- 
erating one of the finest tracts of land 
in Appanoo.se township, is a native son 
of this township, having here been b(_)rn 
]^Iay 2t. 1838. a son of Amzi and Phebe 
(White) Doolittle. natives of Xew York 
and Ohio respectively. The paternal 
grandfather. Edward Doolittle. left Xew 
York at an early day. coming to Illinois, 
settling in^^angamon county. He 



298 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJ lElV 



brought with him his sun .\.inzi, who was 
then seventeen years of age. He then 
left the son in Ihinois and started hack 
to New York for his wife and the other 
members of the family but died on the 
way. The son Amzi worked at farm la- 
bor in Sangamon county, receiving nine 
dollars per month for his work. He was 
thus employed for thirteen months and 
during that time had saved one hundred 
dollars, which he invested in a heifer, a 
yoke of steers and a sow. He then broke 
eight acres of wild land, whicii he plant- 
ed to corn, and in this way he gained his 
start in life. At the end of two years, 
having raised quite an amount of stock, 
which he disposed of, and then i-emoved 
to Scluiyler county. Illinois, where he also 
broke eight acres of land, on which he 
lived until 1826, and then came to Appa- 
n<iose and built the first house in the vil- 
lage — double log cabin. Many Indians 
were still to be found in this section of 
the state, and Mr. DooHttle traded some 
stock to them for a tract of land. He 
also conducted the first ferryboat run- 
ning from Appanoose to Fort Madison, 
Iowa. He was married in this state to 
Miss Phebe White and they took up their 
abode in Appanoose. Later in comi^any 
with his wife and one cliild lie started 
for his old home in the Empire state, 
traveling on' a steamer up the Mississippi 
and Ohio rix'ers, and it was not until he 
had reached liis old home that he learned 
of his father's death, he having died 
twelve years previous while on his way 
to that state for his family. Mr. DooHt- 
tle after a time returned again to Appa- 
noose, where he continued the operation 
of his ferry-boat. He also built a large 



sawmill and in connection with two other 
men built one of the first houses in Bur- 
lington, Iowa. He was a very prosper- 
ous man in all of his undertakings and 
eventually became a large landowner, 
having one thousand acres, situated in 
Iiiwa, Missouri, and Hancock count}-. 
He also conducted a merchandising en- 
terprise and dealt in lumber. He was 
veiy active in the ranks of the Democratic 
part}', sen-ing as supervisor, as poor mas- 
ter of the ciiunt}-, and during his incum- 
l)enc\- in the office of supervisor he saved 
the township several thousand dollars. 

Charles B. DooHttle, whose name intro- 
duces this record, was reared to farm life, 
assisting his father in the operation of 
the homestead property, where he re- 
ceived practical training in all depart- 
ments I if farm labor. His educational 
advantages, however, were \'ery limited 
for. owing to the unsettled condition of 
the country in his youth, there was not a 
good school system established, and diu"- 
ing the short time that he pursued his 
studies the sessions of school were held 
in i)rivate homes. In 1862, in company 
with three comrades, he crossed the 
plains, traveling- overland with six y(^ke 
of oxen, and after a long, tedious jour- 
ney, which covered four months and fi\-e 
days, they reached Walla Walla. Wash- 
ington, where he was employed in the 
gold mines during the summer season 
and through the winter months he worked 
on dififerent ranches. In October, i8()6. 
he started down the Yellowstone rivci' 
to Sioux City. Iowa, from which ])la(e 
he went by stage to Denison, and (luie 
boarded the first railroad train he was 
ever on, his destination being Fort Madi- 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



299 



son. He worked for his father for one 
year following his return from the west, 
and his father then gave him one hundred 
and nine acres of land, situated on section 
II, Appanoose township, of which twen- 
ty-five acres had been cleared, while the 
remainder was covered with timber. He 
has since cleared much of this and now 
has about seventy-five acres under culti- 
vation, which each year yields abundant 
harvests as the result of care and labor 
he has bestowed upon the fields. He has 
nineteen acres in oak timber, which is 
the first growth. He has also added many 
modern improvements upon his place, in- 
cluding good fences and outbuildings, 
which are kept in good state of repair, 
so that his farm shows evidence of an en- 
terprising and progressive owner. 

In August, 1867, occurred the mar- 
riage of Mr. C. B. Doolittle and Miss 
Nancy Olive Atherton, a native of Appa- 
noose township, and a daughter of Rob- 
ert Atherton. She became the mother of 
four sons and a daughter: Amzi. nf 
Decorra. Illinois; Cora, the wife of Wil- 
liam Long, of Hancock county, Illimiis: 
Harrv D. and Charles Roy, on the home 
place: and John Simpson, of Xidta. Illi- 
nois. The wife and mother died al.vait 
1894. and thus passed away one i>f the 
highly esteemed women of Hancnck 
county, her loss being deeply regrette<l 
by many friends, as well as her immediate 
family. 

^Ir. Doolittle gives his pohtical sup- 
port to the Democratic party, and served 
as school director for eight years. Iiut 
aside from this has held no public office. 
Although deeply interested in the ad- 
vancement of his countA- and its welfare 



he finds little time for holding public of- 
fice, preferring to concentrate his ener- 
gies upon his own private interests, in 
which he is meeting with very desirable 
success. Although he inherited his prop- 
erty from his father he has worked hard 
in clearing and improving the place until 
today his is one of the productive and val- 
uable tracts of his section of the state. 



WILLIAM H. HARTZELL. 

\A'illiam H. Hartzell is actively con- 
nected with a profession which has im- 
portant bearing upon the progress and 
stable prosperity of any section or com- 
munitv and one which has long been con- 
sidered as conserving the public welfare 
by furthering the ends of justice and 
maintaining individual rights and in his 
practice has attained considerable promi- 
nence, having today a distinctively rep- 
resentative clientage. 

Mr. Hartzell was bom in Durham 
township, Hancock county, November 8, 
1869, and is a son of Noah and Rebecca 
r\A^eatherington) Hartzell, The father 
was a native of Pennsylvania, born in 
1829, and the mother's birth occurred in 
or near Columbus, Ohio, in the same year. 
Mr. Hartzell was a farmer by occupation 
and followed that pursuit following his 
removal to Hancock county. In religious 
faith he was a Methodist, while his wife 
belongs to the Baptist church. His death 
occurred in La Harpe, while Mrs. Hart- 
zell is now living in that town with her 



300 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI'IElf 



daughter. Belle C, who is now the wife 
of Harry E. Claycoiiil) and is the eldest 
of the family. The others are: Judd 
O., who resides in Alonniouth, Illinois; 
Franklin, who died in childhood ; and 
William H., of this review. 

Reared under the parental roof Wil- 
liam H. Hartzell pursued his education 
in the high school at La llarpe, of which 
he is a graduate, and in Gitting"s Semi- 
nary. In 1886, at the age of se\-enteen 
years, he took up the study of law in the 
office and under the direction of the tirm 
of O'liara & Scotield, of Carthage, and 
in 1890 was admitted to the bar, being- 
then twenty-one }-ears of age. He was 
then admitted to a partnership by his 
fonner preceptors and the firm became 
O'Hara, Scofield & Hartzell. Following 
the dissolution of this connection Mr. 
Flartzell joined Truman I'lantz in the es- 
tablishment of a law hrm, Mr. I'lantz 
maintaining an oflice in Warsaw and Mr. 
Hartzell in Carthage. The tirm had an 
existence of nine months in that furm, at 
the end of which time William C. lb>oker 
was admitted to a partnership and so 
continued for three years. In 1901, Air. 
Hartzell opened an office alone on Jack- 
son street in Carthage, where he is nt.iw 
located. He possesses a tine law lilirary, 
with the contents of which he is largely 
familiar. A self-made man, he entered 
business life as an employe of Charles 
Gill, proprietor of a general store in Fa 
Harpe, working- in the implement depart- 
ment through the summer vacations, on 
Saturdays and after school hours. To- 
day he is a leading lawyer of Carthage, 
ha\ing one of the finest practices in jury 
ca.ses in the county. He is indeed a 



strong and able trial lawyer and has won 
notable successes in several criminal 
cases. His is a natural discrimination as 
to legal ethics and he is so thoroughly 
well read in the minutae of the law that 
he is able to base his arguments upon 
thorough knowledge and familiarity with 
precedent and to present a case upon its 
niei-its, ne\er failing to recognize the 
main point at issue and never neglecting 
to give a thorough preparation. He 
sen-ed as state's attorney fron-i 1892 un- 
til 1896 and was also city attorney for 
I ,a Harpe. 

On the 13th of June, 1891, Mr. Hart- 
zell was married to Miss Inez E. Char- 
ter, who was born near La Harpe in 1872, 
a daughter of Samuel and Salina (Lev- 
itt) Charter, both of whom were natives 
i)f Aluskingum county, Ohio. Her fa- 
ther was descended from Kentucky an- 
cestrv' and came to Illinois at an early 
day, settling on a fann. He- is now de- 
ceased, while his widow resides in Los 
.Vngeles, California. The}- were mem- 
liers of the Christian church ;ind to this 
church Mrs. Hartzell also belongs. In 
her parents' family were five children : 
Phoebe and Ella, l)oth deceased; Lucile, 
uife of J. \\ . .Mitchell, who is living- in 
Kentucky: Clara, the widr)w of Richard 
Sailor, of Los Angeles, California; and 
Inez E., the wnfe of our subject. L'nto 
Mr. and Mrs. Hartzell ha\-e lieen born 
(i\-e children, Ruth, h'ranklin, Philip, 
Eloise and Grace, aged respectively thir- 
teen, eleven, eight, four and one years. 
All were bom in Carthage. The family 
home is pleasantly located about three and 
a half blocks northeast nf the stjuare and 
is a lieautiful residence at the corner of 



HAXCOCK COUNTY, ILLIXOIS. 



Jackson and Davis streets. Mrs. Hart- 
zell is a most active and interested worker 
in the church and is ikjw president of tlie 
^Missionary Societ}'. Air. Hartzell usu- 
ally votes with the Democratic party, hut 
does not consider himself bound by party 
ties and often casts an independent' bal- 
lot. He is a jo\ial, wami-hearted man, 
a true friend and an entertaining conver- 
sationalist, who looks at life from a prac- 
tical standpoint, appreciative of its bless- 
ings and pleasures and ne\'er neglectful 
of its duties. He has won a notable place 
in legal circles and is respected liy all 
with whom business or social relations 
have brought him in contact. 



BREVET MAJOR GENERAL OLE 
VER EDWARDS. 

Bre\'et Majnr (ieneral ( )li\-er Edwards 
was born in Springfield, Alassacliusetts, 
Januaiy 30. 1835. The family has al- 
ways furnished representati\-es as defend- 
ers of the country. 

Captain Oliver Edwards entered the 
colonial ser\-ice in 1775, and \aliantly 
aided in the struggle that sectired the re- 
lease of the oppressed colonies from Brit- 
ish tyranny. He married Rachel Par- 
sons, of Xorthampton, and their son. Dr. 
Elisha Edwards, father of the g-eneral. 
was bom in Chesterfield, ALassachusetts, 
January 26, 1795. 

When a young man, Elisha Edwards 
went to Northampton anfl in the employ 
of E. Hunt learned the aputhecary busi- 



ness. Li 181 5 he moved to S])ringfield, 
Massachusetts, and engaged in business 
iin his own accnunt. In 1820 he formed 
a partnership with Henry Sterns, which 
lastefl until 1825, and in 182S with 
Charles J. L'pham under the firm name of 
C. J. Upham & Compan}- he established 
a wholesale drug house. He was one of 
tlie suljscribers to the fund that purchased 
Cnurt .Square and was chosen one of the 
nine original directors of the Chic(i]5ee 
Bank of Springfield. In 1821 he was 
united in marriage to Eunice Lombard, 
tlie daug'hter of Daniel and Svlvia ( Burt ) 
Lomljard, the birth oi the fathei" occurring 
l*"ebruar}- 4. 1764. \n 1787. during 
.Sha}''s rebellion, Mr. Lombard was ac- 
ti\'e on the side of the government forces 
in quelling the insurrection. He received 
the commission of quartemiaster of the 
Eirst Regiment. Massachusetts Volunteer 
Militia, from Governor Samuel Adams 
on July 31, 1704. and was honorablv <Iis- 
charged January 20. J 798. He was ap- 
pointed postmaster by Thomas Jefferson 
in 1806 and held that office during the arl- 
ministrations of James Madison, James 
Monroe and John Onincx' .\dams until 
June 3. 1829, a continuous ser\-ice of 
twent\-three \ears. He married Sylvia 
Burt, of Longmeadow, Massachusetts. 

To Dr. and Mrs. Edwards were born 
fi\'e sons and five daughters, seven of 
whom grew to matin'ity : Mrs. Caroline 
L. Smith, of Springfield, Alassachusetts : 
Mrs. Sophia O. Johnson, of Bath, Xew 
Hampshire: Mrs. Charlotte E. \\'arner, 
of Springfield, Massachusetts: ^^'illiam, 
a prominent inerchant of Cleveland, Ohio: 
Mrs. Julia E. Hurd, of Dorchester, Mas- 
sachusetts: Oliver, of ^^'arsaw. Illinois: 



BIOGRAPHICA L RE J IE 1 1 ' 



and Mrs. Alar\' E. Chikls, nf Cleveland, 
Ohio. 

From earlv boyhood, Oliver Edwards, 
of this review, had shown an iindixided 
interest in mechanics, taking delight in 
the construction of articles from his play- 
things. It had been his mother's inten- 
tion to give him a collegiate education, 
but so firmly was his heart set on mechan- 
ism, that slie at last consented for him to 
pursue studies along that line and ar- 
ranged for him a paid ap]-)renticeship at 
the Springfield Arsenal, and there he be- 
came a master mechanic. 

At the age of twenty-one, he started for 
Dubuque, Iowa, with the intention of 
establishing a foundry. An accident to 
the steamer coming up the Mississippi 
delayed him at Warsaw, Illinois, and 
overtures were made to him to buil<l a 
foundry at that point. He entered a Inisi- 
ness partnership known as Neberling. Ed- 
wards & Company, a foundry was built 
and to this work he devoted his time un- 
til the breaking out of the Ci\il war. P.e- 
ing in Cleveland, Ohio, when the first 
call for troops was made he determined 
to return to the state where his ancestors 
had fought to establish the Union and 
there ofifer his sei'vices to aid in its pres- 
cr\-ation. He entered the ser\"ice June 
21. 1 86 1, as a private, but was appointed 
atljutant of the Tenth Massachusetts 
Regiment, but was S(^on detailed senior 
aid-de-cani]) lui the staff of General D. 
\. Couch, commanding the division. In 
Vugust, 1862. he was commissioned ma- 
i(ir and directed to organize the Thirt}'- 
se\enth Massachusetts Volunteer Regi- 
ment and September 4, 1862. he was mus- 
tered in as its colonel. 



His ability as a commander was many 
times demonstrated. At Salem Church, 
V'a., May 3, 1863, he was placed in com- 
mand of his own and the Thirty-sixth 
New York Regiment to occup\- the posi- 
tion of the extreme angle on the Federal 
line 5f battle, throughout the niglit of 
the 3d and the ensuing da}-. This exposed 
position was one of great peril and Gen- 
eral Sedgwick, the corps commander, ex- 
jiressed his gratification at the outcome, 
frankly admitting that he had not expect- 
ed to save a single man from the exposed 
position in which it had been necessaiy 
to place the ci mimand. Colonel Edwards 
personally led his command through the 
terrible cannonade at Gettysburg, July 3, 
1863, and when more than thirty of his 
men had fallea in a few minutes his reso- 
nant words of confidence, '"Steady. 
Thirty-seventh!" rose above the din of 
battle and held every man to his place in 
a manner that won immediate and un- 
qualified compliment delivered upon the 
field by the brigade commander. On the 
30th of July, 1863, an order was given 
detailing "Four of the best disciplined 
regiments of the Army of the Potomac" 
for duty at New York in connection with 
the draft temporarily suspended owing 
to the draft riots, and the Thirty-seventh 
Massachusetts was the first regiment 
named in arranging for the detail. Dur- 
ing his stay in New York Colonel Ed- 
wards was in command of the troops at 
Ft. Hamilton, consisting of his own regi- 
ment, two regiments of New York heavy 
artillery and some detachments of regu- 
lars that formed the pemianent garrison. 
One incident only of the two months' stay 
there may be repeated there, although 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



303 



many others would make interesting read- 
ing: Learning that prominent anti-draft 
leaders had declared that probably no fur- 
ther rioting would take place unless Mas- 
sachusetts troops were brought to the 
city, in which case not a man (jf them 
would be allowed to leave alive, Colonel 
Edwards promptly requested that he be 
allowed to bring up his regiment as a 
special guard for the drafting quarters, 
that no other troops be allowed in sight 
and that only the Massachusetts state flag 
be displayed unless actual conflict took 
place. The request was granted and the 
plan fully carried out, but the threatened 
vengeance of the murderous wretches, 
who a few weeks before had drenched the 
city with blood, did not ( \'ery fortunateh' 
for them) go further than sullen looks 
and gloomy silence. The will of one fear- 
less commander had faced a lawless ele- 
ment boasting an organized force of 20.- 
000 men and had won a bloodless tri- 
umph for law and order. 

It was not until fall that an oppi irtu- 
nity occurred for lea\-e of absence that 
enabled Colonel Edwards to return In 
^^'arsaw for the intended bride who had 
waited with trunks readv packed since 
]\Ia_\', the time first set for their marriage, 
and on September 3. 1863, Oliver Ed- 
wards was united in marriage to Ann 
Eliza Johnston, daughter of John E. and 
Catherine (Baldwin) Johnston, of War- 
saw, Illinois, whose sketch appears on 
another page of this work. 

In the battle of the wilderness. ]\Iay 5. 
1864, General Wadsworth, whose (li\-i- 
sion had been bnjken and driven liack in 
some disorder, called upon Colonel Ed- 
wards and his regiment for assistance in 



checking the triumphant enemy and clear- 
ing the field so that the broken division 
might be reformed and put into action. 
For nine hundred yards his single regi- 
ment swept the field triumphantly, though 
at a cost of one-fourth of its number. 

"You have made a splendid charge, 
your regiment has done all 1 wished, and 
more than I dared hope," said General 
Wadsworth as he rode away in search of 
his division and to instant death. 

Genei^al Edwards received the bre\-et 
rank of brigadier general October 19. 
1864, "for gallant and distinguished 
sendees in the battle of Spotsylvania 
Court House and meritorious conduct on 
the field of battle at Winchester. \'ir- 
ginia." 

At the battle of Opegnam. September 
19, 1864, upon the death of General Rus- 
sell and the wounding of General Upham, 
the command of the division devolved 
upon Colonel Edwards, which he held 
until the close of the battle and handled 
\\itl) siu'li jiromptness and skill, with 
such unfailing judgment as to win the ad- 
miration of his superior officers, especially 
General Sheridan, who as a mark of ap- 
preciation appointed him commandant of 
the post at Winchester, Virginia, with his 
brigade as post garrison. It was from 
the breakfast table at General Edwards's 
headquarters that General Sheridan start- 
ed on his ride to Cedar Creek tr) check 
the disaster of October 19. In fact, the 
friendship between Generals Sheridan and 
Edwards was so close that the former 
urged Edwards to accept the .appoint- 
ment of provost marshal general on his 
staff and it was with great reluctance that 
Sheridan consented for him to return to 



304 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAIEW 



liis olcl brigade. In \'ain was the (iffer 
of a coniniand of a dix-ision not includ- 
ing his old brigade made Edwards by 
General ^iKide. ^\'hen his return to ac- 
tive duty was decided upon the heart of 
the commander was with his old regi- 
ment and he emphatically refused to take 
any appointment which would take him 
from them. In the assault of April 2 
on the lines ;it ]'etersl)urg his brigade 
took an active part, being the first to 
lireak through the confederate works. 
Next morning (reneral Edwards receix'ed 
from the nia_\i>r of I'etersbnrg the sur- 
render of the cit_\- very soon after the 
evacuatiijn of General Lee. Eor his ser\'- 
ices at this time he received the commis- 
sion of brevet major general to date from 
April 5, 1865. On the 15th of January, 
1866. he was lionorabK- (lischarged from 
the service of the United States after 
declining an appointment ior permanent 
military advancement of which any sol- 
dier might be proud, contentedl}- return- 
ing to take up the broken threads of busi- 
ness life. Returning to Warsaw, Illi- 
nois, at the close of the war, he remained 
for three years, sen'ing the city as post- 
master for a year and a half, a position he 
resigned to become general agent for ihe 
Florence Machine Company at North- 
ampton, jMassachusetts, removing with 
his famih' to that place, and later be- 
came the company's general superintend- 
ent, during which time he patented se\'- 
cral improxements on the sewing machine. 
He inventetl and patented the Elorence 
spring skate, which the company manu- 
■ faclured, also the Florence oil stove, the 
base of which is used in all the wick oW 
slo\'es used and manufactured toda\'. 



In 1875 he retiretl from acti\e business, 
and returning to Warsaw Ijought the 
house built by William H. Roosevelt, a 
grand uncle of President Theodore 
Roosevelt, which remains the family 
home. 

In 1882 lie accepted an appointment as 
general manager of the Gardner Machine 
and Gun Compan\-, of England, with 
headquarters in that country. After a 
year he returned ti) the United States for 
his familv. but two vears later resigned 
owing to ill health and again returned to 
Warsaw. 

He was alwa^'s active in the advance- 
ment of the. best interests of his city, seiw- 
ing it as mayor three terms, was chosen 
many times upon the boards of public 
school and library, was frequently com- 
mander of Arthur W. Marsh Post No. 
343, Grand .\rmy of the Republic, and 
a member of the [Masonic fraternity. In 
].)olitics he was a stalwart -republican. 
During the last two years of his life he 
g'athered into manuscript his recollec- 
tions of the Civil war. An ardent lover 
of nature, time ne\'er hung heavy for him 
and he spent many botu's in the cultiva- 
tion of his rose garden, in growing and 
experimenting with fruits and vegetables. 
He was a keen sportsman with nnl and 
gun, a friend of animals, a student of 
Ijooks. a loyal friend and an honored citi- 
zen, following faithfully e\ery pursuit 
of earnest dut}'. content and proud to 
pass his life modestl}'. sweetly, in the land 
his valor had helped to saxe. 

General Edwards died at his home in 
Warsaw, April 28, 1904. There sur- 
\i\e him his wife and two children: John 
E. and fulia Katherine, the latter now 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



living with her mother at the home in 
^^'arsa\v. John E. received his ednca- 
tion in the pubHc scliools of jMassachn- 
setts and Ilhnois up to the age of four- 
teen, when lie was sent to Hanover Col- 
leg"e, Hanover, Indiana, for two years, 
and then for one year attended the Ouincy 
(IlHnois) Business CoUege. At the age 
of seventeen, being in poor health, he 
went to Colorado to spend the summer 
on the ranch of his mother's uncle, Ed- 
win Baldwin, intending to enter the Uni- 
versity of Michigan that fall, but the 
charm of the west held him and the fol- 
lowing three years he spent on the- ranches 
in Colorado, Texas and Indian Territory 
as a cowboy. In 1888 he went to Chi- 
cago and for a year was in the employ iif 
Nelson, Morris & Company and of Swift 
& Company, but returned to Texas and 
drove a herd to Montana. For nine years 
he was in the employ of Thomas Cruse 
as foreman of an outfit and as g-eneral 
manager of all his cattle and sheep in- 
terests in Fergus County. Montana, re- 
signing to go into a general merchandis- 
ing business at Junction. [Montana. A 
year later he was appointed United States 
Indian agent on the Crow resei'vation, an 
appointment he held for three years, re- 
signing to be appointed United States 
Indian inspector for tlie n(Trthwest, from 
which he resigned to go into business at 
Forsyth, Montana, where he is president 
of the Bank of Commerce, of the Electric 
Light and Telephone Company and is 
also engaged in irrigation and railroad 
construction. He has recently been elect- 
ed to represent Rosebud county as state 
senator. In 1891 he married Julia, a 
dausfhter of Reese Anderson, a ranchman 



at Ft. Maginnis. Montana, and h> them 
lia\e l.ecn Ixun three cliildren. two now 
living: .Amiie Ji)linstone and Eunice 
Irene Edwards. 

( Taken from the Springfield. Massa- 
chusetts, Repubican, date September 20, 
1904) : At the presentation of a portrait 
of General Edwards by Mr. Bowen to the 
Springfield. Massachusetts, city hall col- 
lection. 

Secretar}- Jaiues L. Bowen. of this city, 
who made the presentation speech, said 
that (ieneral Edwards needed no memo- 
rial til kee]) his memory enshrined in the 
hearts of those who fnught under him. 
and with him. lint it was fitting that the 
members of General Edwards's old regi- 
ment should lea\-e something to serve as 
a reminder in the city of his birth of 
their old commander. Mr. Bowen said 
that he sIkjuUI not attempt to review the 
life I if Genend Edwards, for the facts 
were tiio well known. His military rec- 
ord did not need ti> be eulogized. From 
the liattle nf h'air Oaks to the mustering 
out in 1865 he fought bravely. General 
Edwards had entered the service, Mr. 
Bowen said, from civilian life, dropping 
his business in the west on the call to 
amis. He came to Springfield and be- 
gan recruiting on Hampden park. And 
when the recruits that he had collected 
were portioned out to fill other brigades 
General Edwards did not sulk in his tent, 
but accepted the contlitions like a true sol- 
dier. His i)romotion was due. ]\Ir. 
Bowen said, not to [lolitical influence, but 
to his own ability. 

Loval as he was to the state and city 
of his nativity, he was equally loyal to the 
regiment which he had organized and 



3o6 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



which had given its organizer such credit. 
During his entire miHtary career he ab- 
sohitely refuseil to accept any command 
which did not include the Thirty-seventh 
Massachusetts regiment. His warm 
friend. General Sheridan, urged him. 
while commandant of the post at Win- 
chester, to accept an appointment which 
meant a lifetime of service in the regular 
army, with high rank, but it was declined, 
and he returned to the army of the Poto- 
mac, to renew the perils of active service 
in the field. Tliere he positively refused 
to accept any command which did not 
embrace you men whu are gathered here 
todav. This refusal was carried to such 
a point as to place him in antagonism 
with officers of superior rank, but Ed- 
wards would not swerve, and finally he 
was assigned to the command which he 
sought, and through the defenses of Pe- 
tersburg he led his tried and trusted bat- 
talions, as he did in that last terrific strug- 
gle at Sailor's creek, where General Sher- 
idan, not accustomed tn delay in striking 
the enemy, sat upon his horse, witli the 
battlefield before him. nnd waited till Ed- 
wards and his command could be brought 
u]) fnim a point three miles in the rear to 
bear the brunt of the infantry fighting. 

His life as a citizen was a worthy sup- 
Ijlement to his life as a soldier. Modest 
in his manner, the esteem in which he was 
held is shown h\ the positinns of trust 
gi\-en him b\- the cummunitv in which 
his life was passed, where every Ikhhm" 
within the gift of his constituents was 
gratefully bestowed. Such, in brief, was 
the life whose close we mourn as we 
gather here toda_\-. ]\Ir. Commander, T 
give to your keeping this memori.al. 



Brevet Major General Oliver Edwards — 
peerless soldier, worthy citizen, true- 
hearted comrade. 



JOHN W. BERTSCIH. 

John \\'. Bertschi is one of the native 
sons of Hancock county, having first 
opened his eyes to the lig-ht of day on 
section 22, Appanoose township, Febru- 
arv 12, 1852. In the years that have 
come and gone he has proved an active 
and entcqirising citizen, giving helpful 
support to man)- progressive public 
measiu'es and at the same time carefully 
conducting his individual business inter- 
ests. Little is known concerning the an- 
cestral history of the family save that 
earlier generations were for a long pe- 
riod residents of Switzerland. ]ohx\ 
Bertschi, the grandfather, born and 
reared in that country, was there married 
to Miss Steiner, and their son, William 
Bertschi, was born in the land of the 
Alps April 18, 1825. Having arrived at 
years of maturity, he wedded Miss Eliza- 
lieth Walti. who was born in Switzerland, 
July 2, 1S27, and was a daughter of Ru- 
dolph ^^'alti. It was in the year 1849 
that \\"illiam Bertschi came to Hancock 
county with his widowed mother and 
brothers and sisters. He was then a 
young man of twenty-four years, and 
after assisting the family to get located 
in the new world, he returned to liis na- 
tive country in 1850 and there, in the 
spring of 1851. he was married. Tn the 



HAXCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



307 



fall of the same year he brought his bride 
to the United States and made his way 
to Hancock county, Illinois, having pre- 
^■iously determined to locate here where 
the faniih- had taken up their abode. He 
l)urchased fort}' acres of land on section 
22. Appanoose township, it being one of 
the first farms of the localil)'. Upon it 
was the only apple orchard in this part 
of the county and people would come for 
miles around to get apples, and others 
came for long distances just to see the or- 
chard, which was an oddity in those early 
da}'s. There was one frame house and 
line log building upon the farm and also 
two or three log stables. As Mr. Bertschi 
could not obtain possession of his prop- 
erty until the spring of 1852 he lived 
with his sister, who had the adjoining 
forty acres, during the winter. When 
spring came, however, he took up his 
abode upon his own place and began its 
development and improvement. In course 
of time he added eighty acres of prairie 
land and forty acres of timber and at dif- 
ferent times made purchase of twenty 
acres on section 15, twenty acres on sec- 
tion 16. and an eighty-acre tract on sec- 
tion 2/. He became well known as a 
stockman, being particularly fond nf 
hi:)rses. and thus well qualified for their 
care and raising. He owned the first 
imported Percheron horse sired by Napo- 
leon brought to this country. At differ- 
ent times he owned many stallions and did 
an extensive business as a breeder. He 
(lied March 7, 1900. and was laid to rest 
in Xauvoo cemetery, while his wife 
passed away Ottober 7, 1893. Their 
family numbered five sons and three 
daughters, as follows : John \V. : Her- 



man and Albert, who are residing at 
Glenwood, Washington ; Carl, whose 
home is in Niota, this county; Lizette B.. 
the widow of Lee Miller, of Iowa ; Otillia, 
the wife of John Ivindscher, of Meeker, 
Cijlin"ado; Emma, the wife of Louis J. 
Bicker, who resides on the old Bertschi 
hijmestead in Appanoose township : and 
William D., also of Niota. 

Ni) event of special importance oc- 
curred t<i var}- the routine of farm life 
for John W. Bertschi in his boyhood and 
youth. He was a student in Center dis- 
trict school of Appanoose township and 
like iither boys he enjoyed the sports 
which were indulged in by the youth of 
the neighborhood. He was trained to ac- 
tive farm labor, early becoming familiar 
with the work of the fields, and to his fa- 
ther he gave the benefit of his services un- 
til his marriage, remaining until that time 
under the parental roof. He had pre- 
viously purchased eighty acres of land on 
section 27, Appanoose township, of 
which he became owner in the spring of 
1876. There was an old log house upon 
the place that is still standing, and the 
other improvements were of a primitive 
nature. 

It was to this pioneer home that Mr. 
Bertschi took his bride, when on the 2 4.th 
of October, 1877, he was married to Miss 
IMargaret Forth, who was born in Appa- 
noose township. May 28, 1856. Her par- 
ents were Frederick and Dorothy E. (Her- 
man) Forth, natives of Hesse, Germany. 
The father made his way to Belleville. 
Illinois, in 1841, and lived in St. Clair 
county until 1852, when he removed to 
Nauvoo and settled upon a fami in Ap- 
panoose township, where he spent his re- 



3o8 



BIOGRAPHICAL KEllBW 



maininy days, passing away mi the ist nt 
December, 1894. His widdw still sur- 
\-ives him and is now li\ing in St. Louis 
with her daughter. Mrs. John Klug. As 
stated, Mr. Bertschi took his bride to the 
log cabin up(Mi his farm and there lived 
for ten years, after which they spent two 
years in a stone house situated opposite 
his place. In the fall of 1890 lie was 
elected treasurer of the county and re- 
mo\ed to Carthage, where he continued 
to reside until 1S98, when he remoxcd to 
the vicinity of his home place and rented 
a house, but in that rear he had a modem 
dwelling erected, which he and his faiu- 
ily have occupied since September, 1898. 
He has also extended the boundaries of 
his farm by purchasing sixty acres on the 
south. He is well known as a general 
farmer and stock-raiser, his attention in 
the latter direction being given largelx' 
to Poland China hogs. 

In 190J Mr. licrtschi was called upon 
to mourn the loss of his wife, who died 
on the 28th of January, and was buried 
in Xauvoo cemetery. Their children 
are: William Tell, who was born .\u- 
gust 19, 1878, and is now in Portland, 
Oregon; Roscoe R., who was born April 
13, 1883, and is at home; and Wallace, 
born ^lay 14, 1887. 

]Mr. Bertschi holds membership in the 
Christian church at Carthage, and is one 
of the prominent democrats of the county, 
recognized as a leader in the ranks of the 
party. He was called to \arious pul)lic 
offices, the duties of which he has clis- 
charged w^ith prom])tness and fidelit}'. 
He was fn-st elected ti}wnshi]) collector, 
serving in 1877. 1878. 1871) and 18X0. 
It was during the same period that he 



acted for one year as town clerk, and he 
has also filled the office of supen'isor for 
a number of terms. Vov three vears he 
was a director of the agricultural board 
of the county fair at Carthage. In tlie 
fall of iS(jo he was chosen by popular 
suffrage to the office of count}' treasurer, 
and ser\-ed for one term of four years, 
while since 1900 he has been assessor of 
Appanoose township. Called thus to va- 
rious offices his re-elections ha\e I)een in- 
dications of his ability and the trust and 
confidence reposed in him by his fell<iw 
townsmen. He has wielded a wide influ- 
ence in ])ulilic affairs and be it said to his 
credit that the weight of his influence 
is e\'er on the side of right. ref(_)rm. jirog- 
ress and improvement. He is a man hon- 
orable in all life's relations and whether 
in jjositions of public trust, in business 
circles or as a representative of social 
relations he is known as a man worthy 
of high regard and confidence. 



b'R.wKLix L. Mccormick, ^i. d. 

He whose name initiates this review 
has gained recognition as one of the able 
;md successful physicians of Carthage and 
Hancock ccumtv, and by his labors, his 
high professional attainments and his 
sterling characteristics has justihed the re- 
spect and confidence in which he is held 
in the medical fraternity in the local jjub- 
lic. He is one of Illinois" nati\e sons, his 
birth ha\ing occurred in Mount Sterling, 
lirown county, on the 22d day of March, 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



309 



1857, his parents being Robert and Ade- 
line (\\'ilson) McCormick. The father 
was bom in Kentucky and both he and 
his wife spent their chiklhood days there 
and were married in that state. The 
name, however, woukl indic;ite Scotch an- 
cestiy. Robert McCormick and his wife 
came to Illinois prior to 1849. as the 
court records show that he owned the 
ground where the Baptist church now 
stands prior to that day. He was a tan- 
ner and owned a tanneiy in Brown coun- 
ty, continuing in that business up to the 
time of his death. Both he and his wife 
were devoted members of the Pres- 
byterian church and were people of the 
righest respectability. The father died 
December 24. 1861. when his son Frank- 
lin was but four years of age, and the 
mother was left with the care of twelve 
children, whom she reared, giving a 
mother's lo\'ing devotion to them. She 
died at the advanced age of eighty years, 
three moiUhs and three days, passing 
away in i8c;6. 

Dr. McCiirmick is the eleventh child 
and seventh son in the familv. When 
se\"en years of age he left Brown county 
and removed to Pike county, Illinnis, 
where he acquired his preliminarv educa- 
tion and afterward attended Xormal 
schcjol. Later he engaged in teaching Vmt 
regarded this merely as an initial ste]) In 
other professional labor, fdr he desired 
to become a member of the medical fra- 
ternity and became a student in the oftice 
and under the direction of Dr. Marvey, 
of Pittsfield. He afterward attended the 
Missouri Medical College at St. Lmiis 
and pursued one course of lectures there, 
while later he entered the Keokuk 'Slml- 



ical College, from which he was gradu- 
ated with the class of 1897. He located 
for practice at Bentley, in Hancock coun- 
t}'. where he soon secured a good counti'v 
practice, but desiring a broader field he 
removed t(j Memphis, Alissouri, where he 
remained six months. He then came to 
Carthage on the _'2d nf I'ebruary, 1899. 
and has since maintained a prominent po- 
sition in the ranks oi the medical frater- 
nity here and has a large and lucrative 
practice. He occupies a fine suite of 
rooms in the McMahan building and is a 
general practitioner, well \-ersed in all de- 
partments of medical science and its adap- 
tation. He belongs to the Hancock Med- 
ical Society, the Illinois State Medical 
Society and the American Medical Asso- 
ciation. He is moreover grand medical 
examiner of the Hancock County Mutual 
Life Association, of which he was the 
originator, and which is now known as 
one of the most successful mutual insur- 
ance companies of the countrv, and owes 
its success largel> to Di'. McCormick. 
Dr. McCormick was married Decem- 
I)er 13. 1882. to Miss Mary E. Brown- 
ing, of Perry, Pike county, a daughter 
of William and Mary ( Dorsev ) Brown- 
ing, who were old residents df I'ike coun- 
ts locating there on coming from Ten- 
nessee. L'nto Dr. and .Mrs. McCormick 
have been horn three children: Matie 
A., married June 3, 1906. to Carl C. Carl- 
ton, of Sault St. Marie. Michigan, where 
she resides. She is a graduate of the Car- 
thage high school: Xettie L., who is also 
a graduate of the high school and is cash- 
ier of the Wyman R;md Carpet Com- 
pany of Carthage: and Grace I*'., who is 
\'et a student. Dr. and Mrs. McCormick 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



and the two elder daughters hold ineni-' 
bership in the Christian church. Theirs 
is a pleasant and attractix'e home on South 
Alain street, Dr. JNlcCormick having- 
made most of the improvements there. 
Its hospitality is justly celebrated and 
their circle of friends is an extensive one. 
Dr. McCormick belongs to the Odd Fel- 
lows Society of Perry and the Knights 
of Pythias lodge at Pittsfield, Illinois. 
In politics he is a democrat but is Un) 
busy to hold office even if he had political 
aspirations. Pie is justly accounted one 
of the strong members of the medical 
fraternity in the county, having thor- 
oughly acquainted himself with the sci- 
ence of medicine, and to his knowledge he 
is continually adding through reading and 
investigation, while in his practice he dis- 
plays keen power of diagnosis, so that he 
is seldom at error in a matter of profes- 
sional judgment. 



CLARK H. RICE. 



Clark H. Rice is one of the native sons 
of Hancock county and although his resi- 
dence here has not been continuous he 
has yet sjient the greater part of his lite 
within the borders of the county and is 
now classed with the representative agri- 
I'ulturists rif Pontoosuc township, owning 
and culti\'ating one hundred and sixty 
acres of land on section 33. His life 
record began in Durham township in 
i86f') and he is a son (jt Henry 
and Elizabeth Rice, who are men- 



7,-^tioned elsewhere m this Mj'ume. He 
was educated in the Almater school 
and in Elliott's Pusiness College, at Bur- 
lington, Iowa, and tlui?, l)y liberal train- 
ing, was well e(|uipped for the arduous 
duties thai come with one's entrance into 
the business world. He remained at 
home with his parents until t\\ent_\--f<_)ur 
years of age and then made arrangements 
for having a home of his own through 
his nu'irriage in i8(;o. to ]\Iiss Laura Al. 
Bradfield, who was l)orn in Hardin 
count}-. Iowa. Januar_\' 4. 1870, a daugh- 
ter of James N. and Ada ( Wolf ) BracP 
field. Her father was born in A'irginia, 
Loudoun county, in 1833. and her mofher 
in Ohio, in 1836, and they came to Han- 
cock c(.)unt}- from Iowa when their daugh- 
ter. Airs. Rice, was a \ery little girl. 
wShe is the youngest of their four cliildren, 
all yet living, the others being: James 
L.. of La Harpe; William F.. also living 
in La Har])e; and Sherman, a resident of 
Durham ti;>wnship. 

Air. and Airs. Rice I)egan their domestic 
life on a farm near Disco. Illinois- and 
followed farming in this county until 
1893. The succeeding three years were 
spent upon a farm in Nebra.ska and on re- 
turning to Illinois, Mr. Rice was again 
engaged in farming near Disco for a year. 
He after engaged in the same pursuit 
near Argvle. low'a. for six years, and 
in 1903 he purchased one hundred and 
sixty acres of land on section 32. Pon- 
toosuc township, where he has since re- 
sided. The place is well improved with a 
good residence, bam and other modern 
equipments and as a general farmer and 
stock-raiser Mr. Rice is meeting with 
prosperity, as the result of his close ap- 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



plication, careful management and laud- 
able ambition. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Rice were born 
four children: One died in infancy. 
Bertha, born Octoljer 25. 1891, in Disco, 
died July 19, 1899; Charles L., born in 
Arg-yle, Iowa, April 26, 1898, is at home; 
Eulah E., Ijorn in Pontoosuc township, 
Jul}- 5, 1903. died on the 29th of August, 
of that year. The parents are consistent 
members of the ^Methodist church and 
in politics he is a republican. He has no 
desire for office, preferring to devote his 
entire time and attention to his business 
interest which, carefull}' conducted, are 
bringing him a measure of success that 
classes him with the men of affluence in 
his townshi]). 



LAFAYETTE FRAZER. 

Lafayette Frazer. carrying on general 
farming in \\'alker tijwnship, was bin'u 
in \\'alker township in 1882, a son of 
George W. and Elizalieth Rebecca 
( Shipe) Frazer. The father was reared 
to farm life and has always follcjwed 
agricultural pursuits. His wife, also a 
native of Hancock county, was jjorn in 
Rocky Run township. They still reside 
in Walker township and are people of 
genuine personal worth. Their famih' 
numbers six children, of wlnim fi\e are 
now living: James, a resident of Walker 
township; Edith, the wife of W:illiam 
Schildman, of Walker township ; Lafay- 
20 



ette, of this review; Marion and Elberta. 
both at home. 

The Oak Valley school in Walker 
township afforded Lafayette l*"razer his 
educational privileges, which he enjoyed 
in his \'outh. He remained on the old 
homestead until he had attained his ma- 
jority and on the 1st of December. 1901, 
he was united in marriage to Miss Ina 
Tripp, who was Ijorn in Adams county, 
June 13, 188 1, a daughter of .Mva and 
Sallie Tripp, both of whom were natives 
of Illinois, the former born in 1854, and 
the latter in 1861. They are now ])ros- 
perfius farming people of Ailams county, 
Illinois, and in their family are four chil- 
dren, namel}- : ]\Irs. Frazer. Clifford, 
Verna, and Virgil. The family }-et re- 
mains unl)ri.iken bv the hand of death, and 
w itli the exception of Mrs. I'razer all are 
yet under the parental roof. 

Following his marriage Mr. Frazer 
rented a farm (jf two lnindre<l and forty 
acres which was once owned and occu- 
pied by his grandfather and is now the 
property of his father. Here he engages 
in the raising of stock in addition to the 
culti\atirin of the cereals best adapted to 
soil and climate. In his farm work he 
is enterprising as well as diligent and his 
persistence and determination constitute 
the salient featiu^es in his life and argue 
well for his success. 

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Frazer has 
jjeen blessed with two interesting chil- 
dren: Helen, born in 1902; and Harold, 
in 1904. The parents are pleasant, 
genial people and hospitality is one of the 
delightful features of their home. Mr. 
Frazer exercises his right of franchise in 
support of the democracy but has never 



BIOGRAPHICAL REflElV 



Ijeeu an asiiirant for oflice, preferring to 
concentrate his energies upon his busi- 
ness affairs. 



JOHN AIORGAX RISER. 

A well (le\-eloped and highly improved 
farm in W'vthe township is the pro[)erty 
of John Morgan Riser, who has spent 
almost his entire life in Illinois. He was 
born in Campl)ell county, Rentuck}'. Sep- 
tember 20. 1862, Ijeing the sixth in order 
of birth in a famil_\' of two sons and seven 
daughters whose ])arents were Wilson 
and ]Mar_\- (Johnson) Riser, likewise na- 
tives i)f Campbell county. The paternal 
grandfather was Robert Riser, and the 
maternal grandfather, James Johnson, 
both residents of Rentucky. In the year 
1864, Wilson Riser brought his family 
to Hancock county and purchased one 
hundred and sixty acres of land on sec- 
tion 29, \\'}-the township. L'])on this 
farm was a small house and a little stable 
and a fence had Ijeen built around the 
place. He soon remodeled the house, 
built a granar\- and barn and continued 
the work of imjjroving his farm which 
in course of \ears became an excellent 
propert}', the fields returning him golden 
harvests in reward for the care and labor 
wdiich he bestowed u|)on them. He re-' 
mained upon this farm imtil called to 
his final rest, his wife passing away in 
^fay. 1890, while he sin-\-ived until Hc- 
tober of the same year. 

Brought to Wythe township when Init 
two years of age. John M. Riser pursued 



his education in the district schools of the 
neighborhood and when not busy with 
his text-books aided in the farm work, 
giving his father the benefit of his services 
in the field and meadow 'until he had 
attained his majority. He then began 
fanning on his own account, and puv- 
chased forty acres of land on section 
28, \\'}'the township, from his father. 
This he cultivated for six _\-ears, at 
the end of which time he i)ur- 
chased the old homestead of one hundred 
and sixty acres from the other heirs and 
took possession of the place. When the 
Iiarn was destro}-ed by fire in 1895 he 
replaced it by a good l)arn fort_\' by fifty 
feet and in 1905 he further improvetl his 
place In' the erection of one among the 
finest homes iii the township. It is 
heated b\' furnace and supplied with all 
modern ciinipments, is tastefully furnished 
and is noted for its gracious and -warm 
hearted hos])itality. Mr. Riser gives his 
attention to the cultivation of his fields 
and to the raising of Percheron horses 
and good grades of cattle and hogs. He 
also farms eighty acres of land belonging 
to his wife, and the success which is at- 
tending his efl^orts is indicati\'e of his 
progressive methods in carrying on the 
farm work. 

On the 27th of August, 1883, Mr. Riser 
was married to Miss Rose Ewing, who 
was born in Walker township and pur- 
sued her education in the district schools- 
there, while spending her girlhood days 
in the home of her parents, John and 
Margaret (Stucker) Ewing, who were 
natives of Rentucky and Ohio respective- 
ly. Mr. and ^Trs. Riser now have an 
interesting family of four children : 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



313 



Ethel, born June 2. 1S87: Emma. Sep- 
tember 10. 1893: Claud. April 2^. 1898: 
and Annie, September 20. 1900. The 
parents hold membership in the I'resl)v- 
terian church and Mr. Kiser \-otes with 
the democracy but he has never been an 
aspirant for office. The fact that many 
of his stanchest friends are those who 
ha\-e known him from his 1>(>_\hi)ri(l da}s 
to the present time is an indication that 
his life has been well spent and that his 
.sterling traits of character are such as 
command uniform confidence and good 



ALBERT BERTSCHI. 

Albert Bertschi. a prominent stuckman 
of Niota. where he is engaged in handling 
horses, cattle and sheep, is a nati\-e sun 
of Illinois, having been born in .\]5])a- 
noose township. September 18. 1 87 1 . 1 >f 
Scotch and Swiss ancestry. His paternal 
grandparents were Solomon and Eliza- 
beth Bertschi. who emigrated from the 
land of the Alps in an early day. bring- 
ing with them their son PhileuKm. who 
was the father of our .subject. They first 
settled in New Orleans, but in i83() went 
to St. Louis, where the\' remained one 
winter and then removed to Illinois, lo- 
cating in Appanoose township. Here 
Philemon Bertschi was married in 1868 
to Miss Margaret Mackie, the wedding 
ceremony being performed at French- 
town. She was a daughter of Robert 
]\Iackie. wdiose hinh occurred in Scotland, 
and who emigrated to America, settling 



in Hancock ci unity prior U> the time the 
Mormons timk u]) their abode in this sec- 
tion of the state. In this county the 
daughter, Margaret, was Ixirn and after 
reaching won-uuihood ga\e her hand in 
marriage to Philemon I!ertschi. Her 
father passed away in this county in the 
Year 1870. i'ullowing his marriage 
Philemon Bertschi. father nf our subject, 
located on a farm in .Xjjpanoose town- 
ship, comprising one hundred and ninety- 
eiglit acres, to which he added from time 
to time until at the time of his death. 
April 2. 1902. he left a ^-aluable farm 
of four hundred acres. His wife had 
preceeded him to the home be^-ond. her 
death occurring in May. 1S87. 

Albert Bertschi. the eldest of four sons 
and three daughters, was reared on the 
home farm, assisting his father in the 
operations of his farming pursuits, so 
that the son received practical training 
which enabled him later in life to carr}' 
on business on his own account. He ac- 
quired his education in district school Xo. 
43. near his father's home, and remained 
with his parents until he attained his ma- 
iorit^•, at which time he was married and 
started out in life on his own account. 
He chose as a companion and helpmate 
on life's journey Miss Bessie Briley, 
whom he wedded on the 5th of April. 
1892. She is a nati\-e of .\ppanoose 
township, and is a daughter of William 
and Matilda (Uhler) Briley. both na- 
tives of the Keystone state. 

Eollowing his marriage Mr. Bertschi 
took up his abode on a farm in Sonora 
township, belonging to his father, where 
he remained for (en years, .\fter his 
father's death he removed to the old 



314 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriElV 



lioniestead t'anii. which he operated until 
March, 1905. when he took up his abode 
in Niota, where lie built a large barn and 
began dealing in horses, cattle and sheep. 
He now has an associate in business, his 
partner being William Ellison. They are 
now engaged quite extensi\'ely in hand- 
ling horses, cattle and sheep, shipping a 
large amount of each, from which they 
derive a gratifying income. Pie is a 
wide-awake and enterprising business 
man well known all over Hancock county, 
his business interests taking him o\-er a 
large territory. He is ever fmind re- 
liable and straightforward in all liis busi- 
ness transactions and is accuunted one of 
the leading factors of his village. 

In his political views Mr. Bertschi is 
a democrat, and for a number of years 
served as school directcir. He holds 
membership relations with the Modern 
Woodmen of America, belonging to camp 
No. 1654, at Niota, and is also an Odd 
Fellow, belonging to lodge, No. 222, at 
Nauvoo. In his family are two children, 
Phil Albert, born April 30, 1893; and 
Bernice, born in March, 1895. 



CHARLES T. MARTIN. 

Charles T. Martin, captain on a boat 
running from Ouincy, Illinois, to Daven- 
port, Iowa, is a worthy citizen of Niota, 
wdiere he owns and occupies a fine home, 
besides other property which he rents. 
He is a native of Columbus, Ohio, his 
birth ha\'ing ijcctn-red September 22. 



1840, a son of Charles T. and \ia.r\ jane 
(Jackson) Martin, natives of Harper's 
Ferry, West Virginia, and Connecticut, re- 
spectively. Mr. and Mrs. Charles T. 
Martin had accompanied their respective 
parents to Columbus, Ohio, during their 
}'outh and were there married aljout 1834, 
The father was a contractor and l)uil(ler, 
and in 1842 he removed to l'"(jrt Madison, 
Iowa, where he continued his work as a 
carpenter and ct)ntractor until 1853, 
wdien he went to California, and his death 
there occurred three years later. In his 
family were two sons and four daugh- 
ters, of whom the subject of this review 
was the third in order of. birth, and of 
whi_)m f(.nn- vet survive, namely : diaries 
T. ; .Sarah A., the widow of Dr. George 
Eerrard, now residing" in Chicago ; 
Helen M.. the wife of W. B. Bently, and 
a resident of Fort Madison, Iowa, and 
A. A., also of that city. The mother, in 
187] , married Jonathan. Allen, who was a 
retired farmer, and her death occurred 
February 13, 1906, when she had reached 
the \'ery advanced age of eighty-eight 
years, for her birth occurred April 28, 
1818. 

Charles T. Martin, whose name intro- 
duces this record, acquired a C(jmmon- 
school education in Fort Madison, and at 
the age of thirteen years entered a print- 
ing office, where he was employed for one 
year, after which he went to Davenport, 
Iowa, and worked in a job printing office 
for the succeeding six years. He then 
l)ecame interested in navigation and 
learned to be a pilot, his work being on 
the ^Mississippi river. Three years later 
he became captain of a boat running from 
Ouincy, Illinois, to Davenport, Iowa, 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



315 



whicli he has fuUowed to the present time. 
In the meatiiiie. in iJ^^3. he bought a farm 
comprising one hundred and sixt}-eight 
acres, situated on section i , Appano(.ise 
township, a portion of which was operated 
by his sons, while the remainder he rented 
to other parties. In the spring of iqoj, 
however, he sold this jjroperty and in- 
vested in four lots and two houses in 
Niota, one of which he (K-cupies, while 
the other he rents. He has a fine liome, 
which is supplied with all comfcirts and 
conveniences and he is now comfortal)ly 
situated in life. 

On the 3d of March, 1864, Mr. Martin 
was married to Aliss Justina j\l. Dellan- 
baugh. a nati\'e of Xorth (ieorgeti>wn. 
Columbiana count}-. Ohio, a daughter of 
John and Sarah ( Sheets) Dellanbaugh, 
natives of Switzerland and Pennsylvania, 
respectively. Mrs. Martin was born June 
3, 1846, and between the ages of four 
and eighteen \-ears pursued her studies 
in a convent at Cleveland, Ohio. The li\- 
iiig members of Mr. Martin's famil\" are 
as follows: Charles L., wlm was burn 
March 13, 1865, and is a pilnl on a bnat 
running on the Mississippi ri\er and re- 
sides in Warsaw, Illinois: Justin:i M.. 
born August 12. 1869. and now the wife 
of Thomas Cosgrove. of Appanmise town- 
sliip : Anderson A., born July 31. iHj( . 
and a resident of Fort Madison, Iowa; 
Frank E., born October 23. 1878. and a. 
resident of Mammoth, Montana: Mar}- 
H., who was born October 4, 1880. and 
is now the wife of Fred Jackson, of Car- 
thage to\\'nship: Royal M.. who was Imrn 
December 12. 1886, and resides with his 
parents but is emploved by the .\tchison, 
Topeka & Santa Fe Railroarl, at Fort 



:\Iadison, L:)W-a : Sydney L., born Decem- 
ber 26, 1889: Earl, born June 26, 1891. 
Those deceased are: Harriett M.. wdio 
was born November 26, 1866, and died 
July 6, 1870; Damaras C, who was 
born May 13, 1874, and passed away Feb- 
ruary 3, 1887; John D., who was born 
February 10, 1872, and died February 5, 
1888; Sarah E., w-ho was born March 5, 
1883, and died February 21, 1888; and 
Raymond V., twin brother of Royal, 
whose death occurred July 17, 1897. 

]\Ir. ]\Iartin supports the principles of 
the Democratic party and served as school 
director for four vears but aside from this 
has accepted no political office. Frater- 
nallv he holds n-iembership with the 
Modern ^\'oodnlen of America. He has 
been energtic and persevering in all that 
he has undertaken and as the years have 
passed bv has accumulated a comfortable 
competence so that lie is now- enabled to 
enjoy many of the comforts of life. Mr. 
and Mrs. Martin have reared a family of 
children of w-hich the}- have e\-ery reason 
to be proud and they arc highly esteemed 
people of this [xirtion of the state. 



WILLIAM M. FERGUSON. 

William M. I'erguson. who is engaged 
in the li\-er\- business and is also a dealer 
in horses ii-i La Harpe, was born in Ayre- 
shire, Scotland, May 29, 1867. He is a 
son of John Fergus(-)n, ;dso a n;itive of 
.\vreshire and a grandson of Mathew 
Earl. The former married ( irace Ear', 



3i6 



HIOCI^APHICAL RFJ IRW 



a (.laughter oi Uaxid ami Margaret 
(Stevens) Earl, who were horn in Ayre- 
shire as was Mrs. Ferguson. John Fer- 
guson was an engineer on the Glasgow 
& Sniuhwestern Railroad and spent his 
entire lile in his nati\e country, there 
passing awa}- in 1901. having fi>r more 
than a decade survi\'ed his wife. \\hi> died 
in 1890. 

William M. Ferguson accjuired a com- 
mon-schoiil education, attending until tlic 
age of ten years, when he started out upon 
his business career, working with a horse 
Iniyer of the name of Crawford, at 
Manare Head, Scotland. He was thus 
engaged for eight years and afterward 
removed to Inchnnan, Paisley, Scotland, 
where he worked for a Mr. 'ra\lor, a 
JKjrse breeder, for two years. In 1887 
he came to America with eighteen head 
of thoroitghbred horses for John C. 
Huston, of Blandinsville. Illinois, and was 
in the employ of Mr. Huston for se\'en 
years, the latter being one of the most 
])rominent stock breeders and dealers in 
his section of the state. In 1895 he 
entered the employ of W. O. Talbert, 
feeding and caring for horses and five 
^■ears later, with the capital that he had 
acquired, he began business on his own 
account, dealing in and shipping h(.)rses 
for himself. On the i8th of Januar}-. 
i()o6. he purchased the L.ancaster livery 
barn in La Harpe. becoming owner of 
i'ourteen head of horses and twelve ve- 
hicles. He is still conducting the lixery 
business and he yet deals in horses, em- 
ploying two men. He is an expert judge 
of horses, seldom at error in his estimate 
of the value of an animal ;in<l since en- 
gaging in Ijiisiness on his own .-iccount 



he has secured a good patronage and con- 
ducted a profitable trade. 

On the 31st of January. 1893, Air. 
h'crguson was united in marriage to Miss 
Mary Martin, who was born in Canton. 
Illinois, in June, 1873, rnid is a daughter 
of Patrick and I!elle (Haley) Marlui, 
who were natives of Ireland and her father 
was employed in railroad work in lllin(.)is 
for many }'ears. He died in August, 
1905. L'nto Mr. and Mrs. k'erguson 
ha\-e l.)een born three cliildren : (irace, 
who was born in 1894 and died at the 
age of two years: Maggie, born in i8i)() 
and died in infanc}-; and Ra^anond. liorn 
in August, 1903. 

Mr. Ferguson is a member of the Chris- 
tian church and his jxilitical allegiance is 
gi\-en to the democrac}- but he has neither 
time nor inclination to seek office. ]ire- 
ferring to give his attention to his busi- 
ness interests, in which he is now meet- 
ing with success. Fle has had n<i oc- 
casion t<i regret his determination to come 
to .\merica for he has found here good 
business op]iortunities ancl through their 
utilization has gained a comfortable 
living. 



HENRY THOMAS PITT. 

Henry Thomas Pitt, a progressive agri- 
culturist and stock-raiser of Sonora town- 
ship, having here a fine tract of land of 
one hundred and sixty acres of rich and 
arable land, is a native of Herefordshire. 
England, liis natal day being July 15, 
18^6, a son of Thomas and Charlotte 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



317 



( Harihvick ) Pitt, likewise nali\es of the 
fatherland. The son was a little lad of 
fi\e years, when, in the spring of 184T, 
he accompanied his mother U> America, 
and they at <>nce made their way to 
Xativoo, where they were joined by the 
father in the following spring. The fam- 
ily then located on a farm in Sonora town- 
ship, where he engaged in general agricnl- 
tural pursuits. 

Henry Thomas Pitt acquired his educa- 
tion in the Elliott district school near his 
father's home, this being the first scIuhiI 
built in the township. He remainc<l with 
his parents mitil his marriage on the 12th 
of December, 1861, Miss Huldah Jane 
Stevens becoming his wife. .She is a 
native of Meig's count}-, ()hi<i, her birth 
having occvtrred March 3, 1842, and when 
eight years of age she was lirought to this 
state bv lier parents, Daniel and Mar_\ 
(Stabbord) Stevens, Ijoth nati\-es nf 
Maine. On removing from their native 
state the\- settled in Ohio, where the\- 
remained from 1840 until 1850 and at 
that time went to Quincy, but four years 
later removed to Sonora township, Han- 
cock county, where he purchased a farm 
of eighty acres which he improved and 
iiis death occurred one year later in 1865. 
while his wife, survived for twelve years. 

Following his marriage Mr. Pitt lo- 
cated on his farm of eighty acres, lying 
on section 14. Sonora township, of which 
only about fifteen acres had been cleared. 
He at once set to work to improve his 
farm and in course of time placed his 
fields under a high state of cultivation 
and planted his crops, from which he an- 
nuallv gathered rich har\'ests. On the 
place was a log cabin, in wliicli the famil\- 



made their home until the fall of i8()6, 
when this was replaced by a more com- 
modious frame dwelling. He set out 
shade trees and an orchard containing one 
hundred and twenty fruit trees of va- 
rious kinds, of which only two apple trees 
remain. He has set out a second orchard, 
as well as small fruit of all kinds, has 
built barns and other outbuildings for 
the shelter of stock, grain and farm ma- 
chinery, and from time to time added to 
his house until he today has one of the 
finest cijuntry residences of his portion 
of the state, being supplied with all 
modern conveniences and accessories. In 
1881 he added an additional tract ()f 
eightv acres ti.i his home place, so that 
he now has one hundred and si.xty acres 
of finely improved land. Here he is en- 
gaged in general farming and stock-rais- 
ing, including horses, cattle and Chester 
White and Poland China hogs. 

Unto our subject and his wife have been 
born five sons and four daughters, as 
follows: Alice Ann. who was born June 
26, 1862, and died in January. 1863; Ed- 
win, born March 13. 1864, a resident of 
Rock Creek township; Orin W., born in 
1866. and likewise a resident of Rock 
Creek township ; Ida J., the wife of Frank 
Stevenson, also of that township ; Hattie 
C, the wife of Charles Ross, of Mont- 
rose. Iowa; Henry Thomas, of Van 
Buren county. Iowa ; John Everett, resid- 
ing in Rock Creek township ; Milton ^^'ar- 
ren. of Dallas City; and Maud Allen, the 
wife of Harvey Hardy, of Rock Creek 
township. 

In politics Mr. Pitt is independent, vot- 
ing- for the men whom he regards as best 
qualified for oflice. regardless of party 



.?iS 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



ties. He has served as school director 
but aside from this has held no puhHc 
oli':ce. His rehgious faith is indicated by 
his niembersliip in the Latter Day Saints" 
church. Mr. Pitt lias led a busy and 
useftd life and all that he possesses has 
been acquired through his own well di- 
rected labors. He has worked diligently 
and persistently as the years ha\e gone 
b\' and now has an excellent farm which 
bears evidence of the careful supervision 
and manacenient of the owner. 



DAVID R. SIGHTS. 

Among the self-made men who are now- 
leading and influential factors in the agri- 
cultural life of Hancock county may be 
numbered Daxid R. Sights, for. being left 
an I irphan at a xery early age. he has 
depended upon his own enterprise and in- 
dustry for his success in life and the posi- 
tion which he occupies today is due entire- 
l\- to his own well directed efforts. A 
nati\e of ( iuernsey county, Ohio, he was 
born July 4, i^-[y. a son of William and 
Martha (Sarchet) Sights, the former 
born in Pennsyl\-ania. and the latter a na- 
tive of (Irundy Island, France. The 
father followed farming in the P)Ucke\'e 
state, and in 1S53 made his way to the 
stale of Iowa, the famih- traxeling in ;i 
wagon, the journey requiring six weeks, 
;it which time thev arri\ed at iveokuk, 
theii- destination. There the family made 
their home for two rears, the father being 
emi)loyed in a brick yard, and later took 



a contract to chop wood, which continued 
to be his occupation for some time. Here 
both the father and mother passed a\va_\', 
their deaths occuring only a month apart, 

David R. Sights, is the youngest in 
a famih' of four sons and four daughters, 
and being bereft of both parents at a very 
early age he accompanied a neighbor to 
La Ilarpe ti.iwnship. this count\'. where 
he was employed for se\'eral years by 
different farmers of this section of the 
state. He was industri(jus and econom- 
ical, and thus sa\ing his earnings he was 
in the course of time enabled to carry on 
farming on his own account. 

Considering the suljject of having a 
home of his own, he sought and won a 
companion December 16, 1881, by his 
marriage to ]Miss Ida Kate Nichols, 
whose birth occurred in La Harpe town- 
ship. May 29. 1863, a daughter of Jo- 
seph and Thurza (Murdock) Nichols, 
both natives of (jreene county. I'ennsyl- 
vania. Her parents remo\'ed to .\dams 
countv, Illinois, in 1833. and later took 
U]) their abode in La Har])e township, 
where the father ])urchased land and set- 
tled on a farm (ju section 7. Here the 
father engaged in general agricultural 
pursuits and became an extensive dealer 
in li\-e stock. His death occurred Sep- 
tember. 1871. His widow continued to 
reside on the homestead property until her 
death, which occurred October 9, 1893. 

hollowing his marriage Mr, Sights 
took up his abode on the farm of his 
mother-in-law, which he managed until 
her death, subsequent to which time he 
])urchase(l the interest of the heirs in the 
pro])erty. thus becoming owner of fifty- 
foiu- acres of well improved and valuable 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



319 



property. He lias addeil tn his (iriginal 
purchase until lie iH)\v owns eighty acres 
of improved land and fi\e acres of timber, 
and on his place are f(.)und good substan- 
tial (outbuildings for the shelter of grain 
and stock. On the 2d of May. 1003, the 
house was destroyed by fire, and in tlie 
fall of the same year Mr. Sights built a 
two-stor}- frame residence, containing 
eight rooms, which is supplied with all 
modern conveniences and accessories. 
He has an orchard of three acres, which 
is set out to apples, peaches, pears and 
plums, and he likewise raises small fruits 
of dififerent varieties. 

Unto our subject and his wife have 
been born three daughters : Nora Belle 
was born April 4. i88j. and is now the 
wife of AUin Martin, a resident of Dur- 
ham township. Beulah Frances, born 
May 24, 1887, and Gladys Aldona, bom 
November 5, 1897, are both at home. 
Politically Mr. Sights is a democrat, and 
has served as school director for several 
years. He belongs to the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows, holding member- 
ship with .La Harpe lodge. No. 653 
Starting out in life a poor boy with no 
assistance and depending entirely upon 
his own labors, Mr. Sights has worked 
untiringly in the acquirement of a com- 
petence and is today in possession of a 
well improved farm property on which 
are found all the improvements known to 
a model farm of the twentieth century, 
and through his honest}' and reliability- 
has gained a place among the rejiresen- 
tative and progressive agriculturists of 
this portion of the state. He is held in 
high esteem \\\ all w lio know him, ami in 
his work is persistent and energetic. 



THOMAS JFFl>ERSON SIGHTS. 

Among the men who are interested in 
the commercial development and ])rogress 
of Disco is numbered Thomas Jefferson 
Sights who, in connection with A. N. 
Davier. is successfully carr\-ing on a gen- 
eral mercantile establishment at this place. 
He is a native of the Buckeye state, his 
birth having occurred in Guernsey county, 
February 15, 1839, a soil of William and 
Martha F.lizabeth (Sarchet) Sights, the 
former born in Washington county. I'enn- 
s\'lvania, while the latter likewise claims 
Guernsey county as the place of her na- 
tivity. In the paternal line our subject 
comes from Scotch ancestrv, his grand- 
parents Ijeing David and Jane Sights, 
nati\-es of I^ennsylvania and Scotland, re- 
spectively, while the maternal grandpar- 
ents were Thomas and Catherine (Mar- 
quarcl ) Sarchet, bom on the Isle of 
Guernsey. The parents of our subject 
were married in Ohio, where the father 
followed general farming uiUil 1853, 
when he removed to Keokuk, Iowa, 
where he was employed for a year, sub- 
secpient to which time he once more re- 
sumed farming in Lee county, that state, 
and there his death occin-red in Septem- 
ber, 1853. while his wife sur\i\ed him 
for onl}- one month, passing awa\' in Oc- 
tober of the same year. 

Thomas Jefferson Sights, losing his. 
parents at the early age of si.xteen years, 
was thus earlv thrown upon his own re- 
sponsibilities for a lixeliliood. He pur- 
sued his studies in an old log school- 
house in his natix'C state, the educational 
s\steni lieing (|uite as primilixe as the 
building in which he pursued his stuilies. 



?20 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriFAJ' 



He also attended selioo] tor a time after 
liis an"i\-al in Hancijck ccninty. I'nlldW- 
ing the death of his parents he remained 
'in the farm during, the succeeding winter 
and the family then removed to Keokuk, 
while our subject came to Hancock coui'i- 
tv. where he secured employment as a 
farm hand b}' the month, remaining in the 
employ of Henr}- Blythe, of Durham 
townshi]), for seven years. Being of an 
industrious and economical nature, and 
watchful of opportunities for advance- 
ment, he then reiited a farm, on which he 
was engaged in agricultural pursuits un- 
til 1902. In the meantime, in 1880. ha\- 
ing prospered in his undertakings, he pur- 
chased a tract of sixty-seven acres, which 
he conducted in connection with the [irop- 
ert_\- which he !iad leased. He later sold 
his land, and in 1902 retired from farm- 
ing pursuits and reuKived to Disco, 
where, in connection with A. X. Davier. 
he purchased the mercantile enterprise 
formerly owned and operated by Curtis 
Payne, and he has since been engaged in 
mercantile pursuits, in which he is meet- 
ing with gratifying success. The}- ha\e 
an up-to-date stock of gomls to meet the 
tastes and fancies of the general ])ul)lic 
and it is owing largely to the business 
ability and sound judgment of Air. Sights 
that their store ranks among the best 
commercial enterprises of the city or 
county. On the loth of January, igo6, 
y\v. Sights was appointed postmaster and 
is proving a capable official in this re- 
gard. 

On the nth of April, 1867, Mr. Sights 
\vas united in marriage to Miss Irena E. 
Wills, whose birth occtirred at Sardinia, 
near Cincinnati, Ohio. She is a daugh- 



ter of William and Jane ((iilliland) 
\\ ills, likewise nati\es of the Buckeye 
state. They located in Hancock county 
in 1854, where the father purchased a 
t'arm Avhich he conducted until his death 
in 19OJ. His wife survived for only 
a few years, passing away in the present 
year. An only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. 
.Sights died in infanc}-. 

Air. Sights gives his political sup])ort 
to the l\epublican part\" and has taken ;in 
acti\'e and helpful interest in public af- 
fairs, having filled the office of assessor 
t"or one term. He holds membership with 
the Methodist Protestant church, in which 
he has ser\-ed as trustee and treasurer. 
-Mr. Sights is ever interested in any move- 
ment that tends to the advancement of 
his comiuunity and he ;uk1 his wife are 
highh' esteeiued for their sterling worth 
and are numbered among the worthy cit- 
izens of the countA'. 



EDWARD ARGAST. 

Edward Argast, who for many years 
has been a representative of business life 
in Xau^■oo, where he is engaged in deal- 
ing in grapes and other fruits, making ex- 
tensive shipments, was born in Kehl, 
Baden. Germany, June t8. 1S34, and ac- 
quired a common-school education while 
spending his boyhood days in the home of 
his parents, John F. and Salamoer 
fKnecht) Argast, the former a native of 
Baden and the latter of Strasburg, France, 
The mother died in Germany in 185 1, and 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



321 



the father afterward cam h> America with 
his two sons but nne (laui,>-hter hail died 
prior to the emig'ratinn. and I'rederick 
John, who accompanied tlie father on 
the \-ijyage, passed away in Nauvoo. Illi- 
nois, July 10, 1880. The sailing vessel 
on which they embarked dropped anchor 
in the harbor of New Orleans, after which 
John F. Argast and his sons made their 
way up the Mississippi river to St. Louis, 
where he worked at his trade of caliinet- 
making until 1854, when he came to 
Xauvoo. Here he established a whole- 
sale store, which he conducted for about 
eighteen vears. or until his life's labors 
were ended in death ()n the 4th nf Sep- 
tember. 1872. In this country he married 
Caroline Peters, a native of Badeji. This 
marriage was celebrated in St. Louis, and 
Mrs. Argast passed away in that city in 
1884. 

Edward Argast liegan earning his dwn 
living in St. Louis, where he learned to be 
a cook. He was thus emjilnyed in that 
citv. in Xew York and in Xew Orleans 
until the Jth of May. i8fii, when he en- 
li.^t for three months' serxice with the 
Third Missouri L'nited States Reserve 
Corps. With that command he did duty 
in St. Louis and all parts of Missouri 
. under command of John C. Fremont, and 
also jjroceeded to Cairo. Illinois. He 
was mustered out in February. 1862. his 
first term having expired and later he 
re-enlisted at St. Louis with the Ixjys in 
blue of Company F. Twentx'-ninth ^Tis- 
souri Infantry. Following the organiza- 
tion of the regiment he went to Cape 
Cirardeau. Missouri, in the fall of 1862. 
and thence on to Vicksburg. participating 
in the first campaign there imder General 



Sherman. He pru-ticipateil in the battle of 
Chickasaw Bayou on the 29th of De- 
cember where one-half of the regiment 
was lost. On the 1st of January. 1863. 
he went to .\rkansas Post, participating 
in the engagement at that place on the 
loth of Januar}-, at which time five 
thousand Confederates were taken prison- 
ers. E\-entuall}' he returned to Vicks- 
burg, where the regiment remained until 
the capitulation oi the city, and he partici- 
pated in the battle of Raymond. Champion 
Hills and Jacksnn and was present at the 
surrender of \'icksburg on the 4th of 
Julv. 1863. He afterward returned to 
Jackson, fighting in the liattle there and 
then went back to \'icksburg, where the 
regiment remained for some time, later 
proceeding to Memphis, Tennessee. They 
were under Grant at the battle of Chero- 
kee Station and proceeded on foot to 
Chattanooga. The Twenty-ninth Missouri 
]>articipated in tlie memorable battle of 
Loiikout Mountain "aliove the clouds," 
and afterward in the battle of Missionary 
Ridge, proceeding thence to Ringgold, 
Georgia, where another engagement oc- 
curred. Thev went into winter quarters 
at Woodville, .Vlabama, and on the ist 
of May, 1864, started on the Atlanta cam- 
paign under Sherman, proceeding from 
Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia, and par- 
ticipating in the battles of Resaca, Dallas. 
Kenesaw Mountain, the first battle of At- 
lanta on the 21st of May. and the second 
battle there on the 28th of May. 1864. 
The Union troops then besieged the city, 
and on the ist of September made a vic- 
torious entrance therein. The Twenty- 
ninth Missouri afterward followed Gen- 
eral Hood of the Confederate army to 



322 



BIOGRAPHICAL KEI'IEW 



Chattanooga and subsequently returned to 
Georgia, taking part in the Georgia cam- 
paign and the march to tlie sea. They 
were then mounted and did scout duty 
until arriving at Savannah, where Mr. 
Argast sustained a gunsliot wound in tlie 
foot. This secured him a lea\e of ab- 
.sence for thirty days and lie returned 
home, being sent from St. Louis to Cin- 
cinnati in tlie grand officers' hospital, as 
he was a lieutenant. He was afterward 
assigned to like duty at Columbus, Ohio, 
it being a part of his work to take drafted 
men to the front. When the war was 
o\er he was honorably discharged at 
\\'ashington on the -'Jd of June. 1865. 
and sent thence to St. Louis, where he 
was mustered out. He was in the capitol 
cit_\- when Lresident Lincoln was assas- 
sinated and saw him as he lay m state in 
the rotunda of the capitol. 

Following his discharge Mr. .\rgast 
came to Nauvoo, on the 12th of Julv, 
1865, and removing his family here, he 
purchased two lots and foin- acres of land 
in the city. Li that year he had charge 
of his father's store, at the end of which 
time his father again purchased it. Later 
Mr. ,\rgast conducted a s.aloon for twelve 
years on the flat, after which he removed 
his Iju.siness to ALiin street, where he 
bought a kit and erected business Ijlocks. 
covering one hundred feet front and two 
hundred feet in depth. lie there con- 
ducted a saloon for about ten years, when 
he again sold nut and removed to his 
present location on Thirteenth street a 
half block from the comer of ALiin street. 
Tfe is now engaged in the grape and fruit 
luisiness and makes extensive shi]inients 
of fruit. 



Mr. Argast was married in St. Louis 
to Miss Margareta Sherer, a native of 
France, and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. 
John Sherer, who died of cholera in St. 
Louis in 1849. Unto I\L-. and Mrs. 
Argast were born three sons and a daugh- 
ter : Edward, of Xauvoo ; Louis, a news- 
paper man of the same city ; William, who 
is proprietor of the Nauvoo Rustler : and 
Cora, the wife of Joseph Welder, of 
Nauvoo. Mrs. Argast passed away De- 
cember 4, 1902, and on the 25th of June, 
1904, Mr. Argast was again married, his 
second union being with Mrs. Caroline 
Gabblemann Kettman, the widow of 
Theodore Kettman, and a daughter of 
Christian and Catherine (Hall) Gabble- 
man. Mr. Argast is a republican and 
has ser\'ed for t\\<i terms as alderman of 
the first ward and for man\- vears as 
school director. He is a Mason, belong- 
ing to Reclamation lodge. Xo. 54. at 
Nauvoo, and holds membership in the 
Lutheran church. He proved his loyalt_\- 
to his adopted country by his long years 
of faithful service in the Civil war and 
he has always been interested in those 
things which promote good citizenship 
and which work for the welfare of a 
democratic go\-ernment. 



FRED FORTH. 



Fred Forth, a representative of the 
farming and stock-raising interests of 
A]ipanoose township, was liorn witliin 
the borders of this townsbi]i June 13, 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



i860, his parents being Fred and Doro- 
thy (Florich) Forth, who were natives of 
Germany. In early manhood the fath.er 
made his way to East St. Louis, lUinois, 
where he was married, and later he en- 
gao-ed in farming in St. Clair county, tliis 
state, where he owned land. He came to 
Sonora township following the e.Kpulsion 
of the Mormons and there rented a farm, 
while later he purchased land in Appa- 
nonse township, becoming owner of sixty 
acres which he subsequently «old. fie 
then invested in eighty acres on section 
34, which was improved, and he contin- 
ued the wiirk of further development and 
cultivation until 1803, when he sold that 
property, afterward living with his son 
Fred until his death, which occurred on 
the 1st of December, 1894. His widow 
still survi\-es him and now resides in St. 
Louis. The family numbered eleven chil- 
dren, fdur s<ins and seven daughters, of 
whom the subject of this review is the 
eighth. 

Xo event of s|)ecial iiuportance oc- 
curred to vary the routine of farm life for 
Fred Forth in the days of his bovhood 
and youth. He attended the common 
schools, virorked in the fields and enjo\'ed 
the pleasures of the playground as op- 
portunity offered. He lived with his par- 
ents until twenty-three years of age and 
then, desirous that his labors should more 
directly ' benefit himself," he. began farm- 
ing on his own account upon a tract of 
rented land, lying partly in Appanoose 
and partly in Sonora township. He aft- 
erward operated other farms in the two 
townships and for three years rented his 
father's place. Following his marriage 
he lived for two vears on the old Webb 



place and then again farmed the old home- 
stead. One year previous, however, he 
had purchased eighty acres of land <>\\ 
section 30, Appanoose township, and 
when about twelve months had passed 
he tiiok up Iiis abode thereon. This was 
an inipr(n-ed property and he has since 
added forty acres on section 31. That 
tract, however, he sold five years later 
and then bought eighty acres adjoining 
his (original purcha.se. His time was fullv 
occupied with his farming and stock- 
raising interests, for he engages quite ex- 
tensively in the raising of Durham cat- 
tle, Percheron horses and P^oland China 
hogs. As he has had opportunity, re- 
sulting from his improved financial con- 
dition, he has made changes in the ap- 
pearance of his fami through the erec- 
tion of substantial buildings. He has re- 
modeled the barn, making it fortv by 
forty-four feet, and he also made an ad- 
dition to the house. In 1902 he built a 
large barn forty by forty-four feet and 
he has since erected a commodious two- 
story residence, which is heated by fur- 
nace and is supplied with many of the 
con\'eniences known in city homes. 

On the 13th of November, 1888, Mr. 
Forth was married to Miss Catherine 
Haas, a native of Nauvoo, where she ac- 
quired her education in the public schools. 
Her parents were Joseph and Catherine 
(Emerich) Haas. The father was born 
in Switzwald in the Black Forests, Cer- 
many. Mr. and Mrs. Forth now have 
one child, Annie Marie, born March 20, 
1895. In politics Mr. Forth is an inde- 
pendent democrat, supporting the party 
at national elections but at local elections 
he does not consider himself bound by 



:4 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriFAV 



party ties. He sersecj as township col- 
lector for one year liiit has never been 
ambitious in the sense of office seeking, 
{■"raternally be is cinmected with the 
Abxlern Wiindnien (if America, Nau\-oo 
camp. Having- spent bis entire life in 
this Ideality be is wideh' known and be 
has always li\'ed as a farmer, and it has 
been bis desire to bccdme the nwner of 
a good property that be might provide 
bis family with the comforts of life. To 
this end be has worked steadil>- and per- 
sistentl}- and the fact that he started out 
in life empty-banded and is ninv in pos- 
sessic.in of an e.\cellent farm and ^'oodly 
comi)etence. entitles him to be classed 
with those who ba\'e just reason to l>e 
proud of the fact that the)' are known as 
self-made men. 



GEORGE LOCKE. 

George Eocke. deceased, was for man>" 
years one of the successful farmers of 
Hancock criunty and through his own 
efforts won the prosperit\' which enabled 
him in bis later years to li\-e retired. He 
was liorn in Indiana, November 7, i8_y, 
a son of Thomas and Grazilla (Gardner) 
Locke, lii'ith of whom were natives of 
Ohio. During the Ixiyhood days of their 
son George the parents remo\ed to ^licb- 
igan and there be resided until be at- 
tained bis majority, when be came to 
Hancock' count\-, Illinois, and purchased 
a farm in E<iuntain r,reen township, 
com])rising two hundred and forty-six 



acres of land. W ith characteristic energ\- 
be began the development ami im]iro\-c- 
ment of the fields and carried on his farm 
work with success for many \ears. or 
until 0S93, when be retired from acti\'e 
business life and took up his abode in ■ 
La Ilarpe. where he Innlt a line bouse, 
making it bis place of residence until his 
death, which occurred on the Tst of Oc- 
tober, 1902. 

On the 6tb of December, 1854, Mr. 
Locke w^s married to Elizabeth W ebster, 
who was Ijorn in Cass count}', Michigan, 
February 15, iSj6. She attended the 
conimon schools of that state. Her par- 
ents were Amos and Susanna ( Wright ) 
Webster, the former a nati\e of Rutland 
county, New York, and the latter of Ohio. 
The paternal grandfather was William 
Webster, of New York, and the maternal 
grandfather was Williani Wright, Air. 
and Mrs. Webster removed to Fulton 
county aljout 1840 and there the father 
f(~illowed the occupation of farming. In 
the faniilv were ten children, Mrs. Locke 
being the sixth in the family of five sons 
and fi\'e daughters. She gave her band 
in marriage to Mr. Locke in Lewiston, 
Fulton count^•, where tbe\' lived for sonie 
\'ears, subseciuent to which time he be- 
came a farmer of AIcDonough county and 
was for a long period successfullv con- 
nected with agricultural interests. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Locke were Ijorn 
five children : Thomas, born Octolier 
TT, T835, died April 6, 1883. Lowell 
G., born January 31, 1831, died October 
t6. i860. Clara A., born May f^, t86i, 
is the wife of Dr. T. M. Martin, of La 
Harpe. Garv E., twin brother of Clara, 
died in julv, 1862. George ^^'., born 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



325 



November 28. 1869, died August 31. 
1895. He was instructor in penmanship 
in the Gem City Business College at 
Ouinc}'. Illinois, and he was married Xo- 
yemher 28, 1894. to Pearl Creighton, of 
Peoria, Illinois. The eldest son, Thomas, 
was married June 8, 1876, to Annie T(.)dd 
and had one child, Clevie, born Xo\emlier 
I, 1881, and now attending school in St." 
Louis, Missouri. 

Mr, Locke was a member nf the Chris- 
tian church, in winch he served as a 
deacon until his death. His political sup- 
port was given to the Democratic party. 
His carefully directed labor was the secret 
of his business success whereb\- he ad- 
\-anced tn a prominent pusitinn anmng 
the agriculturists of the county, becoming 
the owner of a valualjle farm, from which 
he derived an income that was sufhcient in 
his later years to enable him to live re- 
tired. Mrs. Locke still sur\i\es her hus- 
band and yet resides in the Imme which 
he built in La Harpe in 1893. 



AUGUST W'ATERMAX. 

August A\''aterman, who at one time 
was actively engaged in general agricul- 
tural pursuits in Sonora township but is 
now living retired, although he still owns 
his farm of one hundred and four acres 
where he lives, is a native of Germanv, 
his birth having occurred in Leppa, Det- 
moldt, September 19, 1837. His parents. 
Christian and Sophia (Kielsmayer) Wa- 
terman, were likewise natives of the fa- 



therland, where the father engaged in ag- 
ricultural pursuits and spent his entire 
life. The paternal grandfather of our 
suliject was Christian Waterman, while 
the maternal grandfather Iiore the name 
of Frederick Kielsmayer. 

August Waterman ;ic(|uired his educa- 
tion in Germany, completing the high 
.school course there. He assisted his fa- 
ther to the age of fifteen years, when, 
thinking that other pursuits would be 
more congenial to him. lie learned the 
baker's trade and emigrated to the new 
world, landing in Keokuk. Iowa, on the 
24th of June. 1837. He crossed the .\t- 
lantic on a sailing vessel whicli dropped 
anchor in the harbor of X'ew Orleans 
and thence made his wa)- bv boat up the 
Mississippi ri\-er to Keokuk. His brotiier 
Fred had preceded him to this couiUr\- 
and was proprietor of a hotel in Keokuk, 
and August secured work in his hostelry, 
where he was employed for one year. He 
then made his way to Sonora township, 
Hancock county, where he was emploved 
as a farm liand, working by the month 
until i8r)8, and in that year, having sa\eil 
his earnings, he made purchase of a tract 
of land on section 24, Sonora township, 
comprising one hundred and four acres, 
a small portion of which had been cleared. 
He further improved the ]:)lace, placing 
his fields under a high state of cultiva- 
tion, fenced the place, built a house and 
bam, dug a well, and otherwise improved 
the place. He also set out frttit trees, 
from which he annuallv gathered good. 
cro]>s, and has since added to his fruit 
orchard, having now sixtv ap[)le trees, 
besides peach, plum and cherr\' trees, all 
of \A-hich are in bearing. In 1886 he re- 



326 



lUOGRAFHICAL REl lEU 



placed his first residence by a modern 
frame house, containing six rooms and 
having- a cellar under the entire building. 
Here he carried on general agricultural 
pursuits, and in addition to the cultiva- 
tion of the fields he engaged to some ex- 
tent in the raising of high grades of 
horses, cattle and hogs. His health be- 
came impaired, however, and in 1900 he 
laid aside all business pursuits and retired 
to private life. 

On the 26th of Februaiy, 1865, Mr. 
Waterman chose a companion and help- 
mate for life's journey, JMiss Susan lli\- 
ber. a native of St. Clair county. Illinois, 
who was born July 24, 1841. Her par- 
ents resided for many years in Nauvoo, 
where the daughter pursued her studies 
in the public schools, and here the father 
and mother passed away, the latter dying 
in 1848. Sl;e was a daughter of Martin 
and Christina Huber, natives of Byer. 
Germany. Mr. and Mrs. \\'aterman 
make their home with a niece, Louisa 
Waterman, the daughter of his brother 
William, who still makes his home in the 
fatherland. 

Although starting out in life at the 
early ag-e of fifteen years and coming to 
a new country when still a young man, 
Mr. W'aterman has allowed no difficulties 
or obstacles to deter him in his labor, and 
from an humble financial pdsition worked 
his way up until he is now the possessor 
of a fine farm property, from which he 
derives a good income, so that he and 
his wife are able to spend the evening 
of their days in honorable retirement. He 
has always given his political support 
to the Democratic party, and has taken 
an active interest in the local ranks of 



his party, having served for two terms 
as highway commissioner of his township 
and for three terms as school director. 
Lie holds membership relations with the 
Lutheran church at Xauvoo. 



JAMES G. JOHNSON. 

James G. Johnson, the inventor and 
manufacturer oi Johnson's patent corn 
busker and a business man of energy and 
abilit}-, whose success is attributable en- 
tirely to his \\-ell directed eftorts, was 
born in Jefferson county, Kentucky, De- 
cember 24, 1827. His parents, George and 
Eleanor (Guthrie) Johnson, were also 
natives of the same C(junty, the former 
born December 15. 1779, and the latter 
January 21, 1802. In 1774, James Guth- 
rie, the grandfather, built a large stone 
house on the Bardstown pike near Louis- 
\-ille, Kentucky, whi'ch stood as one of 
the landmarks of that section of the coun- 
try until about 1896. It was known as 
the "house of entertainment," lieing prac- 
tically a hostelry Init more respectable 
than a "tavern."' as no intoxicating 
liquors were there sold. It was there that 
many Catholic missionaries stopped on 
Iheir way to Bardstown, being- instructed 
in France by the priest to stop at the 
"stcine house," where other priests would 
be sent to meet them, as it was regarded 
as a perfectly safe place. There James 
Guthrie made his home for many years 
and ran a daily stage coach to several ad- 
joining places. In the conduct of his 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



business affairs he became a ver}- wealthy 
man and was one of the most prominent 
and influential residents of that section 
of the country. The maternal grandfa- 
ther of our subject was a colonel in the 
Revolutionary war and became one of the 
pioneer residents of Kentucky, going 
there when the Indians still roamed 
through its forests, waging war upon the 
settlers until the district became known 
as "the dark and bloody groimd.'' 

George Johnson, father of James G. 
Johnson, was a blacksmith by trade and 
in 1 83 1 removed from Kentucky to 
Adams county, Illinois, where he carried 
on blacksmithing, farming and the nur- 
serj- business. He died in the year 1869. 
his wife surviving until April 10, 1887. 
He was a member of the Christian church 
and his wife of the Presbyterian church 
and when called to their final rest they 
were laid in a cemeter\' in Adams county. 
Illinois. In their family were nine chil- 
dren, of whom seven are now living: 
James G. ; Parmelia. the wife of Thomas 
Bailey, of Camp Point. Illinois ; Ephraim 
P., living in Holden, Missouri; Moses C. 
of Harrisville, Missotiri : Henrj- C. of 
Idaho; Mary E.. the wife of Edward Ste- 
phenson, of Ottawa, Kansas; and Urith 
Serepta A., the wife of William Hanna. 
of Golden. Illinois. Of this family 
Henry C. Johnson was a soldier of the 
Civil war for four years, enlisting in the 
Fiftieth Illinois Volunteer Infantr}^ He 
participated in the two battles of Corinth 
and in many other important engage- 
ments. 

James G. Johnson was educated in the 
schools of Columbus. Illinois, first pur- 
suing his studies in a little log cabin 
21 



whicli was without a floor and which 
stood on the bank of AlcGee's creek in 
Adams county, a mile and a half from 
Columbus. He worked upon his father's 
fann until he had attained his majority 
and in 1855 removed to Hancock county, 
purchasing an improved tract of land in 
Durham township, where he carried on 
general farming for nine years. He then 
removed to Elvaston, where he purchased 
a fann, making it his home for four 
years, when he took up his abode in Car- 
thage and purchased an elegant home on 
North Main street. It is surrounded by 
a beautiful and well kept lawn and in ad- 
dition to this property he owns good farm 
lands. In 1871 he invented what is 
known as Johnson's hand com busker, 
upon which he took out a patent. Since 
that time he has manufactured this de- 
vice in Carthage and its sale extends to 
all states in the Union. Its utility is uni- 
versally recognized and it is regarded as 
the best invention of its kind on the mar- 
ket. Mr. Johnson has entire control of 
tlie trade and has enjoyed a good busi- 
ness in this way in the last twenty-five 
years. He is still engaged in the manu- 
facture of the busker and sells to whole- 
sale dealers. Moreover he possesses su- 
perior mechanical ingenuity, which is 
manifest in many ways in his home. 

On the 24th of December, 1850, Mr. 
Johnson was married to Miss Melvina J. 
Thomas, of Adams county, a daughter of 
Robert Thomas, who was bom in Bour- 
bon county. Kentucky. They traveled 
life's joumey happily together for about 
thirty-four years and were then separ- 
ated by the death of Mrs. Johnson on the 
3d of December. 1884. Two children 



328 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJ-IEll' 



of that marriage, l)orn in Adams CDunty, 
are living', namely : Ella R.. who is an 
artist of considerable ability, is the wife 
of X. P. McKee, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 
and has two sons, William Thomas and 
Irw in J. The former married Jessie Wal- 
ters and li\'ed in Cle\-eland. (3hio, wdiile 
Irwin weclded Cora Gibbins and with 
their daughter, Marjorie Maud, they re- 
side in Halsted, Kansas. Alice G. John- 
son is the wife of William L. Aanm. a 
practicing' lawyer of Joplin. Missouri, 
and has three children. Lawrence J-. Ella 
May and \Villiam. 

On the i8th of Xovemlier. 1886. Mr. 
ynlinsdn was married to Miss Minerva 
Hughes, who was burn in Ursa. Adams 
countv. Illinois, a daughter of Albert and 
Sarah Ann (Ta\li)r) Hughes. Her fa^ 
tlier was a farmer 1))' riccupation. He 
attended the Christian church and both 
he and his wife were laid to rest in 
Adams county. Of their three children 
all are living, namely: Eliza J., who 
resides with Mrs. Johnson; and Robert 
C living in L'rsa. 

I'l In's religious faith Mr. Jnhnson is 
a Methodist and has sened as elder and 
trustee of his church, while his wife be- 
longs to the Christian cluu'ch. He holds 
niembership with the Ancient Order of 
United \\V)rkmen and in jxilitics is a re- 
])ublican. He has sensed as alderman 
of Carthage and road supen-isor of his 
township and is interested in all matters 
relating to public progress and substan- 
tial improvement. .-\s proof of his in- 
genuitv can be mentioned eight beautiful 
ernes which he has made of small jiieces 
of horn strung together upon an iron 
rod. and one of these is now in the Ma- 



sonic temple of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He 
also has made many pairs of beautifully 
polished mounted horns which he has 
prepared himself and which adorn his 
walls in man}- rooms. He has made hat 
racks and chairs of the horns and these 
are articles of fiu'nitiu'e of great \alue 
and beaut)'. He has moreover several 
cases of fine specimens of all kinds, in- 
cluding shells, coins, beads, wood, iron, 
ore specimens, minks, owls, squirrels, an 
amiadilla, sea grasses and an elaljorate 
collection of eggs of more than one hun- 
dretl kinds. He likewise has a large col- 
lection of Indian flint arrows of all kinds. 
He has beautiful corals and polished 
stones and a large quantity of sea mosses 
from the Pacific coast, all of which are 
nicelv arranged in cabinets with glass 
doors. He has traveled from ocean to 
ocean, has visited California two or three 
time,^ and wherever he has gone he has 
gathered his specimens and his collection 
toda^■ is doubtless worth five thousand 
dollars. He has moreover a model in his 
^•ard of the first log house his father 
built when he came to Illinois. It stands 
in his front yard and was made by Mr. 
Tohnson. A love of the beautiful has 
been one of his strong characteristics all 
through his life and this is manifest in 
his attractive home with its fine curiosity 
cabinets. Moreover his interest in all 
these things indicates his bmad and com- 
prehensive knowledge and he is indeed 
regarded as one of the best educated men 
in the count^•, a fact which is due not 
to an^' special educational advantages but 
to his broad reading and im'estigation 
during the leistire hours of a busy and 
active life. He is now seventv-nine vears 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



329 



of age. but is still an active and energetic 
man and moreover he commands unquali- 
fied esteem wherever he is known. 



W ILLIAM F. BRADFIELD. 

William F. Bradfield. secretary and 
treasurer of the firm i;)f Coulson. Brun- 
dage & Company, hardware dealers of 
La Harpe, and also financially interested 
in other business affairs, although prac- 
tically living retired from the active man- 
agement of business interests, was born 
in Hardin county. I<nva. near Eldora. 
March 12. 1863. His paternal grandfa- 
ther, James Bradfield. was a resident of 
Virginia and married a Miss Nichds. 
Their son. James X. Bradfield. was born 
in Loud'jun cnuntw \'irgiiiia, and ha\ing 
arrived at years of maturity was married 
in Ohio. April 12. 1S33. U> Miss Ada 
\\'olfe, who was born in Coshocttm cnun- 
t_\-. Ohio, and was a daughter of James 
and Sarah (Meredith) \\'olfe. natives of 
the Buckeye state. After their marriage 
James N. Bradfield followed fanning in 
Ohio for a year and in the fall of 1854 
removed to ^luscatine. Town. In Hanlin 
county, that state, he ]jurchased a farm 
whereon he resided until the fall of 1870, 
when he sold that jiroperty and came to 
Hancock county. Illinois. TIere he in- 
vested in a tract of land in Durham 
township, whereon he resided for about 
twenty-one years, when in 1891 he sold 
out and went to Nebraska, making liis 
home in the latter state until i8i)i). In 



that year he went on a visit to the east 
and died there on the 4th of December 
of that year. He bad for a number of 
years survived his wife, who passed 
away June 25, 1886. In their family 
were four children : James L. ; \Villiam 
F. ; Henry S., of this county: and Laura 
M.. the wife of Clark H. Rice, of Han- 
cock count}'. 

William F. Bradfield pursued his early 
education in the district schools and aft- 
erward attended Abingdon College in 
Abingdon. Illinois. During the period 
of his boyhood and youth he made his 
home with his parents, who removed to 
Hancock county in September, 1870. He 
continued under the parental roof until 
he had attained his majority, when he 
went to Colorado, where he worked at 
the carpenter's trade for a vear. He aft- 
erward returned to Hancock county and 
Ijegan farming on rented land. He was 
thus engaged for a few years, when with 
the capital he bad ac(|uired through his 
industr\- and jierseverance he jiurchased 
one hundred and sixty acres of land in 
Durham township, which be owned for 
four \-ears. at the end of which time he 
sold that propertv and bought three hun- 
dred acres of the old homestead. There 
he took up his abode, making it his place 
of residence until Februar}-. 1904. He 
has since Ixiught and sold ]iroperty and 
now owns two hundred and forty acres 
of land all on section 12. Durham town- 
ship. While giving his .attention to farm 
wiirk his close application and unabating 
energy enabled him to gather rich crops 
annually and to make bis farm a profit- 
able source of labor. He was also one of 
the organizers of the State Bank at La 



330 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI'IEIV 



Harpe and has been one of its stockhold- 
ers and directors. He has also been i 
stockholder and director of the firm of 
Coulson, Brundage & Company since its 
incorporation in May, 1905, and is its 
secretary and treasurer. In 1904, retir- 
ing from his farm, he removed to La 
Harpe, where he has since resided and 
w here he has liought residence property. 

In b>bruary, 1885, Mr. Bradfield was 
united in marriage to Miss J. Margaret 
Schultz, who was born in Durham town- 
ship and is a daughter of Benjamin and 
Elizabeth ((iillette) Schultz. By this 
marriage were born three sons, J. Sher- 
man. Charles F. and Edward L. The 
wife and mother died October 10, 1898, 
and on the 30th of January, 1900, Mr. 
Bradfield wedded Catherine J. McManus, 
who was born near Carthage. Illinois. 
The_y had one child, Catherine M., who 
was born October 6. 1901, and died Au- 
gust 28. T903. The mother passed away 
October 14, 1901, and on the 18th of 
June, 1905, Mr. Bradfield was again 
married, Clara \V. Burr becoming his 
wife. .She was bom in Durham town- 
ship and is a datighter of Jarvis N. and 
Joanna (Oilman) Burr. 

Air. Bradfield is a republican in his po- 
litical views and has taken much interest 
in the questions of the day and in the 
growth and development of his party. He 
has frequently been a delegate to the con- 
ventions of his party but is without po- 
litical aspiration for himself. It is true 
that his chief life work has been that 
(if a successful farmer, but the range of 
his activities and the scope of his influ- 
ence have reached far beyond this spe- 
cial field. He belongs to that class of 



men who wield a power which is all the 
more potent from the fact that it is 
moral rather than political and is exer- 
cised for the public weal rather than for 
personal ends. He has displayed aptitude 
and ability in achieving results both in 
business life and in his connection with 
affairs of public importance. 



MATHEW GODDERTZ. 

Mathew Goddertz, conducting the old- 
est harness establishment in Warsaw, was 
born in Sichlar, Prussia, Germany, Feb- 
ruary 2, 1840, and was educated in the 
public schools of that country. His par- 
ents, Edward E. and Anna C. (Quartz) 
Goddertz, left Germany in 1850 u]5on a 
sailing Vessel, which was twenty-eight 
days in reaching the harbor of New York. 
They proceeded to Buffalo by rail and by 
way of the lakes to Chicago, thence by 
canal to Peru, Indiana, and over the Ohio 
and Mississippi rivers to Warsaw. The 
father died soon after his arrival here. 
His mother died in September. 1879. at 
the age of si.\ty-four years. In the fam- 
ily were three children : Mathew : Mrs. 
William Leyhe, of Alton, Illinois, now 
deceased ; and Catherine, the widow of 
Henry Hertzog. 

At his father's death. Mr. Goddertz. 
then only ten years of age, began to earn 
his own living by working- on the farm of 
.\. J. Steffee, by whom he was employed 
two years. His mother then married 
John Leyhe and Mathew returned home, 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



331 



living with his mother for about two 
years. Subsequently he was employed 
at general farm labor until about thir- 
teen years of age. when he was appren- 
ticed to learn the trade of making har- 
ness and saddlery with the firm of Weir 
& Elliott. He continuetl with that firm 
for about sixteen months, when the part- 
nership was dissolved and he went with 
Mr. Elliott, under whom he completed 
his trade and for whom he worked fiir 
eleven years, when he boughl the busi- 
ness of his employer. He is continuing 
in the same line today and is now pn_i- 
prietor of tlie oldest established harness 
business in the county. Witli tlie excep- 
tion of three years it has continuously 
been conducted in the same building, hav- 
ing been located here for fifty-two years. 
Mr. Goddertz carries a large line of har- 
ness and saddlery and makes goods of 
that class of the best grades. He finds 
a ready sale for his product and has long- 
conducted a profitable business. 

On the i8th of March, 1S60. :\lr. Gnd- 
dertz married Rachel Beck, a daughter 
of John and Elizabeth (Steiger) Beck. 
They became parents of three children : 
Catherine, who was the wife of James 
Cox, of Ottumwa, Iowa, died May 31. 
1906, and is buried in Oakland cemetery, 
AVarsaw, Illinois ; Josephine, who became 
the wife of Harn' Nealand, of Aspen, 
Colorado, and died in T903, at the age of 
thirty-eight years; and Flora, the wife 
of F. B. Green, of Ottumwa, Iowa. Mrs. 
Goddertz passed awa}- September 24. 
1 88 1, and on the nth of December. 
1889, Mr. Goddertz wedded Ella Peo- 
ples, a daughter of James and Man- Anna 
(Fox) Peoples. 



Mr. Goddertz is a member of the Mod- 
ern Woodmen, joining the order as a 
charter member of Warsaw camp. No. 
240. He is also connected with the Knights 
of Pvtliias and his wife is a member of the 
Christian church. He held the office of 
alderman for one term hut has never 
sought nor desired political honors, pre- 
ferring to concentrate his energies upon 
his business interests, in which he has 
made creditable success. He may truly 
I.)e called a self-made man and deserves 
all the praise that that term implies, for 
since the age of ten years he has been 
dependent entirely upon his own re- 
soiuTes. and whatever success he has 
achieved lias come to him as tlie reward 
of earnest, persistent labor and business 
integrity. 



GEORGE H. THOMPSON. 

George H. Thompson, in whose busi- 
ness life each step has been carefully and 
thoughtfully made, is now conducting a 
dry goods and grocery store in La Harpe 
and his enterprise is one of the leading 
commercial interests of the town. He 
was born in Baltimore, Mandand, Janu- 
aiy 16, i860, and largely acquired his 
education in the public schools of that 
city while spending his boyhood days in 
the home of his parents, Charles H. and 
Margaret fHergesheimer) Thompson. 
His paternal grandfather, Edward 
Thompson, was also a native of Balti- 
more, Marvdand, while the maternal 
srrandfather. Charles Hergesheimer. was 



?>2,2 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllFAJ' 



a native of New Jersey. Charles H. 
Thompson, the father, was bom in BaUi- 
niore in April, 1826, and is now deceased, 
while his wife, who was born in Xew 
Jersey in ]\Iarch. 1828, has also passed 
away. 

When a youth of seventeen years 
(ieorge H. Thompson of this review be- 
came a resident of Livingston county. 
Illinois, and for three _\-ears worked on 
a farm. He then rented sixty-five acres 
of land and for one }'ear eng-aged in 
fanning on his own account. Feeling 
the need, however, oi better educational 
privileges, he then went to Chicago and 
pursued a course (jf stud_\' in the ^tletrt)- 
politan Business College of that city. 
His education completed, he went to 
Aberdeen. South Dak()ta, where he pre- 
empted a claim of one hundred and si.xty 
acres of land, whereon he engaged in 
farming. After residing there for two 
years he was elected township clerk of 
New Hope township. Brown county. 
South Dakota, and held the office for 
four years. He was next elected town- 
ship assessor and acted in that capacit}" 
for two terms of one )ear each. At 
the same time he filled the position of 
road commissioner and was then nomi- 
nated as representative for the first ses- 
sion of the g-aieral assembly held in 
South Dakota. Before the election, 
however, he withdrew on account of 
prixate business interests and in his 
place was nominated J. ^^". Scattergood. 
who was elected. For a number of years 
he took an active and leading part in 
])ohtical affairs during the earl}- epoch 
of statehood in South Dakota and was 
a man of influence in party ranks. He 



lived upon his farm there for nine years 
and in April, 1893, went to Salem, Ore- 
gon, where he remained for about four 
months, spending his time in prospecting. 
On the expiration of that period he re- 
turned to Fairbur}-. Livingston county, 
Illinois, where he engaged in the grocery 
and queensware business. There he re- 
mained for three years, on the expiration 
of which period he sold out and entered 
the employ of the Peoria Packing and 
Pro\ision Company as manager of its 
branch house at Forrest, Illinois. After 
a year he came to La Harpe in Februaiy, 
i8()8, and bought the business of the 
Kern & Biggs Grocery Company. He 
afterward added a stock of dry goods 
and notions and at present is the owner 
of one of the largest business enterprises 
of the kind in I,a Harpe. 

')n the 1 0th of b>bruary, 1884, was 
celebrated the marriage of Mr. Thomp- 
son and Miss Sarah A. Eyre, who was 
bom January 24, 1859, in Sturgis, Mich- 
igan, and removed to Livingston county, 
Illinois, with her parents when about six 
}"ears of age. Her father, George Eyre, 
was Ijorn in Lincolnshire, England, May 
2=,. 1824, and died April 30. 1879. His 
wife, Alice Catton, who was born in 
Lincolnshire, England, April 20, 1825, 
died July 9, 1901. Mr. Eyre came to 
.\merica about 1853, locating in Sturgis, 
Michigan, and after about eleven years 
spent in that state removed to Fairbury, 
Illinois, where both he and his wife re- 
sided until called t() their final rest. Lhito 
]Mr. and Mrs. Thompson has been born a 
son, F. Boyd Thompson, who was born 
in Brown county. South Dakota, August 
I, 1885. He was graduated from Git- 



HAXCOCK COUXTV. ILLIXOIS. 



tings Seminary at La Harpe in 1903 and 
in September, 1904, entered Brown's 
Business College at Peoria, from which 
he was graduated in December, 1905. 
He afterward entered the employ of Par- 
Hn & Orrendorf. plow manufacturers of 
Canton. Illinois, as assistant time-keeper 
and paymaster, and in November, 1906. 
was promoted to sales department. He 
was married August 5. 1906, to Mnna 
Dickson, of Durham township, Hancock 
county, Illinois, where her father. J. E. 
Dickson, still resides, being a farmer of 
that township. Her mother, who w^as a 
Ballew, passed awa}" se\-eral years ago. 
'Mr. Thompson is not only a leading 
representative of the business life of La 
Harpe but has also been prominently and 
acti\'ely cunnecteil with many interests of 
direct benefit to the community. He is 
president of the board of trustees of 
Gitting-s Seminary and also president of 
tthe executive committee. He is like- 
wise president of the board of stewards 
of the Methodist Protestant church of La 
Harpe, of which he is an active and help- 
ful member. He votes with the Repub- 
lican party and is a representative of the 
Odd Fellows fraternity, belonging to the 
lodge, er;Campment and the Order of Re- 
bekahs. 



HON. JESSE C. ^\"ILLIAMS. 

Hon. Jesse C. \\'illiams is the oldest 
male resident of Carthag'e, having at- 
tained the venerable age of eighty-seven 
years. He is still hale and hearty, well 
preserved and as straight as an arrow. 



lie has long been widel_\' and favorably 
known in this part of the state, having 
for man)' years carried on business as a 
general merchant, and at one time he rep- 
resented his district in the state senate. 
His birlh occurred in Richmond, Madi- 
son county. Kentucky, on the 2Jd of Au- 
gust. 18 19, his parents being Richard and 
Catlierine (Holder) Williams. The fa- 
ther was bcirn in L'redericsburg". Culpep- 
per count}'. Virginia, in 1786, and the 
mother was a native of Clark county. 
Kentucky, her birth occurring in 1797. 

Mr. Williams's maternal grandfather, 
John Holder, and great-grandfather. Col- 
onel Richard Callaway, joined Daniel 
Boone at Boone's fort on the Kentucky 
river, now in Madison county, in 1775. 
In Jul}', 1776, Ci)Ionel Callaway's two 
daughters, Betsy and Fanny Callaway, 
and Jemima Boone were in a skiff on 
the ri\-er and were captured by a party 
of Indians, which was concealed on the 
river bank. They were pursued by 
Boone. Callaway and Mr. Callaway's son. 
Flanders. Henderson and Captain Hol- 
der were overtaken and the girls rescued 
b\' their friends and returned to the fort. 
On their return U> the fort Henderson 
married Betsy Callaway and Flanders 
Callaway married Jemima Boone, having 
a double wedding, and were the ancestors 
iif the numerous Callaway family of Mis- 
souri. Captain Holder and Fanny Cal- 
laway were married the ne.xt }ear. 
Boone's brother, a Baptist minister, offi- 
ciating on bf)th occasions. 

Both the paternal and maternal grand- 
fathers (.)f 'Sir. \\'illiams were soldiers of 
the Revolutionary war. also the great- 



334 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



gTaiidfathcr. who is known in history as 
d.ilonel i'Jichard Calloway, of Virginia, 
who was prominent in the early develop- 
ment and settlement of Kentucky and 
who was a soldier in the frontier and In- 
dian war under General ^Vashing■ton. 
The grandfather of Mrs. Jesse Williams 
in both the paternal and maternal line 
was a soldier of the Revolutionary war, 
one being John Collier and the other Jo- 
seph Graves. The daughters of Mr. and 
Mrs. ^Villiams were therefore eligible to 
membership with the Daughters of the 
American Revolution and are now con- 
nected with chapters of this organization. 
Richard Williams learned the trade of 
a saddler and harness-maker in the city 
of Richmond, Virginia, and in 1808 re- 
moved to Richmond, Kentucky, where he 
followed liis trade until 1828. He then 
settled on a farm twenty miles from Ricli- 
mond, in Rockcastle county, Kentucky, 
where he remained for twentv vears. 
when, in 1848, he removed to the county 
seat of that county and lived retired un- 
til his death. He was a warm admirer of 
Henry Clay and sei-ved several temis as 
a magistrate in his locality. His wife was 
of the Presbyterian faith. In their fam- 
ily were thirteen children, of whom five 
are yet living : Jesse, of this review : Vir- 
ginia, who is seventy-three years of age 
and is the wife of James Wilson, of M(^- 
nett, Missouri: David, aged sixty-eight 
years, living in Mount Vernon, Ken- 
tucky; William H., seventy-four years 
of age, residing in Aztec, New Mexico : 
and Louisa, wbo is the widow of Jruues 
Boulware, of Madison, Kentucky, and is 
sixty-five years of age. The father nf 
this family died in January. 1878. and 



their mother passed away in 1884, the 
remains of bodi being interred in the 
cemeteiy at Mount Vernon, Kentucky. 

Jesse C. Williams acquired a limited 
education in the district schools of his 
native state and the next year after he 
put aside his text-books he left home and 
went south, and was engaged on the con- 
struction of one of the first railroads in 
that part of the country, the line extend- 
ing between Atlanta and Chattanooga. 
It was over this road that (ieneral Joe 
Johnson made his celebrated retreat dur- 
ing the period of the Civil war. Return- 
ing to Kentucky Mr. Williams raised a 
crop of corn on his father's fann and 
for several years during the w'inter sea- 
sons engaged in teaching- school. He aft- 
erward turned liis attention to merchan- 
dising in Mount Vernon, Kentucky, and 
in 1857 he removed to Carthage, where 
he opened a general store, which he con- 
ducted continuously until about fourteen 
years ago, keeping a large line of general 
goods. He was first located on the south 
side of the public square, afterward re- 
moving to the west side and finally erect- 
ed a business block on the north side, in 
which he continvied until his retirement 
from mercantile life. He was energetic 
and diligent and as the result of his fru- 
gality, careful management and straight- 
forward business dealings he acquired a 
very desirable competence, which now en- 
ables him to live retired. 

On the 5th of March, 1850, Mr. \\"\\- 
lianis was married tO' Miss Man,' Col- 
lier, who was born in Rockcastle, Ken- 
tucky. May 8, 1826, a daughter of John 
and Susan (Groves) Collier, both of 
wliom were natives of Culpepper county, 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



335 



A'irginia, the fi inner linrn July 4. 1782, 
and the latter December 15. 1787. Mr. 
Collier engaged in fanning in Kentucky 
for many years and died in that state in 
t8^^3, at the age of lift_\'-nne years, while 
his wife passed away at the age of sixty- 
three years. He was a soldier of the 
war of 1812. Both he and his wife were 
members of the Baptist church. In their 
family were eleven children, seven of 
whom reached adult age, but for a long 
period Mrs. Williams has been the only 
surviving member of the family. ]\Ir. 
and Mrs. Williams celebrated their gulden 
wedding six years ago, having all of 
their children with them on this happy 
occasion. They have now traveled life's 
journey together as man and wife for 
fifty-six years, sharing with each other 
in the joys and sorrows, the adversity 
and prosperity which comes to each indi- 
\-idual in a long lifetime. Thev had 
seven children, two of whom were born 
in Kentucky and five in Illinois. Of this 
number five are living : Oscar, who re- 
sides at Fort Stockton, Texas, married 
Sallie \\'heat and has five children, Oscar. 
]\Iar}- E., Susan C. Clayton and Jesse C. 
^^'illiam D. married Miss Jettie Pierson 
and lives at Fort \\"orth, Texas. Josiah 
J. resides in Kansas City, Missouri. Su- 
san is at home. Jessie is the wife of 
Archibald Hart and li\es in N^ora 
Springs, Iowa. ,\11 nt Mr. Williams's 
sons are prominent and successful law- 
yers. The eldest is a graduate of the 
Harvard Law School and of Betlian>" 
School. William D. is a graduate nf Alj- 
ingdon College and lived for a time in 
Austin, Texas, where he studied law- 
prior to his removal to Fort Worth. Jn- 



siah is a graduate of Carthage College, 
studving law with Judge Scofield, and 
located in Kansas City. Both of the 
daughters have taught school in Texas 
and both were teachers for a year in the 
public schools of Carthage. The young- 
er daughter. Jessie, occupied for a num- 
ber of years an editorial position with the 
Chapman Publishing Company, of Chi- 
cago. 

^Ir. ^^'ilIiams built his present pretty 
home in 1866 and has lived in it fur forty 
years. It was first a farm l)ut the land 
has since been divided and much nf it 
has since been sold ott in town lots. He 
began life in ver\- humble financial cir- 
cumstances but worked on persistently 
vear after vear until now in the evening 
of life he is surrounded b>' many com- 
forts and has a very desirable compe- 
tence. He is a Mason and he and his 
wdfe are zealous members of the Chris- 
tian church, in which he has been elder 
and Sunday school superintendent. He 
and his wife take a most acti\-e and help- 
ful part in the work of the church and 
his entire life proves the value of hon- 
estv as a factor in winning success and 
the respect of one's fellowmen. His po- 
litical allegiance is given to the democ- 
racy and in 1870 he was elected state 
senator for Hancock and Adams coun- 
ties, wdien he served for one term when 
he refused to again become a candidate. 
He has long been a strong temperance 
man and at all times he exercises his of- 
ficial prerogatives to support temperance 
principles. He has acted for several 
terms as alderman of Carthage and has 
lieen president of the ccjuncil. His in- 
terest in communitv affairs has lieen of 



33(^ 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriEU ' 



a helpful character and in the evening 
of life he receives the veneration and re- 
spect which are accorded in recognition 
of ability, success, an honorable political 
career and devotion to those rules of con- 
duct which arc not onl_\' in comformity 
with a high standard of ethics, but also 
with the high and lofty principles of 
Christianity. 



FRANCIS MARION HARRIS. 

Francis Marion Harris, numbered 
among the early settlers of Hancock coun- 
ty, so that his memory now forms a con- 
necting link between the past and the 
present, and who is now residing" in Au- 
gusta, was l)(irn in Putnam county, In- 
diana, Deceml)er y. 1S34. His parents 
were John and Ruth (Aldridge) Harris. 
The father was born in Flawkins county, 
Tennessee, September i. iSii, and at an 
early day removed to Indiana, where he 
engaged in fantiing. In 1847 '^^ ^o\(\ the 
farm and removed to Schuyler county, 
Illinois, where he purchased a tract of 
land, making his home thereon until 
about 185S, when he to(jk up his abode 
in Augusta to become identified with its 
business interests as a diw goods and 
grain merchant. Later he gave his at- 
tention to the lumber trade, which he 
followed until 1868, when, having ac- 
quired a handsome competence that en- 
abled him to live retired, he put aside 
further business cares and responsibili- 
ties and spent his remaining days in Au- 



gusta in the enjoyment of a well earned 
rest. He died November 15, 1873, '''' 
the faith of the Baptist church, of which 
he was a consistent member. His polit- 
ical views accorded with democratic prin- 
ciples and for some years he was a capa- 
ble and elficient member of the town 
board of Augusta. His widow survived 
him for about twenty years and died in 
Bowen. Illinois, at the age of sevent}'- 
six, and was buried in Augusta cemeteiy 
by the side of her husband. She was born 
in Stokes county. North Carolina. By 
her marriage she became the mother of 
ten children, three of whom survive. 

b'rancis Marion Harris acquired his 
education in the district schools of iiis 
nati\"e count}' and in his }-outh assisted 
his father in the farm labor, coming with 
the family to Illinois in 1847, when a 
youth of thirteen years. He farmed upon 
the old homestead in Schuyler county on 
his own account in early manhood, re- 
maining there for two years, when he sold 
the property and came to Augusta, where 
he spent one summer. In 1859 he went 
to Colorado, attracted by the discovery 
of gold in that state, and devoted a year 
to mining, but not meeting with the suc- 
cess he had anticipated he returned to .\u- 
gusta, where he has since continuously 
made his home. He has been following 
the trade of a cai^penter and contractor 
here and has been closely associated with 
Ijuilding operations, many of the substan- 
tial structures of the towai and surround- 
ing community standing as monuments 
to his skill and enterprise. He always 
lives up to the terms of his contract and 
has an unassailable business reputation. 

]Mr. Harris was marrieil on the 2(\ of 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



337 



Xdvember, 1856, to Miss Susan R. Dash- 
er, who was bom in Indiana and is a 
daughter of Jacob and Susan Dusher and 
a member of tlie Methodist church. She 
is a lady of many good traits of charac- 
ter, her hfe l)eing formulated upon lines 
of conduct laid down by the church with 
which she is identified. L'nto Mr. and 
Mrs. Harris have been bnm ten children, 
six of whnm are now living. Leona died 
in infancy: Fanny, the wife of William 
Cordell, a farmer residing near Industiy, 
Illinois, by whom she has three daugh- 
ters and a son, Susan, Cullin, Ruth and 
Mabell; Luella, the wife of Samuel 
Young, a machinist of Kewanee, Illi- 
nois, by whom she has five children, 
]Marie, Hriward, Florence, Charles and 
Sarah; Ruth E., the wife of William H. 
Johnson, of Augusta: William R.. a car- 
penter and wagon-maker of Lamar, Mis- 
souri, who married Ella Jeffries, of Col- 
chester, Illinois; Francis M., a mechanic, 
who married Rosa Phillips, of Oklahoma 
City, Oklahoma, and has one son, Lo- 
renzo: Charles L., a carpenter residing 
in Lowell, Arizona, married to Miss Jes- 
sie Cox, of Mt. Sterling, Illinois ; two 
daughters who died in infancy; and John, 
who also died in infancy. 

Mr. Harris is a member of the Meth- 
odist church. He votes with the democ- 
racy and has served as police constable 
for Augusta. Throughout almost sixt}' 
years he has lived in this part of the state 
and has seen many changes in Hancock 
county as pioneer conditions have given 
way before the improvements of an ad- 
vanced civilization. In matters of citi- 
zenship he is public-spirited and he has 
co-operated to the extent of his resources 



in the movements and measures for the 
public good. At seventy-two years of 
age his penmanship was as regular and 
plain as print and looked as though it 
were copper-plate. 



CARL BERTSCHI. 

Carl Bertschi, the proprietor of a fine 
meat market in Xiota, where he is con- 
ducting" an excellent trade, was born in 
Appanoose township. July 26, i860, a 
son of William and Elizabeth (Walte) 
Bertschi, natives of Switzerland. 

Carl Bertschi was reared to farm life 
and accjuired his education in the dis- 
trict schools near his father's home. He 
remained with his parents to the age of 
sixteen years, when he started out to 
make his own way in the world, going 
first to Wisconsin, where he was em- 
ployed at farm labor during the sum- 
mer months, while in the winter season he 
worked in the pine woods, being thus oc- 
cupied for six years, and on the expira- 
tion of that period he returned to the old 
home place, where he remained for one 
year, subsec|uent to which time he went 
to Bond county, Illinois, where he was 
employed by the month as a farm hand 
for fourteen months, and then returned 
again to Hancock count}', where he still 
followed that pursuit, and during the 
threshing season he, in connection with 
his brother, operated a threshing machine 
from 1882 until 1892. He also operated 
a thresher in Wisconsin and in Bond 



338 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



county, Illinois. In this business the 
brothers were quite successful, their trade 
extending- nver a large territor}- in this 
section (jf the count}'. 

As a companion and helpmate for life's 
journey Mr. Bcrtschi chose ]\Iiss Bar- 
bara Lutz, to whom he was married June 
26. 1886. She was born in Franklin, Lee 
county, Iowa. October 10, 1867. a daugh- 
ter of John and Eliza (Bertschi) Lutz, 
both natives of Switzerland. Following 
his marriage Mr. Bertschi livetl for one 
year with his wife's mother, and then re- 
moved to the village of Xiota, where he 
was employed at bridge-building for the 
Santa Fe Railroad Company iov one year, 
and on the expiration of that period he 
went to Tyson creek and engaged in the 
manufacture of tile, but this business ven- 
ture did not prove a success, and he then 
took up his abode on a farm in Appa- 
noose township, where he was engaged in 
general agricultural pursuits until 1893, 
when he left the farm and removed to 
Niota, where he invested in two lots and 
a business block, in which he opened a 
meat market and has since been engaged 
in carrying on this entei^prise. He con- 
ducts the only market in Xiota and has 
an excellent trade, which returns him a 
gratifying annual income. He handles 
onlv the best class of meats and does all 
bis own liutchering. 

In his political views Mr. Bertschi ad- 
vocates the principles of democracy and 
because of his abilitv and his interest in 
local affairs his fellow townsmen ha\-e 
called him to a number of offices, having 
served for one term as assessor, three 
terms as supei"visor. one tenn as school 
director and is now sen'ing his second 



term as school trustee. He is identified 
with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- 
lows, holding membership in Lodge Xo. 
222. at Xauvoo, and with Harrick lodge, 
Xo. 193. of [Masons. IMr. Bertschi was 
elected sheriff of Hancock county X^ovem- 
lier (), 1906. Unto him and his 
wife hri\-e been born four children, 
of wdiom three survive: Caroline Ame- 
lia, who died at the age of one and one- 
half years; Lloyd, born March 3. 1889; 
Palmer E.. born April 17. 1894: and 
Lona. December i, 1903. He and his 
familv are well known in Xiota and the 
surrounding country, and the hospitality 
of their own home is greatly enjoyed by 
their manv friends. 



EMIL J. BAXTER. 

Emil J. Baxter is well known as a bee 
culttu-ist and the business which he has 
conducted in this regard has become ex- 
tensive and imp(.irtant. He carries on 
the work along modern scientific lines and 
in addition he engages in horticultural 
pursuits, while in other sections of the 
country lie owns \-aluable landed interests. 
He is likewise the oldest director in point 
of continuous service of the State Bank 
of Xauvoo. and is regarded as one of the 
representati\'e business men, his life of 
actixitv being crowned with success, while 
his commercial integrity stands as an un- 
questioned fact in his career. 

Mr. Baxter is a native of X'ewark. X'ew 
Jersev. a son of Emil and Annette ( Low- 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOJS. 



;39 



ell) Baxter, both natives of France, the 
former born in St. Ouintin. The paternal 
grandparents were John and Marie Bax- 
ter, the former born in England of Scutch 
parentage, while the latter was of h'rench 
birth. John Baxter ser\e(l as cunimander 
of artillery at the battle uf Waterloo 
under the Duke of Wellingtcjn and was 
gi\"en a medal in recognition of his able 
militar)- service. So well pleased with 
France was he that he determined to re- 
main in that country and there engaged in 
the manufacture of lace, the product ui 
his factory being sent to New York city 
and sold by Robert Jaffray, who estab- 
lished the wholesale lace house of Jaffray 
& Sons, which is today one of the largest 
wholesale establishments of the western 
metropolis. 

About the }ear 1845 Emil liaxter 
crossed the Atlantic to the new world and 
accepted a position with the firm of Hen- 
nequin & Company, large importers of 
laces, dry goods, etc.. in Xew York, and 
also owners of a store in Paris, France. 
He continued with that house until 1856. 
when he removed to Xauvoo and became 
secretary of the Icarian community. A 
vear later, however, he returned to 
Xewark, Xew Jersey, and again accepted 
a position as bookkeeper but his health 
failed and he returned to Hancock 
county, purchasing eight acres in the heart 
of Xauvoo. He made a specialty of the 
raising of grapes and the manufacture of 
wine. The gentle slope of the Alississippi 
river bank affords splendid opportunity 
for grape culture and ]\Ir. Baxter con- 
tinued successfully in business until 1894, 
when he removed to Keokuk to live with 
his (laughter, ]\Irs. Addie Kruskopf. the 



widow of Ernest Krusdopf. There his 
ileath occurred in June, 1895. He is sur- 
vived by his second wife and four sons 
and twi) daughters of the first marriage 
and one daughter of the second marriage. 
Mr. Baxter had lieen married on the 29th 
of July. 1852, at Meriden. Q-nnecticut, 
tij Aliss .\nnette I'owell. who was en- 
gaged in teaching in a seminar)- in that 
state. Her death occurred in July, 1863. 
Emil J. Baxter, the eldest of the chil- 
dren, remained with his father until 1871 
and attended the common schools of 
Xau\do during .the winter months until 
sixteen years of age. In 1871 he went 
to Little Rock and to Hiit Springs. 
Arkansas, and planted <ine of the first 
vine\'ards ever set out in that state. 'Sev- 
everal months later he returned to Blinois 
and engaged in teaching school for one 
winter, after which he went to Chicago, 
where he continued in the study of law 
iov one ^■ear with John Lyle King. He 
had previously studied law at Xauvoc> 
under the direction of R. \\". McKinney, 
and returning to X'auvoo. he engaged in 
teaching school through the winter sea- 
sons, while in the summer months his at- 
tention was devoted to horticultural pur- 
suits and to the conduct of an apiary. He 
taught through thirteen winter terms of 
six months each and was regarded as one 
of the capable educators of this part of 
the state, his labors being effective in 
promoting the standard of education. In 
more recent years he has been making a 
specialty of bee culture, having from two 
hundred to three hundred hives on hand. 
He has also been especially interested in 
horticulture, which he has studied in all 
its phases, including the subject of the 



340 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI'IEIl 



insect enemies that attack fruit. He is 
a life member of the Missouri and tlie 
Illinois State Horticultural Societies and 
his knowledg^e concerning the best meth- 
ods of cultivating- fruit is now compre- 
hensive and accurate, his decisions being 
largely considered authurit)- throughiiut 
this part of the state. For many years 
he was the senior member of the firm of 
E. Ba.xter & Sons, his partners being- 
Thomas P. and Cecil J. Baxter, to whoni 
he sold out in 1901. He now owns ten 
acres in his home place in Nauvoo devoted 
to all kinds of fruit and he also keeps 
ninety colonies of bees at the home place. 
He likewise owns thirty acres additional 
within the city limits of N'au\'oo, devoted 
to fruit raising, and he has a third in- 
terest in three hundred and twenty acres 
of farm land in Hand county. South Da- 
kota, and likewise owns one hundred and 
si.xty acres in Shernian county, Kansas. 
He is one of the heavy stockholders of 
the State Bank (jf Nauvoo and is its oldest 
director in years of service, while at the 
present time he is chairman of the loan 
and discount committee and chairman of 
the examining board. 

On the -Mst of June. 1S77, Mr. Baxter 
was nru-ried to Miss Eugenie S. 
Dadant. a daughter of Charles and 
Gal)rielle ( I'arrisot ) Dadant. natives of 
Erancc. Their children are: Alice A., 
born August 26. 1S80: E. Miles. Jan- 
uar}- 13. 1885: Charles Bayard, b^eb- 
ruary 17, 1887: and Florence C., Jan- 
uary 21. 1890. In the spring- of n)03 
Mr. Baxter erected a fine niodern resi- 
dence, sup])lied with all city conveniences 
and heated with hot water and system for 
liHitinu- l)v either gas or electricity was 



installed. This is one of the attractive 
residences of Xau\-oo, and its warm- 
hearted hospitality makes it a favorite re- 
sort with the many friends of the family. 
Mr. Baxter is prominent politically and 
socially as well as in business circles. 
He is a stalwart democrat, and in 1880 
served as supervisor of Nauvoo township, 
while for se\'en terms be has served as 
alderman of the city fron-i the third ward 
and was again elected in the spring of 
1906. He has served continuously since 
1 89 1 as a member of the school board 
in district Xo. 53, and he has been a 
member of the township high school 
board since 1900. His laljors h.ave been 
effecti\e and far-reaching in his efforts to 
promote the intellectual progress and up- 
hold the ])olitical status of his conii-nunit\- 
and he has used practical iiiethods in 
working toward the ideal. He belongs 
to Temple lodge. No. 222. Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows, ■ of which 
he became a charter member on its 
organization in ,\pril, 1888. He 
is also a niember of the Rebekah lodge, 
and lieliings to Pucbechetuck camp, Xo. 
7. Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 
at Keokuk. Also a charter meml^er of 
Temple camp. Modern Woodmen of 
Anierica. He also ser\-ed for n-ian_\- years 
as representative to the grand lodge of 
the Ancient Order of United Workn-ien 
but has withdrawn from that organiza- 
tion. His life has been a success. His 
entire career is illustrated by the fact that 
certain actions are followed by certain re- 
sults. As a business man he has always 
been enterprisii-ig, and his labors ha\e 
resulted in successful accomplishment. As 
a citizen he has displayed sagacity and 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



341 



true patriotism and as a public official his 
actions have been above reproach or criti- 
cism. He stands today as a worthy rep- 
resentative of a high type of our Ameri- 
can manhood. 



S. \V. HECOX. 

S. ^^^ Hecox, engaged in the livery 
business in Carthage, was born in Adams 
count}-. Illinois. April 6, i860, a son of 
R. C. and Mary (Lancaster) Hecox. 
The father, a native of Illinois, resided 
upon a farm in Adams county through- 
out the greater part of his life. His 
political allegiance was given to the de- 
mocracy and in his fraternal relations 
he was a ?kIason. He married Miss 
]\Iary Lancaster, a native of Pennsyl- 
vania, and they became the parents of 
seven children, of whom six are living, 
as follows: Rebecca, the wife of Henry 
W'illard. of Bowen. Illinois; S. W.. of 
this review: George, also living in 
Bowen: Anna, the wife of Stuart ^^^^ods. 
who resides near Bowen: Oscar, who is 
living in Golden, Adams county. Illinois; 
anrl Dr. Chalmer Hecox. of'Golden. The 
mother passed away in 1S77 and her re- 
mains were interred in Ebenezer ceme- 
teiy. Tlie father, howe^•er. is udw liv- 
ing in Bowen. 

S. W. Hecox was educated in the 
countiy schools of Bowen and remained 
with his father until of age. \\'hen a 
young man of twenty-five \'ears he was 
married to Miss Lillian Parish on the 



4th of October. 1885. She was also a 
nati\'e of Adams county and a daughter 
I if Dr. Parish. Her mother died wlien 
the daughter was but six years of age and 
the father passed away in Oregon in 
1904. He was a physician by profession 
and served as a Union soldier in the Civil 
war. Of their family of five children 
Mrs. Hecox is the youngest, the others 
being: William and B}-ron. who reside 
in Oregon ; Reuben, who is living in 
Iowa; and Elizabeth, the wife of Clark 
Headley. of Iowa. 

'Sir. and Mrs. Hecox resided upon a 
farm in Hancock ciiunty f<;>r three and 
a half years and afterward removed to 
a farm in Adams county, where they 
spent eleven and a half years, his atten- 
tion being given to the development of 
the fields which were highl)- improved. 

On the 6th of March, iqoo. Mr. Heojx 
removed to Carthage and opened a livery 
stable, in which enterprise he w-as first 
associated with Sherman Lancaster, 
afterward with George Gardner and 
now with Dr. E. H. Herring. He con- 
ducts a general livery stal)le on Jnckson 
street and alsd has funeral equipment, 
including hearse and carriages. He re- 
cei\-es a liberal patronage owing to his 
earnest effort to please his customers and 
his reasonable prices. 

L'nti.i Mr. and Mrs. Heco.x have been 
born two children: Ve\-a Bernice. l)om 
in Adams countv, June 13, i8c)i, and 
niiw a high scIvki] student: and Chalmer 
Rosswell. who was born M;irch <>. 181)9. 
The parents are acti\'e members of the 
Christian church, doing much to pro- 
mote its growth and development and 
are teachers in the SuMda\"-schoo]. Air. 



342 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



Hecox belongs lu ilie Odd Fellows so- 
ciety and the Modern Woodmen camp. 
He has served as road commissioner and 
as a member of the school board and is 
interested in all that pertains to public 
progress and improvement. His polit- 
ical allegiance is given to the Democratic 
party and his church and political rela- 
tions indicate much of the character of 
the man, showing that he is arrayed on 
the side of right, justice and truth. He 
deserves much credit for what lie has 
accomplished in a business way, for he 
has had no assistance but has depended 
upon his own labors and resources for 
advancement. In manner he is kind and 
jovial and is spoken of in terms of praise 
and friendship by all with whom business 
or social relations have brought him in 
contact. 



WYMAN T. WHITCOMB. 

The Whitcomb family was establislred 
in America when this counti"y was still 
numbered among the colonial possessions 
of Great Britain. Wyman Whitcomb, 
Sr., grandfather of our subject, was a 
school teacher by profession and was also 
a musician of considerable skill and repu- 
tation. His services were in frequent de- 
mand for political meetings, on which 
occasions he would play the fife and 
drum. He became one of the pioneer 
settlers of Adams county, Illinois, in 
1833. He had a brother who was killed 
in Cuba in 1844, having been taken pris- 
oner there and shot at the time of mili- 
tary uprisings. 



Dwight Whitcomb, father of our sub- 
ject, was born in Ohio. November 12, 
1830, and passed the age of seventy-three 
years, departing this life January 21, 
1904, his remains being interred in Pow- 
ellton cemetery. He was but three years 
of age at the time of the removal of the 
family to Adams county and was a 
young man of twenty-one }-ears when he 
located in Rock Creek township. Han- 
cock county. His entire life was de- 
voted tu agricultural pursuits and thus 
he provided for his family, numbering 
wife and fifteen or sixteen children. 
Mrs. W' hitcomb bore the maiden name of 
Mary H. Ellison, and is still living in 
Adrian. She was born December 29, 
1836, and has the:refore reached the sev- 
entieth i.nilestone on life's journey. Of 
the family only five sons are now living. 
Wyman T., Farnum M., John D., James 
A. and Lewis M., all residents of Rock 
Creek township. 

W'yman T. Whitcomb was born on the 
old farm home in Rock Creek township. 
December 21, 1856, and at the usual age 
entered the district school not far dis- 
tant from his father's fann. After leav- 
ing home he began farming on his own 
account in his native township, where 
he has spent his entire life save for a 
period of seven years, which he passed in 
Colorado and Nebraska, undergoing 
many hardships and privations incident 
to frontier setlement there, so that he 
was glad to return to his native county. 
He now owns and operates seventy-nine 
acres of rich and arable land on section 
5, Rock Creek township, whereon he has 
erected a good dwelling, bams and made 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. !LLI\0!.S. 



343 



other substantial ami iiKjileni improve- 
ments. In all of his farm work he is 
exceedingly practical and his lalmrs are 
therefore the source of a goodly income. 

On the 23d of March, 1879, Mr. Whit- 
comb was united in marriage to Miss 
Frances E. Hollingworth. who was born 
in Keokuk, Iowa, Januar}- 17, i860, a 
daughter of G. W. and .\nn ( Slocum ) 
Hollingworth, natives of Pennsylvania 
and Ohio, respectively. The father was 
a printer by trade and spent much of his 
life in Iowa, where both he and his wife 
died. She was a member of the Metlm- 
dist church. In their f.amily were twn 
daughters and a son, namely: Mrs. 
\\'hitcomb: F. J. Hollingworth, who is 
living in Seattle, A\'ashingt(in ; and Lot- 
tie, the wife of Ray Lewis, of Des 
Moines, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. W'hitcomb 
have one child, Grover V.. who was born 
in Phelps county, Neliraska, October 28, 
1892, and is n(jw a student in the Rock 
Creek township schools. [Mrs. Whit- 
comb is also descended from ancesti:)rs 
who ser\e(l in the Re\'olutionary war and 
her great-uncle, Samuel Slocum. was a 
soldier of the Civil war, while David 
Whitcoml). an uncle of our subject, was 
a member of an Illinois regijnent in the 
same war. 

Mr. \\'hitcomb exercises his right of 
franchise in support of the men and 
measures of the democracy and has filled 
some local offices, such as road-boss, 
school director and township treasurer. 
He belongs to the Loyal American, an 
insurance ccjmpany. Both he and his 
wife are kind-hearted, pleasant people, 
who occup\- warm places in the esteem 
and friendship of those who kni.n\ them. 



JOHX \\'ELLNER. 

Ji'Iin Wellner is a worthy and well 
known representative of horticultural and 
agricultural interests in .\ppanoose town- 
ship. His life record began in Baden, 
Germany. Ma_\- 14, 1849, but he was 
reared in .\'au\-oo. where he acquired a 
common school education. His parents, 
Michael and Catherine (Emerich) \\'ell- 
ner, were also natives of Gemiany. where 
the father learned and followed the mill- 
er's trade. In 1852. how-e\'er, he came 
with his famih- to the L'nited States, 
landing at New Orleans, where for four 
years he was employed in a wholesale 
sugar house. He then secured a posi- 
tion on a river packet, and in passing 
X.au\'oo he was S() well pleased with the 
town, its site, and its prospects that he 
resoh-ed to make it his home and jiur- 
chased here a house and lot. In the sum- 
mer months he w(jrked on boats on the 
ri\er, and in the winter seasons was at 
home with his family. His death, how- 
ever, occurred in Xew Orleans in 1859, 
and subsequently his widow became the 
Avife of Joseph Haas, who died in 1900. 
She is still living in Nauvoo, at the ad- 
xanced age of eighty years. She was Mr. 
Wellner's second wife. By a former 
marriage he had one son and three daugh- 
ters, and by his second marriage he hatl 
two sons and two daughters. Unto Mr. 
and Mrs. Haas were born two sons and 
two daughters, and by a previous mar- 
riage Mr. Haas had three sons and a 
daughter. 

John Wellner in his ^■outh. continued 
to make his home with his mother, but 
worked out by the month on farms in .\p- 



344 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



panoose and Nauvoo townships until liis 
marriage, wliich was celebrated in Octo- 
ber, 1870, Miss Agnes Haas becoming his 
wife. She was a daughter of his step- 
fatlier. Joseph Haas, and his first wife, 
Ferona Haas, who were natives of Ger- 
many. Tjnto Mr. and ^Irs. Weliner were 
born the following named : Lena, the 
wife of William Yager, of Nauvoo: Jo- 
seph, who died at the age of eight years ; 
Katie, who was killed when a year and a 
half I lid : Charles, who died at the age of 
three years ; Doretta. who died at the age 
of fiuir years; Emma, Vallie. Agatha. 
Edwin and Vera, all at home. The tliree 
children. Joseph, Mary and Charles, all 
died of diphtheria within one week in 
1888. 

Following his marriage Mr. Weliner 
rented a fami in Appanoose township and 
lived on different fanns until 1S76. when 
he invested his savings in forty-eight 
acres of land in Nauvoo township. The 
same year he began building a house and 
just before its completion it was de- 
stroyed in a severe windstorm on the 
night of July 4. Mr. Weliner was away 
from home at the time. His wife, how- 
ever, was in the house with her two chil- 
dren, and one infant. Katie, in her arms, 
was killed. One child escaped, while Mrs. 
Well"er was pinned down by the arm un- 
der some debris, being held there from 
I :30 a. m. in the morning until 4 o'clock, 
when Mr. Weliner returned and released 
Iner. He then took his family to Xau- 
\-o(i, but in the fall again built upon his 
fann. There were about eighteen acres 
of limber there, while the remainder was 
fit for cultivation and was largely de- 
voted to the raising of grapes. There are 



four acres of grapes and five acres of ap- 
ples. His second house which he built 
was of brick and this he remodeled in 
1900. making it an attractive home of 
eight rooms, heated b}- furnace with a 
cellar under the entire house. In 1891 
he purchased eighty acres of land on sec- 
tion 31 in Appanoose township, which is 
devoted to farming and pasturage. As 
the years have gone by he has made many 
chang'es and improvements on the farm, 
developing a splendid property, from 
whicli he now annually harvests good 
crops of grain and of fruit. He belongs 
to the Catholic church and his political 
views are in accord with the principles 
of democracy. 



JOHN D. WHITCOMB. 

John D. \Aniitcomb. a representative 
of the farming interests of Rock Creek 
township, who has owned and occupied 
this place for thirty years, has now a good 
tract of land of one hundred and twenty 
acres, and in addition to tilling the soil 
is raising stock. He is one of the native 
sons of the township, having been bom 
Septemlier 6, t86t, upon the old home- 
stead fann which was the property of his 
parents. Dwight and jNIary H. (Ellison) 
Whitcomb. The father was a native of 
Trumbull county. Ohio, bom in 1830, 
while the mother's birth occurred in Eng- 
land in 1837. In 1832 he became a resi- 
dent of Adams county, Illinois, his par- 
ents removing to this state at that time. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



345 



and about 1853 he took up his abode in 
Hancoci< county, where he carried on gen- 
eral agricultural pursuits and stock-rais- 
ing until his death. He passed away Jan- 
uary 22, 1904, and his grave was made 
in Powellton cemeter}'. His widow still 
sun"ives and is now living in Adrian. The 
■father had one brother, Da\id W'hitcomb, 
who was a member of an Illinois regi- 
ment in the Civil war, and is now living 
in Adams county. Unto Mr. and Mrs. 
Dwight Whitcomb were born fifteen chil- 
dren, of whom five yet survive: Wyman 
T.. who is living in Rock Creek township 
and is represented elsewhere in this vol- 
ume: Farnham, of the same township; 
John D., of this review: and James A. 
and Lewis M., who are also living in 
Rock Creek township. 

Like the other members of the family. 
John D. Whitcomb was reared under the 
parental roof and the public schools df 
his native township afforded him his edu- 
cational privileges. When not busy with 
his text-books he worked in the fields and 
remained with his parents, assisting in 
the labor of the home farm until twenty- 
eight years of age, when, in 1890, he was 
married and established a home of his 
own. The ladv of his choice was Miss 
Mary L. Youngmeyer. who wis born in 
Nauvoo in 1870, a daughter of Joseph 
and Elizabeth (Sibert) Youngmeyer, the 
former a native of Prussia, Germany, and 
the latter of Virginia. They became 
early settlers of Hancock county, Illi- 
nois, and for many years Mr. Young- 
meyer followed farming but passed away 
about five vears ago. His widow, how- 
ever, still lives in Rock Creek township. 
In their family were eight children, of 



whom two are now deceased. The others 
are: John H., a resident of Oklahoma: 
Mary L., now Mrs. Whitcomb; Rosetta 
G., the wife of John Jacks, of Rock Creek 
township; Catherine, tlie wife of George 
Haislett, of Last St. Louis, Illinois; Ed- 
ward S., of Rock ("reek township; and 
Arthur \\'., of Oklahoma. 

Mr. Whitcomb received as a gift from 
his father eighty acres of land on section 
14, Rock Creek township, and is now the 
owner of one hundred and twenty acres. 
He has lived upon this farm for twenty- 
four years and all of the improvements 
here are as a monument to his life of 
thrift, enterprise and diligence. His res- 
idence is an elegant country home, and 
were it not for the surrounding fields 
might well be regarded as a city dwelling, 
and in fact would grace any town in the 
county. He has also built good bams 
and outbuildings for the shelter of grain 
and stock and has successfully carried 
on the work of tilling the soil and rais- 
ing stock, but is now renting most of his 
land and is largel_\- living retired, enjoy- 
ing a rest which is truly merited because 
of his activity, enterprise and careful 
management in former years. 

Lhito Mr. and Mrs. Whitcomb have 
been born six children, all natives of Rock 
Creek township, namely : Ethel 'May, 
who was born April 18. 1891, and is a 
student in the Carthage high school and 
is also studying music : David Joseph, 
who was bom December 11, 1892. and 
died December 19, 1893 : Willis, who 
was born December 11, 1895, and passed 
away July 9, 1896; Ruth Elizabeth, who 
w^as horn June 22, T807, and died Janu- 
arv 17, 1904: Arthur Dwight. born July 



346 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEIJ' 



/. 1903: and Ada Frances, March 19. 
1906. The three deceased chikh"en were 
laid to rest in Powellton cemetery. Airs. 
W'iiitciiml) is a member of the Methodi.st 
clnirch and Mr. Wdiitcomb affiliates witli 
the Odd Fellows. His political support 
is gi\-en to the democracy, and for fifteen 
years he has served as school director, but 
has never been ambitious in the line of 
office holding. Both he and his wife are 
honest, respected people, whose life rec- 
ords characterized lay much, that is up- 
lifting-, are a credit to the cminty of their 
nativity. Tiieir pretty home is attract- 
ively furnished and is the center <if a 
cultured societ}' circle, their many friends 
greatly enjoying its wann-hearted 
hiispitalitv. 



WILIJAM \\'EBER. 

^^"illiam Weber resides on section 32, 
Appanoose township, where he has an 
excellent farm of one hundred and ninety 
acres. The greater part of this is under 
cultix'atiiin and the farm is well e(|uip]ied 
with modem accessories and cnnve- 
niences. Many fruit trees upon the jilace 
are a good source of income, while the 
well tilled fields annually bring forth 
gulden harvests. It was upon section 32 
that \\'illiam \\^eber first opened his eyes 
to the light of day. on the 6th of Janu- 
ary, 1853. and a district school educa- 
tion fitted him for life's practical and 
responsible duties. He is of Swiss line- 
age, his parents, Samuel and Rose 
(Bertschi) ^Veber, having been born. 



reared and married in Switzerland. Hop- 
ing to enjoy better business opportunities 
in the new world, they sailed for America 
late in the '40s, and took up their aI:)ode in 
St, Louis, where they remained for about 
two years, Mr. Weber doing farm work. 
In 1850 he came to Nauvoo and his earn- 
ings, which had been carefully saved, 
were invested in forty acres of prairie 
land and twenty acres of timber in .\p- 
panoose township. Upon this place he 
located and began the further cultivation 
and development of a farm, making it his 
home until about 1886, when he sold that 
])roperty and bought eighty acres in So- 
nora township. There he lived until his 
life's labors were ended in death on the 
i8th of October, 1893. His widow has 
since resided with her daughter, Airs. 
Alar\- Co\\les, of ["ort Madison. Iowa, 
who is one of a familv of five sons and 
six daughters. 

William Weber, the sixth .in order of 
birth in this f;unih', remained under the 
parental rodf until twentv-nine vears of 
age and from his earl\' \'outli ga\e ma- 
terial assistance in the work of the farm. 
At the age of twentv-two vears he rented 
his father's land and continued its culti- 
vation on his own account for seven years. 
He then married on the ist of January, 
1883, Miss .\nnie Rentschler. a native of 
Xauvoo, bom April 12, 1852, and a 
daughter of John M. and Annie 
fSchnearly) Rentschler. who were na- 
tives of Wurtemburg-. Germany. They 
made the voyage across the briny deep 
to Xew Orleans, and some time later lie- 
came residents of Keokuk, Iowa. The 
father had learned and followed the mill- 
ing Inisiness in his native countn' but 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



347 



after coming to the new workl he en- 
gaged in farming. He spent some time 
in Iowa and tiien removed to Xauvoo, 
purchasing a farm in Sonera to\vnship, 
upon which he and his wife spent their 
remaining days, her death occurring Sep- 
tember 13, 1874, wdiile he survived until 
May 20, 1888. As stated, their daughter 
Annie became the wife of William \\'eb- 
er. and one child has been born of this 
union. Archie Harry, whose natal day 
was October 8, 1883. 

Following their marriage Mr. and 
Mrs. W'eb^r lived upon her father's farm. 
Mr. Weber purchased the interest of the 
other heirs in this [iroperty and coiUinued 
to cultivate the fields there until i8yi. 
when he sold that place and bought one 
hundred and ninety acres of land situated 
on sections 28 and t,2. Appanoose town- 
ship. Of this twenty-fi\-e acres are co\-- 
ered with timber, while the remainder is 
improved land and the further work of 
cultivation and develupment has been 
carried forward \)y the present owner. 
The buildings all stand as nuinuments 
to his enterprise and thrift and include 
bams, a two-storv frame house, curn 
cribs, and in fact e\er\thing necessarv 
for the shelter of grain, stock and farm 
machinery. He has recentl\- erected a 
modern and commodious coniUry Imme. 
which is tasteful in its arrangeiuent and 
ill its furnisliings. He carries on general 
agricultural pursuits and stock-raising 
and he also gives consideraljle attention 
to the culti\'ation of fruit, ha\-ing up"n 
his place one hundred and hft\' ajjple 
trees, fifty peach trees and also cherries 
and pears. He has made a close studv of 
tlie best methods of cariii"- for the fruit 



and in his farm work he follows the 
nitatitin of crops and brings to bear 
modern scientific knowledge in the prac- 
tical work of tilling the soil. A dem<x'rat 
in his [xilitical allegiance he has never 
been an aspirant for office and the only 
position of public trust he has ever held 
was that of school director, in which he 
sei-\-ed four years. He and his family at- 
tend the Methodist Episcopal church and 
are esteemeil in the community as people 
of genuine wurth who well merit a posi- 
tion of prominence in social circles. 



GEORGE M. BRANT. 

George M. Brant, owning and operat- 
ing one hundred and sixty acres of land 
on section 33. Sonora township, which 
is a portion (if his father's estate, is a 
nati\'e son nf this township. ha\ing here 
been b(n"n Fel)ruar}' 6. 1868. a son of 
Hezekiah and Isabella (Dick) Brant, the 
former born in Indiana, Januar^■ i. 1826, 
a son of Jiihn Brant, who was a soldier 
in the war of 1812, while the mother was 
a daughter of James Dick. The father 
I if John Brant died when he was onl\- 
fi\-e }-ears old. ami in his youth he learned 
the blacksmith's trade in his native state, 
and aliout 1853 renioxed to Hancock 
county, Illinois. His marriage to Miss 
Isabella Dick occurred in X'incennes, In- 
diana, in 1850, and after the vears spent 
in that state, he took u]) his abode in So- 
nora townshi]), this count v. where the 
father purchased one hundred and si.xty 



348 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllFAV 



acres of wild prairie land, which he im- 
proved, and on which he erected a house. 
From time to time he added to his landed 
possessions until at the time of his death 
lie owned live hundred and sixty acres in 
Sonora township and four hundred and 
forty acres situated in Pawnee county, 
Nebraska. His death occurred Novem- 
ber 29, 1904, while his wife passed away 
December 3, 1899, at the age of sixty- 
three years, her birth having occurred 
June 6. TS36. In the family of this 
worthy couple w^ere six sons and two 
daughters, as follows: James D., of 
Sumner county, Kansas; H. W.. a physi- 
cian of Cardston, in the province of Al- 
berta. Canada; C. M.. a stockman of 
Hamilton, Illinois; Mina S., the wife of 
William Spence, of Hamilton; John M.. 
a resident of Bushnell ; Herman, resid- 
ing on the home place ; George M.. of this 
review ; and Jessie, the wife of George 
Ludington. also on the home place. 

George M. Brant acquired his early 
education in the district schools and later 
pursued a course of study in an academy 
at Denmark, Iowa, and at Eureka ( Illi- 
nois) College, subsequent to which time 
he pursued a business course in Gem City 
Business College at Ouincy. from which 
he was graduated December 15. 1892. 
He remained at home until he had 
reached the age of twenty-eight years, 
when he was married. July 3. 1896, Miss 
Elizabeth Marguerite Schell becoming his 
wife. She is a native of Montebello 
township, this county, and is a daughter 
of Peter A. and Jennie (Le Clere) Schell, 
the former bom in Germany, and the lat- 
ter in Montebello township. Her pater- 
nal grandparents were Frank and Mar- 



guerite Schell, while the maternal grand- 
parents were Joseph and Elizabeth (An- 
slet) Le Clere, both natives of France. 

Following his marriage George M. 
Brant took up his abode on a farm be- 
longing to his father, and here remained 
until the latter's death, when the land was 
divided among his children, his son. 
Georg-e M., falling heir to a tract of one 
hundred and sixty acres, being the north- 
west quarter of section 35, Sonora town- 
ship. Here he has since continued to re- 
side, and has added many improvements 
to the place. When he first took possession 
of the farm there had been a little cottage 
erected thereon, but Mr. Brant has en- 
larged this, and has also put up a wind- 
mill, Ijuilt corn cribs and other outbuild- 
ings, sn that he now has a finely im- 
l)r(>\'ed farm pr^pertw In addition to 
carr\'ing on general agricukural pursuits 
he is also engaged in the raising of cat- 
tle. Percheron horses and Poland China 
hogs, and this branch of his business is 
proving \'er_\' profitalile. 

Cnto Mr. and IMrs. Brant has been 
born a daughter. Golda Mary, whose 
birth occurred November 13, 1898. I\Ir. 
Brant is independent in politics, voting 
for the men whom he things best quali- 
fied for office regardless of party ties and 
afiiliation. He holds membership in the 
Christian church at Golden Point, and 
fraternally is connected with the Masonic 
order, holding membership with Black 
Hawk lodge. No. 238. at Hamilton. 
Having received a good business educa- 
tion in his youth. Mr. Brant is well quali- 
fied to carry on his private interests in a 
verv successful manner. Although he 
came into possession of an excellent farm- 



HAXCOCK COUNTY, ILLIXOIS. 



349 



ing property throug'h inheritance, he has, 
through industry and weh directed labor, 
so managed his atlairs that lie is now- 
numbered among the well-to-do and pros- 
perous agriculturists of this section of 
the state, and both he and his wife enjoy 
the warm regard of a host of friends for 
they are well and favorably known 
throughout Hancock county, having here 
spent their entire lives. 



BURNETT SCHAFER. 

Burnett Schafer is the owner of a good 
farm property of one hundred and twenty 
acres in Appanoose township. It was in 
this township that he was born on the 
nth day of January, 1862, his parents 
being Marcus and Martha (Myers) 
Schafer, both of whom were natives of 
Baden, Germany. The father was a son 
of Fabian Schafer, and the mother was 
a daughter of John Myers. In the year 
1844 Marcus Schafer became a resident 
of Madison county, Illinois, and in St. 
Louis, Missouri, he wedded Miss Mar- 
tha Myers. He had come to America 
with friends about 1845 and met her in 
St. Louis. In 1849 they removed to Nau- 
voo, and for a time Mr. .Schafer engaged 
in teaming, but as he had opportunity to 
purchase a farm, owing to his industry 
and economy in former years, he made in- 
vestment in forty acres of land on sec- 
tion 26. Appanoose township. He 
moved to this farm from Nauvoo. a dis- 
tance of seven miles, a frame house 



which he placed upon the farm, and when 
a home had thus been arranged for his 
family he resolutel)' undertook the task 
of clearing and cultivating his fields. He 
worked persistently and energetically 
and prospered as the years went by, so 
that in 1865 he was enabled to add one 
hundred and sixty acres on section 35, 
Appanoose township, to his holdings. 
Soon aftei"ward, however, he sold eighty 
acres to his brother Vitus and later he 
bought one hundred and sixtv acres on 
section 31, Rock Creek township. He 
was closely and actively associated with 
farming interests for many years, and in 
1890 he removed to Nauvoo, where he 
died February 13, 1894. Subsequent to 
this time his property was sold and the 
proceeds divided among his children. 
His wife passed away August 13, 1903. 
In their family were eleven childixn : 
Cassie, who became the wife of Christian 
Hotz, and died in Madison county. Illi- 
nois, in 1884; Mary, the wife of John 
Webber, of Mercer county, California; 
William, who is a traveling representa- 
tive for a New York house ; Annie, the 
second wife of Christian Hotz, of south- 
ern Minnesota ; Henr}', who is living in 
Fillmore county, Nebraska ; Burnett ; 
Minnie, the wife of S. G. McBride, of 
Pontoosuc township, this county ; Emma, 
the wife of Philip Farren, of Henderson 
county, Illinois; Ferdinand*, who died at 
the age of eleven years ; John, who was 
accidentally shot and killed in Nauvoo in 
1892; and George, who died when a year 
and a half old. 

At the usual age Burnett Schafer be- 
gan his education, attending first the dis- 
trict schools, and afterward Bailev's Busi- 



350 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllE]]' 



ness College, at Keokuk. Iowa. He was 
a student there from the fall of 1876 un- 
til the spring; of 1877, and again in tlie 
fall of 1880. being graduated March 1. 
188 1. He was thus well qualified by 
school training fi.ir life's practical duties 
anil the responsibilities of a business ca- 
reer. He made his home with h.is parents 
utuil twenty-five years of age. when, 
thinking that he might enjoy better busi- 
ness opportunities in the newer west, he 
went to Kansas in 1882 and securetl a 
huniestead claim in Grove county, where 
lie remained f(^r six months. He did not 
pri)\-e up the property, however, but re- 
turned to Hancock county. \\'lien only 
a half year had passed. howe\er. he once 
more went to Grove county. Kansas, 
wliere he had some cattle. There he re- 
mained for three nidnths, when he sold 
his cattle and' once more came to Han- 
cock county. Ijcing employed on the home 
farm until the time of his marriage, h'ol- 
lowing his marriage he rented the home 
place until 1900. when he bought one 
hundred and twenty acres of that farm 
and has since engaged in the tilling of the 
soil and in the raising of French Norman 
draft iiorses. He also has other fine 
grades of stock and is known ;is one of 
the leading stock breeders and dealers of 
this |)art of the state. In 1885 he and 
his father imported two stallions and a 
mare, since which time he has bred all 
of the stock raised upon his place. He 
now iiwns three stallions, a jackass, and 
one American coach horse and also has 
\-;dualde i'"rencli draft horses. He has 
gained more than local rejjutation as a 
bi'eeiler of fine stock, and this branch of 
his business is to him a profitable source 
of revenue. 



On the _'7th of December, 1887, Mr. 
Schafer was married to Miss Minnie 
Marsh, who was born in Appanoose 
township. November 20, 1869. a daugh- 
ter of James and Mildred (Lott) Alarsh. 
the former a native of Clark cormt}-. Mis- 
souri, and the latter of Kentucky. They 
ga\-e their daughter good educational 
privileges, and after attending the district 
schools she continued her education 
in Johnson's College, at h'l.rt Madi- 
son. Iowa. Cnto Mr. and Mrs. 
Schafer ha\e been born six chil- 
dren: ( iene\'ie\e. born Xmember 6, 
188S: Isabell. .Se|)tember 0. 1890: Marie. 
August 4, i8()j; Verona. h\'bruar.}- 20. 
1898: luilalia. July 4. 1 90J ; and Loret- 
ta, November 20. 1905. who died August 
20. 1906. Idle family are communicants 
of the Catholic church, at Nau\-oo. and 
in his fraternal relations Mr. Schafer is 
a Modern Woodman, belonging to the 
camp at Powellton. of which- he has been 
past counsel since 1(^03. He was pre- 
\iously counsel for four years and is a 
wortlu' represeiitati\-e of that order. 
Prominent in the local ranks of the Dem- 
ocratic party, he has served as a member 
of the central committee, and in the 
spring of 1906 was elected on that ticket 
to the (iftice of assessor. 



\\tllia:\i s. beard. 

^^'^lliam S. Beard, whose residence in 
Hancock county dates from 1876. at 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



351 



which time he located in Augusta, and 
who is niiw one of the extensive land- 
owners of Augusta township, where he 
makes his home in the village, was born 
in Vinton county, Ohio, September 17. 
1854. His parents were A. L. and Emma 
(Plenkharp) Beard. The maternal 
grandparents, as the name indicates. 
were of Swiss birth and ancestry, and 
having married in Switzerland, they aft- 
erward came to America, crossing the 
Atlantic in one of the old-time sailing 
vessels. 

A. L. Beard was born February 2. 
1816. in Muskingum county, Ohio, and 
his wife's birth occurred in Hocking 
county, Ohio, November 8. 1822. She 
had eight brothers, all of whom were sol- 
diers of the Civil war. Born and reared 
on a farm. A. L. Beard followed agri- 
cultural pursuits in his earlier life, but 
afterward became a manufacturer of pig 
iron in Ohio, owning and operating a 
smelting works in Hamden, that state. 
In 1870 he removed to Schuyler county. 
Illinois, where he was largely engaged 
in the live stock business. In 1880 he 
became a resident of Augusta, where he 
Continued his oijeratinns as a ii\'e stock 
dealer. His political allegiance is given 
to the Republican party and he has held 
various local offices of honor and trust. 
serving as supervisor of Schuyler coun- 
ty, and also in Augusta township. His 
life has been characterized by unremitting 
industry and close application in his 
business affairs, and although he started 
out empty-handed — a poor bo)-. lia\ing 
been left fatherless at an early age — he 
became one of the largest landowners of 
this vjart of the couiitv and also owned 



much land in the west. Both he and his 
wife were devoted members of the Meth- 
odist church and his life record proved 
that [irosperity and honesty might go 
hand in hand. Of the ten children born 
of this worthy couple only three are liv- 
ing: Margaret A., the wife of Dr. 
George \\'iles. a resident of Schuyler 
count}-. Illinois; William S., of this re- 
view: and Addie I. Beard, also of Au- 
gusta. The father died August 25, 1891, 
and was buried in the Huntsville ceme- 
tery, being laid by the side of his wife, 
who had passed away on the 19th of 
June, 1890. They were most worthy peo- 
ple, esteemed and honored by all who 
knew them because of their man}- excel- 
lent traits of character arid their fidelity 
to their confessions as Christians. JNIr. 
Beard certainly deser\-ed much credit for 
what he accomplished and his life was a 
living illustration of what ability, energy 
and force of character can accomplish. A 
comniunity is ever enriched by such an 
exaniple and while winning success he at 
the same time bore an honored name. 
\\ bile prosperous, he was also generous, 
and his wife possessed man}- good traits 
of heart and mind that made her belo\-ed 
by all. 

William S. Beard, whose nanie intro- 
duces this review, supplemented his early 
education, acquired in the schools of 
Hamden. Ohio, by study in the public 
schools of .-Xugusta. Illinois, and he re- 
mained with his father until he attained 
his niajoritv. He took up his abode here 
in 1876 and becan-ie proprietor nf a gen- 
eral store, continuing active in merchan- 
dising until 1886. The following year 
he was married and at once began farm- 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI'IEIV 



ing and stuck-raising in Augusta town- 
ship, locating un land which he inher- 
ited and to which he added by purchase. 
He lias been more than ordinarily success- 
ful in liis farming and stock-raising op- 
erations and is now one of the largest 
landowners of the county. At one time 
his possessions aggregated eight hundred 
and fourteen acres and he still owns 
seven hundred and twenty-four acres, all 
of wiiich is well improved and under cul- 
tivation. He resided upon his farm until 
1895, when he again took up his alxjde 
in Augusta, but he still operates his land, 
employing help by the month, and is 
therefore one of the most prominent rep- 
resentatives of agricultural interests in 
Hancock county. 

In May, 1887, was celebrated the mar- 
riage of Mr. Beard and Miss Cornelia C. 
Nicholson, of Plymouth, Illinois, who 
was bom in Essex county. New York, 
October 9, 1855, a daughter of Homer 
and Mary A. (Parkell) Nicholson. Her 
parents were both natives of New York, 
where Mr. Nicholson engaged in farming 
until his removal to this county about 
1857 or 1858. He settled in Hancock 
township upon a farm and devoted his 
remaining days to its improvernent, never 
seeking or desiring office, although he 
gave a stalwart support to the principles 
of the Republican party. His wife held 
membership in the Presbyterian church 
and he contributed to its support, living 
a life in which he recognized small ob- 
ligations and upheld high principles. His 
death occurred Februan- 9, 1892, while 
his wife passed away October 20, 1880, 
and they were laid to rest in Plymouth 
cemetery. They had two daughters, the 



sister of Mrs. Beard being Mary A. Nich- 
olson, who became the wife of Oscar Pad- 
dock, and lived in Racine, Wisconsin, un- 
til her death on the 7th of October, 1905. 
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Beard has been born 
a son, Fred W., who was bom jn Au- 
gusta township, December 6, 1889, and 
will complete the course of the high 
school in Augusta with the class of 1907, 
after which it is intended that he shall 
enjoy the benefit of a college education. 
He is a member of the Augusta band, 
belongs to the Presbyterian church and 
is a son of whom the parents have every 
reason to be proud. Both Mr. and Mrs. 
Beard are devoted members of the Pres- 
byterian church, in the work of which 
they take an active and helpful part, con- 
tributing- generously to its support. Mr. 
Beard is serving as a chairman on the 
fniilding committee, which now has in 
charge the erection of a new house of 
worship. His political allegiance is given 
to the Re])ublican party but he has never 
taken a \-ery active part in its work. At 
the death of his parents he inuxhased their 
old home on Center street and the family 
are now pleasantly located in a good mod- 
em brick residence there. Mr. Beard is 
one in whom nature and culture have vied 
in making an interesting, entertaining 
gentleman. A man of large physique, he 
is warm-hearted, kindly in purpose and 
charitable in his opinions. He is also 
correct in his judgment and he believes 
in enjoying life to the full — such enjoy- 
ment as worked for the development of 
character. He is fond of music and pos- 
sesses a good voice, so that he is always 
a valued addition to musical gatherings. 
Both he and his wife are very widely 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



353 



known in this county and their friends 
are legion. His example is worthy of em- 
ulation in many respects and like his fa- 
ther his record proves that success and 
an honored name may be won simultan- 
eously. 



FRED M. WALTON. 

Fred M. Walton, a farmer of Har- 
mon}- township, was born in St. Mary's 
township, this count)-, July 20, 1869, the 
family having been established in this 
]jrirt I if the state during the pioneer 
epoch in its history. His great-grandpar- 
ents, \Villiam and Barbara Walton, were 
of Welsh and German descent respect- 
ively and became early residents of Ken- 
tuck}-, where their son, Frederick M. 
\\'alton, was born January 9, 1809. He 
married Emily Rice, also a native of Ma- 
son county, Kentucky, and in 1835 he 
came to Hancock county, Illinois, settling 
on section 3, Augusta township, where 
for many years he made his home, his 
death there occurring April 9, 1880. He 
secured, large property interests, owning 
at one time over one thousand acres of 
land. In his younger days he was very 
acti\-e in public life and wielded a wide 
influence, filling many positions of pub- 
lic honor and trust in most creditable 
manner. 

^^■illian-l C, Walton, father of Fred M. 
A\'alti)n, was born on section 27, Au- 
gusta township. Hancock county, Au- 
gust 15, 1844, and was married on the 
14th of Februar}-, 1867, to Miss Man- 



Clark, also a native of this county and a 
(laughter of Andrew Jackson and Biddie 
AI. (]\IcCoy) Clark, the fonner a native 
of Kentucky and the latter of Ireland. 
Mr. and ]\Irs. William C. Walton became 
the parents of two sons and two daugh- 
ters, of whom Fred is the eldest, the oth- 
ers being: Anna, a resident of Ouincy, 
Illinois ; Ettie, the wife of Frank John- 
son, of Camp Point, Illinois; and Roy 
C, who with his sister Anna lives in 
Ouincy. 

In the Liberty district school Fred M. 
Walton accjuired the education which 
prepared him for life's practical duties 
and through the assistance wdiich he ren- 
dered his father in the days of his boy- 
hood and youth he became familiar with 
all the duties and labors that fall to the 
lot of the agriculturist. He made his 
home with his parents until his mar- 
riage, which was celebrated September 
14, 1892, the lady of his choice being 
Miss Eva Keyser, who was born in Car- 
thage township June 8, 1872, and, after 
obtaining her preliminary education in 
the district school attended Kaboka (Mis- 
souri) College. She is a daug^hter of 
John H. and Eliza ( Tolman) Keyser, the 
former a native of Page county. Virginia, 
and a son of Alexander and Nancy 
(Koontz) Keyser, of the Old Dominion, 
while the mother was bom near Dayton, 
Montgomery county, Ohio, a daughter of 
Osee and Elizabeth (Loman) Tolman, of 
Ohio. John Keyser, leaving his native 
state, removed to McDonough county, 
Illinois, settling in Hire township, where 
he was married and made his home until 
1862, when he sold his property there 
and removed to Carthage township, Han- 



354 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJIEW 



CDck ci-'unty. lie died in December. 1894, 
and Ills widow now resides in Kansas 
City, Missouri. 

After his marriage Mr. Walton took 
up his abofle on a farm belonging to bis 
father about a half mile from the home 
place, where he lived until 1904, when he 
came into possession of ninety acres of the 
old homestead. His father improved this 
place, comprising two hundred acres, to 
-which he added one hundred and six*^y 
acres adjoining on the east. Fred Wal- 
ton has ten acres of timber land, while 
tlie remainder of his farm is devoted to 
the cuUixation of his cro]:)s or is used for 
pasture fur his stock. He raises horses, 
cattle and hogs, ancl keeps gond grades 
upon his place. 

The home of ]\Ir. and Mrs. Waltim has 
been graced with a little daughter, .\lma, 
born Februar\' 7, i8()f). They are well 
known socialb' and haxc a host of warm 
friends. Fraternally Mr, Walton is con- 
nected with the ^lodern Wo.idmen of 
America, also the Odd I'el]<iws, while his 
political allegiance is gi\-en the Repub- 
lican part}'. 



JAMFS 1'. V1'..\(;ER. 

James V. ^'eager. owning and (liberat- 
ing an extensi\e farm comprising h\e 
hundred and forty acres, situated in l-'onn- 
tain (ireen township, was Ixirn nn the 
place which is \-et his home. hi> natal 
day being August i. 1843. His i);aern.il 
grandfather bore the name of Xicbolas 
Yeager, and was born in \ irginia. while 



his parents, James and Xanc\' ( Ha_\den ) 
Yeager, were natives of Washington 
county, Kentucky, where they were 
married, the father there engaging in 
farming pursuits until 1835, when he 
made his way by steamer up the Ohio 
and Mississippi rivers to Keokuk, Towa, 
from which city he traveled overland to 
l-'ountain Green township, Hancock coun- 
ty, and entered one hundred and si.xt)' 
acres of land, for which he paid the usual 
govenuiient jirice of one dollar and a 
(|uarter per acre. This tract was situ- 
ated on section 8, and was all covered 
with tim])er when it came into his [xisses- 
sion. He at once began the arduous task 
of clearing and developing the land, plow- 
ing his fields and planting his crops, and 
in due course of time gathered abundant 
harvests. TTe also erected a log house, 
in which the family took up their abode, 
and in which they lived for many years, 
enduring all the hardships and priwations 
of life on the frontier. The red men were 
still to l^e found here, while the Mormons 
were the |irincipal white ]ieoplc who had 
located here. There were also man\' kinds 
of wild beasts roaming through the for- 
ests and o\er the prairies an<l wild game 
was to l)e had in abundance, so that the 
settlers could indulge in their lose of the 
s])ort of hunting, and supply the family 
bo.'ird with meats. Mr. ^'eager ])ossessed 
a determined and resolute spirit and al- 
lowed no obstacle to deter him in the ac- 
(|uirement of a competence, and thus vear 
by year he carried on the work of the 
fields and from time to time added to his 
possessions as bis financial resoiu'ccs ])er- 
mitted. After a few \e;irs he ad<led an- 
other tract of one hundred and sixtv acres 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



555 



situated on section 17. which, with the 
assistance of his sons, he cleared and de- 
veloped, making it a tinel}' inipro\-ed 
property. Thus through many years the 
family bore the hardships and inconve- 
niences of pioneer life, the nearest mills 
being h^cated at Ouincy and Xanxun, 
where they had to go to secure bread- 
stuff. The father continued his residence 
here until his death, wdiich occurred in 
October, 1880. when he had reached the 
age of seventy-two years. .After his 
death the widow resided for a time on the 
home farm and then li\'ed fur ten years 
with her son, James F'.. but nnw makes 
her home with her son William, at Bur- 
lington, Iowa. She has now reached the 
extreme old age of ninety-one years, her 
birth having occurred in 1815, but she is 
still a hale and hearty old lady, possessing 
her physical powers and mental faculties 
to a remarkable degree. 

James P. Veager pursued his educa- 
tion in district school Xd. (^3. near his 
fatlier's home, and is the eighth in order 
of birth in a familv of eight soiis and six 
ilaughters, of wh(im ten still sur\i\'e. He 
remained under the parental roof until his 
father's death, wdien he took possession 
of the homestead property and his mother 
lived with him for the succeeding ten 
years. Later he purchased the interest 
of the other heirs in the home farm, ccjm- 
ing into pi)ssession of all except twenty- 
three acres, which are owned by his 
lirother \A'illiam. He here continues the 
work of development and improvement 
which was carried on for many years by 
his father, and on the place is a com- 
modious frame residence, which was 
erected by his father in 1855. to replace 



the l(.ig house which was built upon the 
establishment of the family Imme here. 
Air. Veager has laid abdut eight hundred 
rods I if tiling, so that the fields are well 
drained, and he has I)uilt Ijarns and sheds 
fnr the shelter of grain and stock and 
thus has a finelv im|iro\-ed tract oi land. 

Choosing as a ciimpanion and helpmate 
for life's journey. Air. Veager wedded 
Aliss .Alice F. Dail}', a nati\e of Fulton 
countv, this state, who was Imrn Septem- 
ber 20, i860, a daughter of Patrick and 
Alargaret ( Henry ) Daily, natives of 
Ireland, whom he wedded on the iith of 
Tanuarv, 1886. The children born of this 
marriage are: Alarie, burn August 6, 
1892: Earl, born Alarch 15, 1894: Carl, 
bom April 14, 1895: Roy, January 30, 
1904; and Joseph Alerlin, wdio was born 
February 8. 1906. 

Air. Veager's study of the political 
(|uesti<>ns and issues of the day has led him 
to gi\e hearty support to the Denmcratic 
party, while in religious faith he is a 
Catholic. He has ever Ijeen reliable and 
straightforward in his relations with his 
fellcnvmen and thereb)- has won the high 
regard of- all with whom he has come in 
contact. Having spent his entire life in 
this county. co\-ering a period of more 
than six decades, he is widely known and 
is today classed among the well-to-do and 
influential factors of this section of the 
state. 



CHARLES A. DOWNING. 

Charles A. Downing, until recently ac- 
ti\-elv connected with agricultural interests 



356 



BIOGRAPHICAL REIIEIV 



and now li\ing in Bciwen. is a represen- 
tati\'e of a prominent family of Aclams 
county. He was born in Adams cnunty, 
Illinois, in 1861, and is a son of R. H. 
and Reljecca (Bennett) Downing-. The 
family is noted for lono-evity. as the 
grandfather and grandmother of our sub- 
ject reached a very adwmced age and 
they had several children that li\ed to 
be o\-er ninety }-ears of age. The father 
was l)orn in Indiana in \'^2y. while the 
mother's birth occurred in Indiana in 1H32 
R. H. Downing was a farmer b\- occu- 
pation and was only ten years of age 
when he became a resident of Illinois, his 
remaining days being S])ent in Adams 
county. His political allegiance was 
given to the Republican iKirty, he being- 
elected to the legislature on the republican 
ticket. He had a brother who was elected 
on the democratic ticket to the Illinois 
legislature. In public affairs R. H. 
Downing was very pron-iinent and influ- 
ential and he was also successful in his 
busine.ss life. He won a place of promi- 
nence in the community where he resided 
and was esteemed and honored bv all 
who knew him. His death occurred in 
1897 and he is still sur\ived bv his wife, 
who is living in Golden, this state. Roth 
were members of the Methodist Episcopal 
church and li\'ed u])right, consistent lives. 
In their family were ele^-en children, of 
wlion-i nine are yet living: John R., and 
\N . O.. residents of York countv, Xe- 
braska; Nannie !•".., the wife of L. A. 
Smith, of Adan-is county. Illinois: Charles 
A., of this review-: Afar}' V... w-ife of A. 
O. Wallace, of .\dams county. Illinois: 
Florence, who is lixing with her aged and 
invalid mother: Laura, the wife of D. W. 



Whitford, of Adams county : Cora, at 
home; and Warren \A'. R., who is li\ing 
up( in the old homestead in Adams county. 

Charles A. Downing began his educa- 
tion in the district schools near his father's 
home and pursued his studies there until 
twent}--one years of age. Wdien twenty- 
five )-ears iif age he was married to Miss 
Fannie C. Whitford. who was born in 
.A.dams county, 1865, a daughter of Henry 
S. and Myra (Clark) Whitford. the 
forn-ier a uati\-e of Rhode Island anrl the 
latter of New York. ]\Ir. Whitford was 
a tailor by trade and on removing to the 
west settled upon a farm in Adams county, 
Illinois. Fle eventually became quite 
wealth}- through the careful conduct of 
his business affairs, his ei-:terprise and un- 
remitting diligence. He was married 
three times and by his first wife, who bore 
the maiden name of James, had one child, 
Mary C. living in Philadelphia, Pennsyl- 
\-ania. His second wife was Mary Down- 
ing, an aunt of our subject, and they be- 
came the parents of nine children, of 
whom four are now li\ing; James, a 
resident of Missouri; Lydia, the wife of 
Aimer I'eden. of Missouri: E. C. : and 
John, also of that state. Following the 
death of his second w-ife Mr. Whitford 
wedded Miss Myra Clark, and they had 
i\\t children, namely: Henry R., who 
is living in Adams county : Alice, the wife 
of J. S. Wallace, of \\'ichita. Kansas: 
Dora A., wife of W. G. .Stafler, of Adan-is 
county; Fannie (i., now- Airs. Downing: 
and D. W., \vho is li\ingin .\dams county. 
Doth Mr. and Mrs. Whitford have passed 
away. 

For a year after their marriage Air. 
and Airs. Downing lived in Adams 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



357 



county, and in 1887 removed to Han- 
cock county, residing for several years 
in Augusta township upon a rented farm. 
Later he purchaseil one hnn(h-ed and 
eighty acres of land on section kj. Au- 
gusta township, which was imi)ni\-ed. 
To this he added from time to time and 
he now has eighty acres in Augusta town- 
ship on section 19, and one hundred and 
sixty acres on section 36, Chili township. 
In 1903, he built an elegant home, modern 
in every respect. It is the most attract- 
ive residence .in Biiwen and stands in 
Nash's addition to the town. He has also 
otherwise improved the property, which 
is a valnalile piece of real estate. While 
upon the farm Mr. Frowning carrietl on 
general agricultural pursuits and strick- 
raising but his health caused him to re- 
tire to private life in the enjoyment i:)f the 
fruits of his former toil. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Driwning has lieen 
born a daughter, Helen I\., who was burn 
in Augusta township, Hancock county, in 
1899, and is now a student in the public 
schools of Bowen. The parents are mem- 
bers of the ]\Iethodist Episcopal church. 
In the work of the church they are deeply 
and actively interested and they have done 
much to advance its growth and promote 
its upbuilding, Mr. Downing has always 
been industrious and upright and by rea- 
son of his laudable ambition and good 
judgment, combined with his straightfor- 
ward dealings he has gained a goodly 
measure of success, which, together with 
his wife's inheritance makes them com- 
fortably situated in life. Both Mr. and 
Mrs. Downing are verv prominent social- 
ly, being recognized leaders of society 
in Bowen and this part of the county. 



while their ciwn beautiful and attracti\e 
home is noted for its graci(jus and warm- 
hearteil hospitality, which is freely ex- 
tended to their manv friends. 



FRANCIS M. HLTF. 

Francis M. Huit, whu holds extensive 
landed interests and successfully carries 
on farming in St. Mary's township, is 
a son of \\'illiam A. and Betsey Ann 
(Teaney) Huff. He was bom .\pril 13, 
1846. in Brooklet township, Schuyler 
county, Illinois. His father, a native of 
Guilford county, Xorth Carolina, was 
born in 1808, while the nuither's birth 
occurred in Virginia in 181 _'. She went 
from the Old Dominion to Tennessee when 
a verv small girl. William .\. Huff, a 
farmer bv occupatian, removed from the 
south to Schuyler county, Illinois, in 1836. 
Both he and his wife were members of 
the Methodist church and after coming to 
this state remained residents thereof until 
called to their final rest. His death oc- 
curred in 1869, while his wife passed 
awav in 1903, and was buried in Scott's 
church cemetery in McDonough county. 
In their family were eight children : 
Mary E., the wife of E. David Clampett, 
of Kansas: Amanda C, the wife of T. 
P. Lionberger, of McDonough county;. 
Maria, the wife of Thomas Fisher, of 
Creston, Iowa: Francis, of this review; 
George, who is living on the olil home 
place in Schu}-ler county ; Homer, a resi- 
dent of St. Clary's township; Perry, of 



35^ 



BIOGRAPHICAL RE] ARJf 



Scliuyler count}': and Eliza, the wife nf 
Wisdom ^^'elborn, of JMcDoiiougli ciiunt\-. 

I"'nincis M. llutt was a student in the 
(iuiiieau schoi il of Brooklyn t(.)wnshii). 
Sciui}'ler cc:)unt_\-, until seventeen }-ears of 
'as^e. when he olitained his father's per- 
mission for his enHstnient in the Ci\il 
war and went to tlie front as a memljer 
of Company D, One Hundred and 
Twenty-fiiurtli IHinois Volunteer Infan- 
try, He ser\ed for two }'ears. ijartici- 
pating- in the liattles of Vicksburg, Jack- 
S(,n and S])anish I'.irt. He was at ^lobile 
tnr thirteen days and the siege of Spanish 
hurt was his last active military service. 
When the war was over, although still in 
his teens, he returned home with a most 
creditable record as a soldier. He then 
engaged in farming for two vears near 
Carthage, Illinois. 

In 1)^73 Mr. Huff was united in mar- 
riage to :\Iiss Annette MeKin. who was 
born in Henderson county. Illin.us, De- 
cember 8. 1850. a daughter of Alilton and 
Elizabeth (Beaver) Melvin. who were 
natives of Tennessee and came with 
their respective parents to Illinois, 
settling in Henderson county. Mrs. 
Huff was left an or|ihan when oid\- three 
years of age and was the elder of two 
children, her brother being ]\Ii]ton Md- 
vin. of Henderson county. Illinois. Fol- 
lowing his marriage Mr. Pluft' purchased 
a farm in Augusta township, where he 
resided for fifteen years and then came to 
St. Alary's town.ship. purchasing two hun- 
dred acres of land on section 36. He 
has since added to the property- from time 
to time until he now owns seven hundred 
and twenty acres, the greater ])art of 
which is in .St. Mary's townshi]), although 



one hundred and si.xtv acres lies in .\u- 
gusta townshii). He has since greatly 
imj)ro\ed the propert}' b}- adding the 
modern accessories of a model farm and 
his time and energies are gi\en to the 
cultixation cjf the fields and the raising 
ot stock. He raises and ships his own 
cattle and does (juite an extensive busi 
ness in this particular. He is one who 
has through his economy and enterprise 
made a creditable place in the business 
world and secured \aluable property in 
terests as the reward of his labor. He 
started out in life with onh- two horses 
and a wagon but today owns hundreds 
of acres of land. 

L'nto Mr. and .Mrs. Huff" have been 
l)orn seven children, who are xet fixing : 
Sidney E.. of Augusta, who is married 
and has two children, Roscoe and Xewell ; 
(ieorge M.. of .\ugusta township, who 
is married and has two children. Clyde 
and Clare; William, of .St. Mar}-'s town- 
slfi]). w lio has two children. I'rances and 
I'earl; .\rthur. who is li\'ing in Augusta 
townshi]) ;md has one child, Glen; 
Blanche, the wife of George Monk, of 
St. Mary's township: Claude and Leora. 
l)oth at home. They also lost one daugh- 
ter. Clara Belle, who was their third child. 
She died November 3. 1896. at the age of 
sexenteen }'ears and was laid to rest in 
Pl}-mouth cemetery. She belonged to the 
Christian church and was a most estinialjle 
young lady, esteemed Ijy man\- friends 
and lo\ed in her own home where her 
loss was most deeply felt. 

In politics I\Ir. Huff is a republican and 
has serxed as school director for many 
ye:irs but is not an incumbent in office 
at the present time. His xxife is a mem- 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



359 



bei" of the Christian church ami he be- 
longs to the Grand Army of the Repulilic, 
thus maintaining pleasant relations with 
his old army comrades who wore the blue 
upon the battle-fields of the south. The 
home of this worthy couple indicate re- 
finement and comfort, and is all the more 
attractive from the fact that the residence 
and all that it contains represent the life 
of activity and enterprise of the owner, 
who has been a most energetic and there- 
fore most successful business man. 



HENRY THORNBER. 

Henry Thornber, deceased, was a self- 
made man, deserving of all the praise 
that the term implies, for when but a 
young lad he was forced to start out 
in life for himself. He fought its battles 
unaided and came oflf victorious in the 
strife. A native of Lancashire, England, 
he was born in the town of Downing, in 
1816, a son of Richard and Hannah 
(Lord) Thornber. When a young man 
of twenty-nine years he crossed the At- 
lantic and settled in Nauvoo, Illinois, in 
1842. Before leaving his native country 
he had learned the shoemaker's trade and 
had followed that in connection with 
farming. Aside from two trips which he 
made to his native country, one covering 
two years, and the other six months, he 
resided continuously in Hancock county, 
after first crossing the Atlantic and de- 
A'oted the greater part of the time to farm- 
ing in Rock Creek township. He was 
23 



verv prosperous and owned at the time 
of his death twelve hundred acres of land, 
his possessions being scarcely equalled by 
that of any resident of his part of the 
county. He transferred raw prairie land 
into richly productive fields and made all 
of the improvements upon the farm in- 
cluding the erection of a commodious and 
comfortable residence. In all that he did 
he was eminently practical and accom- 
plished results that were indicative of his 
business enterprise, unfaltering diligence 
and executive skill. 

In 1846. jMr. Thornber was married 
to Miss Lucy Ellison, who was born in 
Yorkshire. England, and died in 1865. 
Of the eight children of that marriage five 
are still living, namely : David R., a resi- 
dent of Montana; Mary A., the wife of 
Isaac Siegfried, of Rock Creek township; 
John, who is living in Sonora township 
near the old homestead : William Henry, 
of the same township ; and James M.. who 
is a phvsician bv profession but is now 
engaged in the printing business in Fort 
Madison. Iowa. In 1868, Mr. Thornber 
was again married, his second union being 
with Margaret Pilkington, who was bom 
in Bolton La Moors, Lancashire, Eng- 
land, in 1837, ^ daughter of Adam and 
Jane (Garside) Pilkington, who were also 
natives of Bolton La Moors. The father 
came to .\merica in 1842 and the mother 
in 1844, settling in Hancock county. 
They were well known as farming people 
of Sonora township but ere his emigra- 
tion to the United States Mr. Pilk- 
ington had been employed as a bleacher in 
his native country. His political alle- 
giance was given to the democracy and 
both he and his wife were members of 



360 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



llie (/hurrli <it lMij;iaii(l. wliile in their 
iiati\e laml, and lictdrc ci inline;- tn Amer- 
ica Ijecanie identified witli the church of 
the Latter Day Saints. The death of Mr. 
Pilkington occurred in iS5f>. and his wife 
survived until 1880. when she was laid h}' 
his side in Son(.)ra township, dhey had 
si.\ children Init onlv three are now liviu.L;': 
Mrs. 'riiiirnlier; Alice, the wife of Wil- 
liam Lamljert. of Rock Creek townshii) ; 
and Mary, the wife of W illiam Weber, of 
Prairie township. 

L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Thornher was Ijorn 
one son, Amos Joseph, whose birth oc- 
ciu'red in Ixock Creek township in 1869, 
and he is now a successful practicing i)h\'- 
sician at Burlington, Iowa. He married 
Catherine Reiter, who died in 1898 leav- 
ing two children. ( iladws and (jeraldine, 
and for his second wife he married Miss 
Anna Shank. .Vlthough dex'oting his en- 
ergies to the practice of medicine he is 
also the owner of one hundred and sixty 
acres of good farm laud in Rock Creek 
ti iw nship. 

Mr. 'riiornber continued acti\el\- in 
farm work uiuil his life's labors were 
ended in death on the 17th of I'^eliruary, 
Ai^i^j. He was a member of tlie church 
of the Latter Dav .Saints, and in luigland 
had been identified with the Odd I'ellows 
Society. Starting out in life with ;l few 
achantages he became imbued with the 
laudable ambition to attain something bet- 
ter and steadily advanced in those walks 
of life demanding business ability and 
lidelitx'. He became one of the largest 
l.iiidowuers of his township, making ju- 
dicious in\-estments, while at all times his 
business career was characterized h\ im- 
(|uestioncd probity. He passed away 



b'ebruary 17, 1887, honored and respected 
bv all who knew him and such a life 
record as his should serve as a source of 
insi)iration and encouragement to others, 
showing what \\va\ be accomplished 
through industry and perse\'erauce — 
qualities that ma\- be cultivated by all. 
Mrs. Thornber continued to reside upon 
the home farm until 1901, when she [lur- 
chased a beautiful residence on Maple 
street in h'erris. She is there residing 
together with her niece and grandson. 
David ]\lcColIom. whom she has reared 
to the age of eighteen years. Mrs. 
Thornber is a memlier of the Methodist 
Protestant church. Air. Thornber was 
a re[)ublican in politics but though he 
held several offices did not seek promi- 
mence along that line, being content to de- 
\-ote his time and energies to his business, 
in which he met with signal success. 



ANDRFA\" J. HARRIS. 

.\ndrew J. Harris lias spent his entire 
life in La Harpe township, Hancock coun- 
ty, his birth ha\-ing here occurred Jan- 
uary 8, 1854, on the farm which he now 
owns and occupies, so that he lias through 
long years been interested in the agricul- 
tural development and progress of this 
portion of the state. He is a son of Isaac 
and Marthina ('Atwater') Harris, both of 
whom were horn in Tennessee. His pa- 
ternal grandparents, Reuben and Allie 
(Wolf) Harris, were likewise nati\'es of 
Tennessee, while the maternal grandjiar- 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



361 



ents. Joseph and Rachel (Duncan) At- 
water were natives of Connecticut and 
Tennessee respecti\el\'. Both the pater- 
nal and maternal grandparents became 
earlv settlers of this state. ha\-ing re- 
moved from the south to Schuyler county 
in 1833, and after a year Reuben Harris, 
removed to McDonough county, where 
he entered government land, which he 
cleared and improved and on which he 
resided until his death. Joseph .\twater 
likewise reuKued tci McDdUDUgh county, 
and it was in this county that his daugh- 
ter, ^Nlarthina. gave her hand in marriage 
to Isaac, the son of Reuben Harris, the 
wedding ceremony l>eing ]")erfi>rmed Xn- 
\-ember 22, 1840. The father of our sub- 
ject participated in the Mormon war of 
1844. which resulted in the ex]3ulsion of 
that religious sect from this part of the 
state. Following his marriage Isaac 
Harris took up his abode in McDonough 
county. l:)ut in 1843 rem(.)\-ed with his 
family to La Harpe township. Hancock 
countv. where he jiurchased a farm of 
fortv acres, to which he added from time 
to time until he came into |jossession of 
one hundred and ele\en acres all lying on 
section 36. This was all co\ereil with 
timber when he made the piu-chase but 
with characteristic energy he at once un- 
dertook the task of clearing the land and 
preparing it for the plow, which in course 
of time he accomplished, and from which 
he gathered abundant crops, so that at his 
death, which occurred April 14. kjoo. he 
left to his famih" a \alual>le estate. He 
was liorn February 12. 1822. and there- 
fore at the time of his death had reached 
the advanced age of se\'enty-eighl years, 
while his wife, who was boi-n Ma\ ^. 



1824, ])assed away h'ebruary 6, 1866, at 
the comparativel\- earh- age of forty-two 
years. In their family were twelve chil- 
dren but only five are living. The record 
is as follows: John, who died at the age 
(_)f twenty-three years; Campbell, wh(_) 
died when three years old; Durinda. the 
wife of James Brown, a resident of Mis- 
souri ; Andrew J., of this review ; Reuben, 
who died when two years of age; Martha, 
who died at the age of nine months; 
Rachel, who became the wife of George 
Carter, of La Harpe township, and passed 
away at the early age of eighteen years ; 
James, who resides on the old homestead; 
Allie F., the wife of Warren Addison, of 
Trenton, Miss<iuri; Martina Jane, the 
wife of William l-'aylor, of Canton, Illi- 
nois; Marthina, who became the wife of 
Joseph b'ry, and passed away June 3, 
1892; and Matilda, who was born March 
18, 1864, and died l->bruary 14, i8(Si. 

Andrew J. Harris ac(|uired a district- 
school education, and remained with his 
parents, assisting his father in the opera- 
tion of the family homestead until the 
latter's death, when he bought the interest 
c f the other heirs in the home place and 
is here engage<l in general farming and 
stock-raising, having good grades of 
horses, cattle and hogs upon his farm. 
He has made man)' modern imjjrovements 
upon the farm, having built an addition 
to the house, making it a fine country 
h<ime, and he has also Iniilt fences, and 
otherwise added to the attractive appear- 
ance of the place, so that it is today a 
niijflel farm property. 

As a companion and heli)mate on life's 
journev Mr. Harris chose ^liss Alice 
Sex'erns, to whom he was married Sep- 



362 



BIOGRAFHICAL REI'IEIV 



tember 25, 1873. Her birth occurred in 
Schuyler county, this state, July 5, 1854, 
and she acquired her education in the 
schools of Astoria. She is a daughter 
of James and Nancy (Ogle) Severns, 
nati\'es of Coshocton county. Ohio, while 
her paternal grandparents were Daniel 
and Mary (^Buteer) Se\'erns, antl her 
maternal grandparents bore the names of 
Mordecai and Elizalieth ( Yarington ) 
Ogle. They located in Inilton cnuntw 
Illinois, in 1837, where Mr. Ogle ci in- 
ducted a sawmill until his death, which 
occurred December 24, 1840. James 
Severn, Mrs. Harris's father, was a 
carpenter and died in Astoria, Ju]_\- 29, 
1897. Her mother .still survives and nnw 
makes her home in Astoria. 

In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Harris 
are four sons and a daughter; James 
Edward, who was born July 28, 1874, and 
makes his home in I>a Harpe township; 
Isaac Elmer, bom October 31, 1875, and 
is at home; William Lloyd Harris, born 
December 28, 1877, married and lives in 
La Harpe: Zada May, who was born 
April 1, 1S84, and is now the wife of 
Samuel b'lickinger, and resides at Middle- 
town, this state; and Ralph S., whose 
birth occurred Deceml)er 31, 1893. and is 
at home. 

Lohtically Mr. Harris is a democrat 
and served as school director for twelve 
years. He possesses the enterprising 
spirit which has proved an essential ele- 
ment in the upbuilding of this portion of 
the state and by his reliable and straight- 
forward dealing in all transactions has 
gained the esteem and good will of all 
with wrhom he has come in contact, in so- 
cial or business life. 



BLAIR KELLY, M. D. 

Dr. Blair Kelly, engaged in the general 
practice of medicine in the village of 
Ferris, is a native of Hancock ccjunty, 
having been born in Dallas township, 
b^ebruary 28, 1876. He is a S(jn of 
Allison G. and Fanny ( Ballinger) Kelly, 
the former a native of I^ennsylvania, and 
the latter of Kentucky. The father came 
to Illinois in 1S54 and locatetl in Hancock 
ciiunty, devoting his time and energies 
to farming in Pontoosuc township, where 
he rented land for some years, or until 
his earnings justified his purchase of a 
farm in Dallas township, where he ctni- 
tinued til carry on general agricultural 
pursuits during his active life. He is 
n(jw living retired at the age of seventy 
years. His wife passed away in 1887 
at the age of forty-five years, leaving 
four children, all of whom still surx'ive. 

Dr. Kelly acquired his early education 
in the common schools of his native town- 
ship, and afterward continued his studies 
in Bushnell. Illinois, and Carthage Col- 
lege. His literary course completed he 
then took up the study of medicine, enter- 
ing the Keokuk Medical College, from 
which institution he was graduated in the 
class of 1902. He located for practice 
at Clio, Iowa, where he remained for two 
years and then returned to Hanct)ck 
county, establishing his office in Ferris. 
W'here he has since engaged in active prac- 
tice. He has also pursued a post-grad- 
uate course in the Chicago Polyclinic. 
He has a general practice, which is con- 
stantly increasing in volume and impor- 
tance, and which might well be einied by 
many an older practitioner. Thoroughly 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



363 



conversant with the most modern methods 
known to the members of the medical and 
snrg-ical profession he has bmuglit to bear 
in his work not only lirixid scientific 
knowledge l)Ut alsd that practical com- 
mon sense which is an indispensable C(jn- 
comitant of the successful physician, and 
the results which have followed his labors 
have been satisfactory, gaining for hini 
the trust and confidence of the puljlic at 
large and his professional brethren as 
well. 

Dr. Kelly is a member of the Christian 
church and is a democrat in politics. He 
has never sought or desired office outside 
the strict path of his profession but at the 
present writing is serving as village phy- 
sician of Ferris and as health officer. 
He is making substantial progress for 
one of his years and the future undoubt- 
edly holds in store for him still greater 
successes. 



JOHN W. GRANT. 

John \^'. Grant, the proprietor of the 
Grant Hotel at Warsaw, is a representa- 
tive of one of the old pioneer families of 
this part of the state. He was born Au- 
gust 5, 1849, in a log cabin, which was 
the home of his parents, Harrison and 
Emily (Eason) Grant. The paternal 
great-great-grandfather came from Scot- 
land and settled in Virginia, whence later 
representatives of the family went to 
Kentucky. The great-grandfather, Noah 
Grant, was with Washington throughout 
the Revolutionary war and had a long 
and interesting military career. He was 
also a slaveholder and became one 1 if the 



pioneer settlers of Hartford, Kentucky. 
Noah Grant was Ihe grandfather of (Gen- 
eral U. S. Grant, the latter being a second 
cousin of our subject. The father was 
born in Bullet county. Kentucky, Decem- 
ber 16, i8_'j. and came tu Hancock 
county in the fall of 1S48, after his mar- 
riage to Emily Eason. Aljout a }'ear 
later he bought twenty acres of land for 
a dollar and a half per acre and paid for 
the same by cutting rails at thirty-seven 
and a half cents per hundred, during 
which time he boarded himself. With 
the little twenty-acre tract as the nucleus 
of a farm he kept adding to bis pro])erty 
from time to time until he bad two hun- 
dred acres of good land in the old hdme- 
stead, and was also the owner of one 
hundred acres in Arkansas. He likewise 
carried on general agricultural pursuits 
and continued to reside upon the home 
farm in Hancock county save for the 
period between the years of 1890 and 
1S95, when he lived on his farm in the 
south. He then returned to Warsaw and 
made his home with his son in the hotel 
until his death, which occurred on the 
-th of November, 1895. He had long 
survived his wife, who died upon the 
old liomestead, January i, 1865. when 
thirty-eight years of age. She was the 
mother of eight children : William A., 
now living in Arkansas; John W., of this 
review; Henry Washington, of Lorain. 
Illinois; Mary E.. deceased; INIartha Ann. 
the deceased wife of Peter Suit ; and 
Emily Ellen, the wife of William Mc- 
Intyre. of Arkansas. After losing his 
first wife the father married Rebecca 
Ties, by \\liom he had a daughter. Mrs. 
Ann;i IMueller. now of Crawford county. 



364 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIFAl' 



K;insas. llis iliinl wife was Reliecca 
A\'hitle(lii"c, anil fur liis fmirth wife he 
chose Agnes Boggs. 

Harrison (jrant made many impr(.>ve- 
ments upon liis farm. He hved first in a 
log cabin which had been Iniilt by the Mor- 
imms and later he built and iiccn])ied a 
hewed log house, wliich continued to be 
his home as long as he remained upon the 
farm. He experienced all the hardships 
and difllcnlties incident to pioneer life 
and aided in laying the foundation for 
the present development and progress of 
the county 1>\' performing the arduous 
tasks connected with early development. 
I'olitically he was a democrat in early 
life, at one time ga\e his support to the 
Know Xothing p;irt\-. and in 1864 became 
a supporter of Abraham Lincoln, after 
which he continued to \'ote with the Re- 
publican part\' until his demise. 

lohn W". (Irani was rearetl on his fa- 
ther's farm and assisted in the onerous 
work of the fields. In February, i86c), in 
company with his tw<i brothers, he went to 
Kansas and took up pre-emption claim, 
remaining in the Sunflower state for four 
years and in Cedarville be built the first 
dwellings. That was an entireh- new 
country and he had many exciting adven- 
tures with the Indians, at one time he and 
about twenty conu'ades jjeing surrounded 
!)}• five hundred red men. They finally, 
however, succeeded in making their es- 
cape without recourse to the force of arms 
Iiut on other occasions Mr. Grant has had 
fights with the red-skins, in which several 
men have been killed. After four years' 
experience on the frontier he returned to 
the old h(jmestead and continued to en- 
gage acti\'el_\' and successfully in farming 



until his health became impaired and he 
remo\-ed to Warsaw on the 15th (if July, 
1888. He then purchased an eating- 
house from John Boscow', which he has 
enlarged and converted into a hotel, ui.iw 
known as the (irant Hotel, located on 
Main street, lietween Fifth and Si.xth 
streets. The structure is eighty-one Ijy 
se\'enty-two feet and contains thirty sleep- 
ings rooms and is a well equipped model 
property. In addition to his hotel prop- 
erty Air. (irant now owns one hundred 
and si.x acres of the two-hundred-acre 
tract which was formerly his father's 
farm and which adjoins the first twenty 
acres which the father bought. The 
farm is located on section 7, Walker 
township, and is devoted to general agri- 
cultural pur])oses. In 1900 he built there- 
on a good residence of seven rooms and 
has erected barns and other farm build- 
ings. He has also re-fenced the ])lace 
since it came into his pijssession an.d it is 
now a \'aluable and well improved 
propert)'. 

(.)n the 23d of February. ' 1876. Mr. 
(jrant was married to ]Miss Malissa Jane 
Suit, a daughter of Henry and Cynthia 
( Troutman ) Suit. They ha\e become 
the parents of five children ; Ilarrison 
H.. now a merchant of \\'arsaw ; Myrtle 
Pearl, Mary J., and Lula Jeanette. all at 
home: and Waumietta Luciele, born Feb- 
ruary 22, i(jo6, and died Septemljer 5, 
1 906. 

Air. ("irant is a member of Warsaw 
lodge. I. O. O. F., and has passed all of 
the chairs in both the subordinate lodge 
and the encampment. He is likewise con- 
nected with the Rebekah lodge and has 
three times represented the local order 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILUXOIS. 



^6:; 



in the grand lodge, first in 1896. again 
in 1898 and a third time in 1902, showing 
that he is cme df the must [iromiiient. pop- 
ular and \alued menihers of the organiza- 
tion. Politically he is a republican where 
natii.mal questions are invoU'ed hut casts 
an independent local ballot. From pio- 
neer (laws he has Ijeen a witness of the 
growth and development of the county 
and has rejoiced in the changes which 
have marked the work of public progress 
and improvement. At the same time he 
has borne his part in the task of develop- 
ing the county and stands at all times firm 
in support of those interests which are a 
matter of civic \irtue and of ci\-ic pride. 



TOHX WILKEXS. 



John Wilkens. deceased, devoting his 
life to farming, manifested in his busi- 
ness and social relations such sterling 
qualities as commended him to the friend- 
ship and regard of those who knew him. 
He was born in Han(3ver, (iermany. in 
September, i8j8, and ac(|uired his educa- 
tion in the coiumon schools of that coun- 
try. His mother died in Germany when 
the son was but a little lad, and the father. 
William Wilkens, in 1S46, accompanied 
by his son John and two daughters 
crossed the Atlantic and made his way to 
Nauvoo, Illinois, where he established his 
home and si)ent his remaining days, 
passing away there about 1896. He was 
married a second time and had two sons 
and two daughters b}' that marriage, 
nameh' : Charles, living in Sonora town- 
ship; (iabriel, of Kansas: Mrs. Mary 



Childers, of Xau\-oo: and Mrs. Margaret 
Sugars, of Appanoose township. 

John W ilkens was a }-outh of about 
eighteen years when he accoiupanied his 
father on the eimgration to the ne\v workl 
and with him he resided in .\ppanoose 
township until he attained the age of 
thirty }ears. when he secured empkjyment 
at farm labor in the neighborhood. He 
was thus engagetl up to the time of his 
marriage, which was celebrated in Feb- 
ruary, 1863, Miss Cynthia Konance be- 
coming his w'ife. She was born in (ier- 
many. June 2\. 1841. a daughter of 
.\nthonv and Catherine (Wolf) K(-)nance. 
who in 1847. ha\-ing emigrated to the 
new world, established their home in 
Clint(.in county, Indiana, where the father 
followed farming for seven }ears. In 
1854 he removed to Wapello. Iowa, where 
he purchased one hundred and thirty 
acres of farm land, making his home 
thereon through the succeeding decade. 
He then sold his propert\' there and came 
to XauviKj. purchasing a residence in the 
town. His wife died in Xauvoo about 
1870. and he afterward went to Vwn with 
a daughter in Ottumwa. where he died 
in 1890. 

After his marriage Mr. Wilkens bought 
se\-enty-two acres of land and later added 
a tract of seventeen and a half acres to 
his farm. His' entire life was gi\en to 
general agricultural pursuits and he con- 
tinued the work of tilling the soil and 
caring for his crops until his life's labors 
were ended in death on the 6th c>f May, 
1 89 1. He was always straightforward 
in his business relations and thoroughly 
reliable in all his trade transactions, so 
that he enjoyed the full confi<lence and 



366 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



good will of those with whom he was 
associated. 

L'nto Mr. and Mrs. W'ilkens were born 
six children : Alary, now the wife of 
John Bruegg'er, a resident of Nauvoo ; 
Frank, of Sonora; Annie, the wife of 
John Nickowash, of Minnesota ; Agnes, 
the wife of Victor Banarx, of Rock Creek 
township; and Joseph and Edward. l)(ith 
of whom are at home, and carr}" on tlie 
work of the farm. Mr. W'ilkens was a 
communicant of the Catholic church, and 
was a democrat in his political belief and 
adherence. He lived continuoush' in this 
county from the age of eighteen years and 
witnessed the greater part of its growth 
and progress for it was still a frontier 
region when the family came and he lived 
to see it converted into one of the rich 
agricultural districts of this great state. 
He made a creditable record as a busi- 
ness man, as a citizen and as a friend, and 
thus his death was the occasion of wide- 
sjiread regret to many who knew him as 
well as to his immediate family. 



JACOB MICHAEL GROSS. 

Jacob Michael Gross, who is engaged 
in the raising of grapes and the manu- 
facture of wine at Nauvoo, is a business 
man of enterprise whose intense and well 
directed activity has led to a gratifying 
measure of success. He was born in 
Sheboygan, Wisconsin, January 12, 1863, 
and is a son of John and Catherina 
(Hauptman) (jross, who were natives of 
Alsace, France. The paternal grandpar- 
ents were George and Barbara (See- 



wagon) Gross, while the maternal grand- 
parents were John and Marie ( Laml)) 
Hauptman, and the former was a son of 
Michael Hauptman. George Gross owned 
a large farm and also conducted a tavern, 
while John Hauptman had extensive agri- 
cultural interests. 

John Gross was the youngest in a fam- 
ily of three daughters and two sons. Hav- 
ing arived at years of maturity, he 
wedded Catherina Hauptman, who was 
born November 3, 1823, in Melscheim, 
Alsace, France, while his liirth occurred 
on the 24th of December, 1820. Fol- 
lowing their marriage they remained resi- 
dents of their native country until Jan- 
uary, 1855, and Mr. Gross there con- 
ducted a tavern and also followed the 
cooper's trade. Making arrangements 
to come to America, they sailed for New 
York in 1855, and after reaching the 
eastern metropolis made their way to 
Buffalo and proceeded around the lakes 
to Wisconsin. In that state John Gross 
purchased a farm and carried on general 
agricultural pursuits until 1865, when he 
sold his property and removed to Nauvoo, 
where he purchased four acres of land 
and later four acres additional. Here he 
began raising grapes and manufacturing 
wine, continuing in the business until his 
death, which occurred December 13, 1900. 
His widow still survives and ncjw makes 
her home with her son, Jacob M., who is 
the next to the youngest in a family of 
six sons and three daughters liut only 
two sons and one daughter are now liv- 
ing, these being: John G., of Appa- 
noose township; Jacob M. ; and Mary 
Ann, the wife of Henry Argast, a painter 
of Nauvoo. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



367 



Jacob [Michael Gross has always resided 
with his parents, and on the 2d of Jan- 
uar\', 1 89 1, he purchased four acres of 
land in the city of Nauvoo, on which he 
has since engaged in the cultivation of 
grapes and the manufacture of wine, his 
output being from two to seven thousand 
gallons of native wine annually. He has 
a fine cellar which holds about seven 
thousand gallons and upon his place he 
also has a comfortable brick residence 
and other improvements. He has been 
familiar with his present line nf Inisiness 
from his boyhood days and his capable 
management is bringing him a gratify- 
ing measure of success. 

On the 25th of November. 1890. oc- 
curred the marriage of Jacob M. Gross 
and Miss Caroline Sherz, who was born 
in Hannibal, Missouri, a daughter 1 if An- 
drew and Julia Sherz. Their children 
are: Carl John, born September 22. 
1891 ; and Theodore J., November 6. 
1893. Mr. Gross was educated in the 
English and German schools of Nau\-i:)i>, 
and is a well informed man of enterprise 
and activity in his business. He is a 
democrat in his political faith and has 
served as township collector for two 
terms, while for four years he has been 
school director. He holds membership 
with Nauvoo camp, No. 905, Modern 
^^'oodmen of America, and is a member 
of the Lutheran church. 



a:\ios h. worthen. 

Amos H. \\'orthen. scientist, and for 
thirty years state geologist of Illinois. 



contributed thrdugh his written works, 
volumes of the utmost value to the scien- 
tific world. He was one of the pioneers 
in the task of ci)llecting fossils and gecilog- 
ical specimens of the middle west and 
with other laborers in the same field of 
investigation made practically a new 
science of geology. He is one (if the 
<listinguished citizens wdio ha\'e made 
Warsaw famous, having for more than a 
half century been a resident of that city. 
Born in the town of Bradford. Orange 
count}'. Vermont, on the 31st of Oc- 
tober, 1813. he was a son of Thomas and 
Susannah (Adams) Worthen. whii.se 
famih' numliered twelve children. Amos 
being the eleventh in order of birth. Lit- 
tle is known concerning the ancestral his- 
tory of the Worthens. The father was a 
representative of a Massachusetts family, 
the descendants of which are scattered 
through a number of states of the L'nion. 
In early manhood he went with his young 
wife to Bradford, Vermont, and pur- 
chased a farm upon what was known as 
the south road, a few miles west of the 
village, where they made a permanent 
home and reared their family. He was 
born August 24. 1765. and died October 
21. 1851. His wife, Stisannah. was born 
December 24. 1768, and passed away 
March 17. 1843. She was the eldest child 
of Abraham Adams, a descendant of 
Henry Adams, who came from England 
and settled at Mount Wollaston, now 
Ouinc\', ^lassachusetts. and who w\'is the 
founder in America of the celebrated 
Adams famil_v that has inchuled two presi- 
dents of the United States. She was a 
woman of great energy and tact and it 
is evident that it was largely from her 



368 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIFAV 



that lier son .Vmos inherited the force of 
character and adherence to a definite pur- 
pose wliicli distinguished him. 

The childhood and early youth of Amos 
Worthen were spent continuously u])on 
the hduie farm where he was employed 
(luring the warm months in such of its 
lahijrs as were suitahle to his strength, 
while in the winter seasons he attended 
the district schools nf the neighl)orhood. 
I lis well directed lahor and the sports 
which the surrounding fields and forests 
aflorded. resulted .in the development of 
a vigorous physical manhood, and his 
winter schooling — for the \'ermont dis- 
trict schools \vere annnig the hest of their 
class — ga\e him the foundation of that 
mental de\'elopment that afterward dis- 
tinguished him. As his youth progressed 
and he had mastered the rudiments taught 
in the district schools he desired to enter 
Bradford Academy, since merged with 
the Bradford high school, wdiich was lo- 
cated at the village a few miles frnm his 
home. 1-Ie ohtained the means to gratif\- 
his wish, and it was at this institution 
that young W'urthen recei\e(l the last of 
his school traim'ng. During his attend- 
ance at r5radf(ird Academy he hoarded in 
the family (jf his sister Mary, who was 
older than himself and who had married 
Captain Ellis Bliss, an extensive farmer 
in the Connecticut \-alley. \\'hile prose- 
cuting his studies at the academy young 
\\'orthen also prosecuted his suit for the 
h.and ,.f Miss Sarah B. Kimball, of War- 
ren, Xew Hampshire, and they were mar- 
rie<l on January 14, 1834, at which time 
he was in his twenty-first year. The 
uniiiii was a fortunate <ine and lasted fifty- 
three vears, when it was hmken 1)\- the 



death of his faithful wife, which occurred 
only a little more than a year previous 
to his own. Seven children were born to 
them — one daughter and six sons. The 
daughter died in childhood. All of the 
six sons, Eafayette Shaw, George B.. 
Thomas .\., Amos H., Charles K. and 
John B., were living at the time of the 
father's death and were the pallliearers 
at the funeral. (Jf this number La- 
fayette and Thomas ha\e since passed 
away. 

About the time of his marriage Air. 
\^ orthen decided to make his home in 
what was then called the far west. Such 
a iournc\- was then a serious undertaking, 
most of it being through a comparative 
wilderness and l)v slow means of trans- 
portation, for railroads were yet in an 
experimental condition and none of the 
few then existing was available for any 
portion of it. His eldest brother. Enoch, 
had alreadx' moved with his family to 
Cynthiana, Kentucky, and thither Amos 
also decidetl to go. His stay at Cyn- 
thiana seems to ha\e l)een short, for we 
learn that in the next vear after lea\ing 
his New England home he was teaching 
at Cuminins\'ille, near Cincinnati, Ohio. 
He remained at Cummins\ilie until June, 
T836, when he joineil the tide of emigra- 
tion which had begun to How into the 
Alississippi \'alley and settled at Warsaw, 
Illinois. Here, with the exception of an 
interval of two years, 1842 to 1844. 
which he, together with his family, spent 
in Charlestown, Mas.sachusetts, and about 
three years. 1857 to i8()(), in Springfield, 
Illinois, he li\'ed continuouslv until his 
death. Some of his wife's famil}-, the 
Kimballs, had preceded the young couple 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



369 



to Warsaw and its vicinity, and with two 
of her brothers Mr. W'orthen formed a 
partnership in the mercantile business. 
This business, with the exception of sever- 
al changes and interruptions, he continued 
until 1855, after which time he devoted 
himself entirely to the scientific pursuits 
for which he had been preparing him- 
self ever since his arrival in Warsaw. It 
is a fact, but not a surprising one. that 
Mr. \\'ortheu's career as a merchant \vas 
not successful as success is usualh' counted 
in sttch occupations. Business as such 
had no attractions for him or none be- 
yond the fact that it yielded him the 
moderate means of meeting the necessary 
demands of his growing family, but un- 
consciously to his friends, who were some- 
times inclined to censure him for what 
to them was a lack of business enterprise, 
it was giving him an opportunity to ac- 
complish far more than this. His in- 
herent predilection for natural science had 
from his boyhood been subdued or kept 
latent by the pressure of duties to the 
demands of which he was ever ready to 
respond but it found at his new home and 
in its vicinity an unwonted and irresistible 
stimulation. The forests of the ]\Iissis- 
sippi valley and the adjacent broad prai- 
ries afforded him a boundless field for 
study and observation, and. above all. the 
fossiliferous rocks of the Lower Carbon- 
iferous series, which prevail in that region 
and some of which are well exposed at 
and around his home, were his especial 
delight. He began at once the study of 
this great series of strata and the c<jllec- 
tion of its fossils and minerals. A con- 
temporary biographer has said of him : 
"With rio education beyond that acquired 



at the comnKin scIichjIs of Xew England, 
and no scientific training, he took up the 
studv of geolog}- and mastered it to an 
extent excelled by few, and this, too. after 
his settlement in Warsaw, and amid the 
cares of a family and while engaged in 
business. His attention was drawn to 
the science of geology by observing the 
interesting minerals and fossils that were 
met with in such profusion on every hand. 
We well remember seeing him out in the 
morning or evening, with basket and 
hammer rambling o\-er the bluffs and 
among the ravines collecting specimens, 
and then thought he was unprofitably en- 
gaged. The ravines were then full lA 
geodes that had weathered out of the de- 
composing shales of the geode beds and 
the beautiful crystals with which they were 
lined were objects of great interest. The 
limestone was also full of fossils and al- 
tliough the forms of organic life they 
presented were entirely new to him, they 
excited an intense desire to know some- 
thing of their history and of the specific 
character of the animals to which they 
once belonged. There had been no ele- 
mentary work on geology published in 
this country at that time, and the first 
books he w^as able to obtain that contained 
anv account of fossils were a copy of Dr. 
]\Ianteirs 'Medals of Creation' and 
•Wonders of Geology," published in Eng- 
land. These, though they threw no light 
on the specific character of the specimens 
he gathered in his excursions among the 
. rocks here gave some insight into the 
manner in which the rocks were formed 
and how the remains of living beings 
came to be preser\-ed in them. By collect- 
ino- the minerals and fossils that were 



370 



BIOGRArmCAL REl'lEW 



found in the vicinity (if Warsaw, and 
exchanging them for other collections 
he gradually acquired the information so 
much desired. Through these collections 
and exchanges and by other means Pro- 
fessor W'orthen obtained a valuable geo- 
logical museum, which, when he was 
called to Springfield, thousands wcaild nut 
have purchased. Subse(iuently the first 
volumes of the Paleontology of Xew 
York were pulilished. affording the first 
figures and descriptions of American fos- 
sils that he had been able to obtain. Th(jse 
who commence the study of geology now, 
when the characteristic fossils of every 
formation on the North American conti- 
nent have been figured and described in 
published works, that are accessible to the 
student, in public and pri\-ate libraries, 
can form but little idea of the difiiculties 
with which students in the same fields 
had to contend forty years ago. Profes- 
sor Worthen's labor as state geologist re- 
sulted in an extended survey of every 
county in the state, and the publication 
of seven large volumes as a record of the 
work, — a publication deemed of great 
value to the scientific world." 

It was in 1851 that Professor W'orthen 
accepted an appointment as assistant geol- 
ogist in the Illinois geological survey, con- 
tinuing in that position for three years. 
In 185s he was appointed ani assistant in 
the geological survey of Iowa h\ (io\-er- 
nor Bissell. In that position he continued 
until it was abolished, when he was ap- 
pointed curator in the State Historical 
Library and Natural History Museum 
l.iy Governor Cullom, which position he 
was holding at the time cif his death. In 
that position he amassed a magnificent 



collection which is the admiration of all 
visitors to the state capitol. h'rom and 
after the time he entered upon his duties 
as state geologist of Illinois, the current 
of his life, although extending through 
thirty years, was too uniform to recjuire 
a material extension of this biographical 
notice. During all that time his labor 
was constant and severe, and he took few 
vacations beyond his attendance upon 
scientific meetings but his great physical 
strength made him ecjual to his self-im- 
posed tasks. His delight in his work and 
in his home was such that his share of' 
happiness was greater than that which 
falls to the li;it of most men and he de- 
sired no addition tt;) it. But his continued 
success was not due to the absence of 
adverse conditions. Again and again his 
work was in danger of suspension by the 
threatened failure of the necessary ap- 
propriations by the legislature and more 
than once they were so far reduced that 
only the most careful management averted 
disaster. Once, indeed, appropriations 
failed entirely, for the years 1875 to 1877. 
When appropriations were resumed in the 
last named year provision was made for 
the establishment of the Illinois State His- 
torical Library and Natural History Mu- 
seum, and Mr. Worthem became its cu- 
rator as well as state geologist. He, 
howe\-er, continued his work without 
compensation and with such evident sin- 
cerity of purpose that they were resumed 
by the next legislature. One Ijy one his 
volumes of reports were pul)lished and 
gladlv accepted by the scientific world; 
one bv one the great difficulties he en- 
countered were overcome and he was per- 
mitted to finish his work to the great ad- 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



37^ 



vantage of science and the satisfactiun 
(jf the most exacting economist. As liis 
work approached completion old age was 
coming upon him but he retained his 
mental vigor, and in a great measure his 
accustomed good health until his final ill- 
ness, which prostrated him suddenly and 
terminated in death within a few days. 
He died on Sunday, May 6, 1888, in the 
seventy-fifth year of his age, surrounded 
by people who respected and honored him 
and among whom he had lived a full half 
century. I'ersonally ^Ir, W'orthen was 
of manh' presence and kindly, candid, and 
unpretentious in manner. He was im- 
pulsively generous to his friends and char- 
itable, even to those with whom he had 
little sympathy fnit he was uncompromis- 
ing in his love of justice and scientific 
truth. The only proper standard by 
which to judge of his scientific labors is 
and must always be his published works, 
which are his monument and the records 
by which his name will be known in fu- 
ture vears. 



W. W. HUGHES. 



W . W. Hughes, deceased, who was one 
of the worthy and respected citizens of 
Carthage, where his meiuorv is still cher- 
ished by all whri knew him, was born in 
Bourbon county, Kentucky, September 
15, 1821, a son of Mr. and ]\Irs. William 
Hughes. The father was a native of 
Mar\'land and was a cabinet-maker by 
trade. Removing to Kentucky he spent 
his remaining days there, both he and his 
wife passing away in that state. In their 



family were five children, all of whom are 
now deceased. 

\\". \A'. Hughes of this review attended 
the common schools in his bojdiood days 
and afterward was a student in the Col- 
lege of Kentucky. He worked in his 
father's cabinet-shop for a short time and 
later learned the harness-maker's trade 
in Kentucky, from which state he re- 
moved to Illinois in 1854, settling in 
Carthage. Here he followed harness- 
luaking for several years and then turned 
his attention to the drug business, estab- 
lishing a st<.ire which he conducted suc- 
cessfullv for some time. Later he was 
proprietor of a photograph gallery and 
in that business also prospered. AA'hen 
his well directed labors, enterprise and 
careful management had brought him a 
desirable competency he retired from busi- 
ness life and spent his remaining days 
in the enjoyment of a well earned rest. 

Air. Hughes was married October 16, 
1846, to Miss Sarah E. Payne, who was 
born in Kentucky, October 16, 1825, a 
daughter of John and C. (Hughes) 
Payne. The mother though of the 
same name was not a relative of the 
Hughes family of which our subject 
is a member. Her birth occurred in 
IMarvland, while 'Sir. Payne was born in 
Virginia. His life was devoted to agri- 
cultural pursuits and he passed away in 
Kentucky at a ripe' old age. In their 
famih- were nine children, of whom Mrs, 
Hughes of this review is the c^nly sur- 
viving member. By her marriage she 
became the mother of six children. Perry 
B., the eldest, born September 4, 1847, 
married Missouri Belle Scott on the 2d 
of September, 1868, and died January 13, 



372 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJIEW 



1897. leaving' two daughters. Rclle ami 
Minnie. The former is the wife nf a 
;\Ir. Parker, uf Brookrield. Missouri, ruid 
has two children, Marion and Hugh 
Parker. Minnie Hughes became the wife 
of Dr. Bynum, of Memphis, Tennessee, 
and has two children. W'oodfield and Eliz- 
abeth. .\lbert (1. Hughes, the second 
surviving member of the family of Mr. 
and Mrs. W. W. Hughes, was Ijorn De- 
cember 28, 1848. and was married May 
26, 1872, to Miss Fannie Logan, their 
home being in Dighton, Lane county. 
Kansas. They ha\e one child. Mrs. 
Maud King, who is li\ing in \\ aukeena. 
Kansas. Henry F. Hughes, born Decem- 
ber 22, 1853, married ]\Iiss Katie Apple- 
gate, by whom he has four children, their 
home being in Missouri. William S. 
Hughes, born December 15, 1859, was 
married June 10. 1881, to Miss Ina Ed- 
wards and resides in Carthage. They 
ha\'e two sons, \\ illiam W'oodfield and 
Paul. The other members of tlie Hughes 
family are deceased. 

In his fraternal relations Mr. Hughes 
was an earnest Mason and passed all of 
the cliairs in the local linlge. He was 
for many }-ears an active and influential 
niemlier of the Christian church, doing all 
in his power to ])romote its growth and in- 
sure its success. His ]>olitical allegiance 
was gi\-en to the democrac}- but he ne\er 
sought or desiretl office. \\\ his energy 
and unfaltering perseverance he accumu- 
lated a considerable competence and thus 
left his family in comfortable circum- 
stances. He built a lieautiful home about 
fifteen years ago and in this his widow 
still resides. Mr. Hughes passed away 
December 12. 1898, at the advanced age 



of eighty-seven years and the countv 
thereby lost one of its most venerable, 
honored and worthy citizens. His life 
at all times was characterized by high 
principles and worthy motives and he 
enjoyed the unqualified regard and good 
will of all with whom he came in contact, 
lienevolence was one of the strong and 
salient featiu'es of his character but in 
his charitable acts he was always quiet 
and unostentatious, ne\-er seeking the 
praise of men. In his home he was a 
devoted and lo\'ing husliand and father 
and for iifty-two years be and his wife 
traveled life's journey hap])ily together. 
While he was acti\'e and reliable in citi- 
zenship and in business and faithful in 
friendship, his best traits were always 
reserved for his familv. Some v'ears prior 
to his death ^Ir. and !\Irs. Hughes built 
a vault in Moss Ridge cemetery in Car- 
thage, where his remains were interred. 
Mrs. Hughes, now nearlv eighty-one 
years of age. still sur\i\es her husband 
and is )^et an active and well preserved 
ladv. who is spending the evening of her 
life in comfort amid manv- warm friends, 
who have known her for long )'ears and 
who entertain for her the deepest esteem 
and affection. 



LEOX CHbW ITT.ON. 

l.con ( "hevdion is the senior member 
of the firm of C'hevill<in & Clere, of Car- 
thage, who are conducting the largest 
business in Hancock county in implements 
farm machinerx. carriages and buggies 
and the firm is not onlv foremost in the 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



373 



extent of its trade but also occupies a lead- 
ing ix)sition because of the reliability, en- 
terprise and business activity of the 
house. Mr. Chevillon is one of the na- 
tive sons of the county, his birth having 
occurred in Xau\-oo on the 20th of April, 
1 85 1, his parents being Eugene and An- 
gelia (Xaegelin) Chevillon. Both par- 
ents were natives of l-'rance and the ma- 
ternal grandfather was interested in the 
French revolution of 1848. The father of 
our subject came to America about 1849 
or 1850. settling in Xauvoo after the 
Mormons had left for their western home 
in Utah. He was a farmer by occupa- 
tion and sul)se(|uentl_\- worked ;it the tin- 
ner's trade. Both he and his wife spent 
their last days in Hancock county. In his 
fraternal relations Eugene Che^-illon was 
an Odd Fellow and be held membership 
in the Catholic church, while his wife was 
a Presbyterian in religious faith. In their 
familv were four children, of whom three 
are li\'ing: Leon, of this review; Hena, 
the wife of Thomas Crow, of Kansas ; and 
Victoria, the wife of Thomas Cecil, who 
is living in Oklahoma. 

Leon Chevillon was educated in the 
public schools of Keokuk, Iowa, and re- 
mained upon his father's farm for some 
time. He was only ten years of age at the 
time of his mother's death and he anrl 
his sister kept house together and he 
farmed the home i)lace mitil t\\ent\-three 
^•ears of age, but thinking that he would 
find commercial piu'suits more congenial, 
in 1876 he entered the em|)loy of an im- 
plement house of Keoku.k, Iowa, which 
he represented upon the road as a travel- 
ing salesman, .\fter traveling for three 
different firms of that city he finalh- repre- 



sented a Xew \'ork firm and eventurdly 
tra\-eled for an Ohio house and then with 
the capital sa\-ed from his earnings he 
made investment in a mercantile enter- 
prise and in January, tool, opened a large 
implement house in Carthage, having in 
the meantime made his home in this citv, 
while tra\'e]ing for a number of years. 
This is not only the largest implement 
hon.se in Carthage but of the county as 
well and in addition he handles hard- 
ware. He is the senior meml)er of the 
firm of Chevillon & Clere and they deal 
extensi\el}- in farm machinerv, carriages, 
buggies and wagons, selling to the retail 
tratle. Their place of l)usiness is on Main 
street and emjiloyment is furnished to 
three salesmen. The trade has gradually 
grown until it has now reached ver\' ex- 
tensi\-e and profitable propfjrtions and the 
business is constantl)- de\-eloping along 
substantial lines. 

In 1879, Mr. Chevillon was married to 
Miss Sophia Clere, who was born in Han- 
cock county, Illinois, a daughter of Frank 
and Josephine (Miller) Clere. Her father 
was a native of France and her mother 
of Ohio. Mr. Clere, howe\er, was Ijut 
eight years of age when he came to 
America and throughout his active busi- 
ness life he followed farming, living at 
different times in Ohio. Hancock county, 
Illinois, and in .\rkansas. Me died in the 
last named state in t8()i and was laid to 
rest in a cemetery there b_\- the side of 
his wife, who had passed awa)- in 1873. 
Tlie\ were the jiarents of three children. 
Mary, deceased; Fr.ank H., of Bluffs. 
Illinois, and Sophia, wife of our subject. 
I'nto Mr. and Mrs. Chex'illon ha\'e 
been boni fwe children, all of whom are 



374 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



living: Frank and Fred, twins, now in 
school ; Leonore and Blanche, twins, at 
home; and Ruth, who is also attending 
school. h^'red will graduate from the 
high school in the class of i<;o6. and the 
daughter is now studying hookkeeping in 
a l;usiness college. The family residence 
is on Cherry and Main streets, where Mr. 
Chevillon purchased a nice home. He 
and his wife are devoted members of the 
Presbvterian cliurcli and he belongs to the 
Odd h'ellows society. His political alle- 
giance is given to the Republican party, 
but his business interests leave him no 
leisure for political preferment or office 
holding. He has concentrated his ener- 
gies upon the development of his business, 
which has grown rapidly and along sub- 
stantial lines. He is methodical in all 
that he does, has systematized his inter- 
ests and in his trade relations is found 
thoroughly reliable, his name being a syn- 
onym for business integrity in commercial 
circles in Carthage. The history of the 
.American jieople is replete with illustra- 
tions of the fact that it is only under the 
pressure of adversity and the stimulus of 
opposition that the best and strongest in 
men is brought out and developed. If 
anything can inspire the youth of our 
countn.' to persistent, honest and laudable 
endeavor, it should be the life record of 
such men as he of whom we write. 



T. L FRAZER. 



T. L Frazer, one of the most ])romi- 
nent and prosperous residents of Rocky 



Run township, has devoted his entire life 
to general agricultural pursuits and his 
intense and well directed energy has been 
the salient element in his success. He is 
seldom if ever at error in a matter of 
business judgment and his keen sagacity 
has enabled him ti_) make judicious in\est- 
ments. which, viewed from a financial 
standpoint have resulted beneficially. His 
life record began in Adams county, Illi- 
nois, September 8, 1848. He was the 
elder of two sons born unto ' Lafayette 
Harrison and Caroline (Wilson) Frazer. 
The father was born in Kentucky in 1818, 
and was a little lad of eight years, when, 
in 1826, he came with his parents to Illi- 
nois, the familv home being established 
in Adams county, near Ouincy. He ar- 
rived in Hancock county in 1846, and cast 
in his lot with its pioneer residents. He 
first purchased two hundred and sixty 
acres of land in Walker township and 
there lived in true pioneer style, his home 
being a log cabin. He served in the Mor- 
mon war in 1844 when the attempt was 
made to drive the followers of Brigham 
Young from the county, and he took part 
in many other events which are now of 
historic importance. He shared in all the 
hardships and privations incident to pio- 
neer life while converting raw prairie land 
into a good farm, and he assisted in the 
material development and upbuilding of 
the county, which recognized in him a 
valued citizen. His political support was 
always given to the democracy but he 
never sought or desired office. His wife 
was born in Ohio in 1829, and their mar- 
riage was celebrated in this state. Her 
death occurred in September, 1882, and 
Mr. Frazer passed away in Januar^^ t886, 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



He was a splendid type (.)t an enterprising", 
sturdy citizen of high principles, beloved 
by all who knew him. Both he and his 
wife were laid to rest in a cemetery in 
Rocky Run township. They had two sons, 
the younger being George \\'., who is now 
living in Walker townshi]). 

J. I. Frazer was educated in the schools 
of Walker townshi]) and remained under 
the parental roof until twenty-fmu- _\-ears 
of age. He assisted in the arduous task 
of developing a new farm. His birth 
place was a log cabin, in which his parents 
lived during the pioneer epoch in the his- 
tory of the county and from personal 
recollection he can relate nian\- incidents 
of pioneer times and tell of the cunditimis 
of life which then existed when the 
frontier homes were heated with huge 
fireplaces and lighted Ijy candles, and 
when the farm work was largeK' done 1j_\' 
hand, for the fine machinery of the pres- 
ent da}- was then unknown. 

On the 15th of April, 1873, Mr. Frazer 
was united in marriage to Miss Jincy Re- 
becca Crenshaw, who was l)orn in Lima. 
Hancock count}'. Illinois, in 1852. a 
daughter of Theophilus and Martha 
(Martin) Crenshaw, both of whom were 
natives of the southern [jart of this state. 
The father was a farmer In' occupation 
and remo\-ed from S(.)uthern Illinois to 
Adams county. The grandfather of Mrs. 
Frazer lived for a time in Hancock 
county, and her father was a soldier of 
the Mormon war of 1844 and also partici- 
pated in the Indian warfare of 1848. His 
name was thus closely associated with 
pioneer events and he left the impress of 
his individuality upon the early develop- 
ment and progress of the county. Both 
-24 



he and his wife are now deceased, their 
graves having been made in Holden 
cemetery in Rock}- Run tijwnship. In 
their famil}' were si.x; children but only 
two are now lix'ing: Celatha, the wife of 
F. M. Jacobs, of Lima, .\dams count}' ; 
and Mrs. Frazer. 

Following his marriage Mr. Frazer re- 
ceived as a gift from his father two hun- 
dred acres of land on section 36. Ivocky 
Run township, Ijordering on the southern 
boundary of the township. Since then he 
has added to his i>rigina] holdings until 
he was at one time owner of over se\ en 
hundred and seventy acres but he has 
gi\'en to each of his children two hundred 
acres. In 1888 he built his large, beauti- 
ful and modern residence, and he has also 
built a fine l)arn fort}' by si.xty feet. The 
home is surrounded \)y a well kept lawn 
and there are man}' modern impro\ enients 
and accessories upon the farm, all indi- 
cating the progressive spirit and enter- 
prise of the owner. He has been xery 
successful in his farming operations. 
Since 1898 he has practically retired from 
acti\'e farming and rents most of his land. 
With a good start received from his 
father he has made steady jjrtigress in 
business affairs, adding largely to his 
holdings until he has become one of the 
extensive landowners of his township. 

Mr. and Mrs. Frazer have every reason 
to be proud of their famil}' of two sons 
who are an honor to their family. Lafay- 
ette Harison Frazer, the elder, married 
Miss Catherine E. Shipe, liy whom he has 
two children. Caroline and Lafayette 
Harrison Frazer, Jr. Their home is in 
Ouincv. Illinois. \\"illiani T. Frazer, 
born August 15. 1884, is a graduate of 



3/6 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



the Gem City high scIkkjI at Ouincy of 
the class of 1902. He is now at home 
with his parents. 

Mr. Frazer gives his pohtical support 
to the democracy and is serving for the 
second term as supervisor of his township 
and chairman of the 1)oard. He has 
passed ah of the chairs in the Masonic 
lodge to which he belongs and has several 
times been master. Both he and his wife 
are members of the Southern Methodist 
church, of which he is trustee and they 
contribute generously to its support and 
take an active and helpful interest in its 
work. Their home is noted far and wide 
for its generous anil warm-hearted Ikjs- 
pitalitv. It is most beautifully and taste- 
fulh- furnished and moreover is the em- 
bodiment of good cheer and kindly spirit. 
Their friends are numerous and the warm 
regard in which they are uniformly held 
is justly merited. They have done much 
for the township in which they make their 
home, never living selfishly to themselves 
but standing for progress and improve- 
ment along all lines which benefit the com- 
munity at large. July 4, 1906, while at 
the breakfast table he was stricken with 
paralysis and although all was done that 
skill could do, he passed away on July 
6th. He is laid to rest in the family lot in 
Fletcher cemetery in Rocky Run 
township. 



JOHN F. ANTOINE. 

John F. Antoine is a retired farmer 
living in Basco, the years of his fdrmer 



tdil making it possible for him to live 
in leisurely manner without recourse to 
further labor. He was born in the village 
of Many, Department of Meurthe and 
Moselle, France, in 1838. He came to 
America in 1856 with his mother and 
family, consisting of an uncle and a 
brother and sister. All these have passed 
away except Mr. Antoine. and the resting 
place of their mortal remains is in Basco 
cemetery. The family settled upon a 
farm in Bear Creek township. Hancock 
county, Illinois, where he worked until 
1867. He then began to consider the 
subject of having a home of his own and 
consummated his purpose through his 
marriage to Miss Celina Ancelet, who 
was born in the village of Fe Sourd. in 
the department of Aisne, France. Her 
parents were also natives of that coun- 
try and her father, who was a weaver by 
trade, settled in Bear Creek township, 
Hancock county, upon his emigration to 
America in 1855. Purchasing land, he 
then carried on general farming and 
stock-raising until his death, which oc- 
curred in 1877. His wife survived him 
until 1893 and both lie buried in Basco 
cemetery. In their native land they were 
communicants of the Catliolic church. 
Their family numbered four children, of 
whom three are living : Ernest and 
Adonis, both of whom reside in Bear 
Creek township: and Mrs. Antoine. 

Following his marriage Mr. Antoine 
lived upon a farm in Bear Creek town- 
ship for thirty-five years and carefully 
cultivated the fields and managed his 
propertv until it brought to him a good 
financial reward. He then sold his farm 
and in Basco built a pretty cottage. He 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



377 



owns forty acres of land there and is en- 
gaged in raising vegetables. He and his 
bride began life on limited financial cir- 
cumstances but through their united ef- 
forts they have accumulated a comfortable 
competence and are now well situated 
financiall)'. They also own twenty acres 
of timber land. In the community they 
stand high in the regard of those who 
know them. Mrs. Antoine is a lady of 
domestic tastes, devoted to her home and 
is especially fond of reading, from which 
she derives much benefit, as she possesses 
an excellent mennir}-. In politics Mr. An- 
toine is a republican, but has never cared 
for ofifice and the concentration of his 
energies upon his business affairs to the 
exclusion of other interests resulted in 
the acquirement of a measure of success 
that now enables him to enjoy life in 
cjuiet and retirement. 



THEOPHILUS OUTHIER. 

Theophilus Outhier, whose home is nn 
section i, Montebello township, for many 
years has resided in the township where 
he has carried on general agricultural 
pursuits and the raising of high grade 
stock. He was born in France, October 
5, 1830, and is a son of Francis and Fran- 
ces (Gandard) Outhier, and a grandson 
of Pierre Gandard. The father was a 
farmer of France, where he followed yg- 
ricultural pursuits until 1847. when he 
came with his family to America, sailing 
to New Orleans and thence proceeding up 



the Mississippi river to Keokuk. He lo- 
cated in Henry county, Illinois, and soon 
afterward purchased sixty-five acres of 
land on section 20, Sonora townsliip, 
ITanc<_ick county, a part of which was 
timber and part prairie land. The farm 
was located a mile from the Mississippi 
river and thereon he devoted his energies 
to general agricultural pursuits until 
1856. when he sold that property and re- 
moved to another fann of one hundred 
and sixty acres on section 34, Sonora 
township. This was prairie land which 
he soon brought under a high state of 
cultivation, also erecting there a good 
residence, substantial outbuildings, to- 
gether with well kept fences, which di- 
vided the place into fields of convenient 
size. He was not long permitted to en- 
joy his new home, however, for his death 
occurred in 1S57. He had for ten years 
survived his wife, who died about 1847. 
Theophilus Outhier was the eldest of 
a family of three sons and two daughters, 
and only two are now living, his brother 
being Amiel Outhier, who resides in 
Adams count}-, Iowa. Our subject was 
educated in the public schools of his na- 
tive country and Illinois and was reared 
to fann life. He came to the United 
States with his parents when sixteen 
years of age .and remained under the 
parental roof until his marriage on the 
20th of November, 1856, to Miss Stisan 
Haycraft, a native of Kentucky and a 
daughter of John and Lvdia .\nn (Ash) 
Haycraft. Following his marriage Mr. 
Outhier removed to a farm of forty acres, 
constituting a part di the second farm 
which his father had purchased. He im- 
proved all of liis father's land and hauled 



3/8 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'lEW 



the lumlier from Xauvoo for building- 
fences and making- other improvements 
tipiin the farm. He also erected a house 
upon that fort}-acre tract, which his fa- 
ther ga\e him and he there carried on 
general farming for aljout two years, 
after which he traded it for one hundred 
rmd sixty acres of land on section 36, So- 
nora t<jwnship. This was only partially 
impro\'ed. There was a small house and 
well upon the place and a little orchard 
of about thirty-five trees had been set out. 
Mr. Outhier's ne.xt purchase of land made 
him owner of one hundred and sixty acres 
on section i. Montebello township. This 
tract came into his p(jssession in 1864. 
and he continuoush' carried on farm 
work there. He built a two-stor\' frame 
residence and in 1873 built a large bam 
thirty-two by sixt}- feet. He also built 
a double corn crib thirty-two h\ thirty 
feet and he set out many soft maple trees. 
covering about four acres. The land has 
natural drainage antl the farm is well 
equipped with all modern accessories and 
conveniences. In 1903 "Sir. Outhier pur- 
chased one hundred and sixty acres of 
land on section 36, Sonora township, all 
of which had been ]jlaccd under a high 
state of cultivation, while a good house 
and barn had been built. Here he car- 
ries on general agricultural pursuits and 
also raises Norman and Percheron 
horses, Durham cattle and Poland China 
hogs, keeping between two and three hun- 
dred head of hogs on his farm annually. 
He also has about three acres planted to 
apples, peaches, plums, cherries and pears 
and he likewise raises the various small 
fruits adapted to soil and climate. His 
farm is a well developed propertv and in 



its neat and thrifty appearance gives evi- 
dence of the careful super\-ision of the 
owner. 

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Outhier 
has been blessed with the following- 
named: Emma, the wife of James 
Jones, of Hamilton, Illinois: .Vrthur 
Douglas, who is living in Blaine county, 
Oklahoma: Mrs. Addie Emmons, of Prai- 
rie township ; Albert, of Gage county, Ne- 
braska ; Frank, of Montebello township ; 
George, of Prairie township; Justin, who 
is in the commission business in Ferris, 
Illinois ; Estella, the wife of George Ale- 
shire, of Carthage; Clarence and Bert- 
rand, who are residents of Blaine county, 
Oklahoma ; and Elsie, the wife of Erastus 
Hanson, of Hamilton, Illinois. The par- 
ents have reared a family of which they 
have every reason to be proud, as their 
sons and daughters have become respect- 
ed men and women esteemed in the va- 
rious localities where they reside. Mr. 
Outhier has served as school director and 
as o\'erseer of roads and is interested in 
public affairs to the e.xtent of not onlv 
giving his approbation tti many move- 
ments for the general good but also a 
hearty and generous support. 



WILLIAM ROASA. 

William Roasa, who since i8q2 has 
resided upon his present farm on section 
I, \\'ythe township, was born in Keokuk, 
Iowa, August 16, i860. He is of Ger- 
man lineage, his parents, Charles and 
Elizabeth (Kaufman) Roasa, being na- 
tives of Hesse Darmstadt, Germanv. 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



379 



Thev were married, howex-er, in Phillips- 
Iwrg". Pennsvhania. where thev were li\'- 
ing at that time. 'Ihe father was a .stmie- 
mason by trade, and foUowing his mar- 
riage removed to Louisville, Kentucky, 
where he worked at his trade until 1854, 
and then went to Keokuk, Iowa, where 
he worked as a stonemason until 1861. 
Following the outbreak of tlie Ci\'il war 
he enlisted in the Fifteenth Regiment of 
^Missouri Volunteers at St. Louis and 
was in the service for ten months, at the 
end of which time he sustained injm"ies 
in his liack that necessitated his discharge. 
He then returned to Keokuk, where he 
again followed his trade until 1865, in 
which year he removed to Elvaston, Illi- 
nois, and for four \'ears cultivated a rent- 
ed fann. ( )n the expiration oi that pe- 
riod with the capital he had saved from 
his earnings lie jiurchased two hundreil 
acres of land in Clark cmuity, Missouri, 
whereon he resided until 1880, carrying 
on general agricultural pursuits. In the 
A'ear mentioned he traded that farm for 
eighty-two acres of land in I'rairie town- 
ship. Hancock county, a mile and a quar- 
ter south of Elvaston, to which he after- 
ward added ten acres. There he contin- 
ued to carrv on general agricultural \mv- 
suits until his death on the J~th of Se])- 
tember, 181J3. This was occasioned liy 
injuries sustained \)y being thrown from 
a wagon while on a trip to Scotland coun- 
tv, }vIissouri. His wife survived him and 
died upon the old home ])lace ( )ctober 5. 
1904. 

William Roasa, the se\enth in order of 
birth in a family of four sons and six 
daughters, made his home with his i)ar- 
ents until he had attained the age of 



twent)'-four years, and in the meantime 
acquired a district school education in 
Clark county, Missouri, and in this county. 
On starting out in life on his own account 
he worked by the UKjnth as a farm hand, 
and about two years later he made ar- 
rangements for establishing a honie of his 
own through his marriage on the 5th of 
October. 1886, to Miss Amelia Heagy. 
who was born in Montebello township, 
Hancock count}-, December 2t,. 1865. 
She acquired her educatii;)n in the public 
schoC)ls of El\-aston, while spending her 
girlhood days in the iiome of her par- 
ents. George and Theresa (Bauer) 
Heagy. the former a natix'e of Alsace. 
Germany, and the latter of Waldum, Ba- 
den, Germany. The maternal grandfa- 
ther was Joseph Bauer. Both Mr. and 
Mrs. Heagy's paternal grandfathers came 
to the Cnited States, and the latter estab- 
lished his home in Ohio, where he spent 
his remaining days. Mr. Bauer, how- 
evev. died in Hamilton. C)ntario. Can- 
ada. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. 
Heagy was celebrated in i'ittsburg. Penn- 
syh-ania. on the 24th of June. 1852. and 
in the following )-ear they removed to 
Keokuk. Iowa, where Mr. Heagy worked 
at his trade until 1834. He then pur- 
chased land in Montebello township and 
began farming, in connection with which 
he continued to work at his trade until 
iHCth, when he i)urchase<l sixty-two acres 
of land in Prairie township, ddiere he 
still resides. Ijeing one of the respected 
and well known agriculturists of his com- 
munit\'. but in i8i;3 he was called u])on to 
mourn the loss of his wife, who <lied in 
.\ugust of that year. 

After his m;irriaue .\lr. Roasa estal)- 



380 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI 'I HIT 



lished his home in Wythe township and 
also operated rented land in Prairie town- 
ship. He was thus engaged until 1892 
when he purchased his present place of 
forty acres on section 1, \\ ythe township. 
They have resided upon this farm con- 
tinuously since their marriage, and in the 
fall of 1905 Mr. Roasa added to his pos- 
sessions through the purchase of the place 
of ninety-two acres in I'rairie and Fiear 
Creek townships, which he had pre\'i- 
ously rented. He carries on general agri- 
cultural pursuits and stock-raising and 
finds both branches of his business profit- 
able, owning to his careful management 
and his indefatigable enterprise. In 1892 
he purchased one hundred and twenty 
acres of land in Hodgeman county, Kan- 
sas, which he rents out for pasture. 

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Roasa has 
been blessed with four children : Olga 
Louisa, born A])ril 14, 1887; Wilma 
Amelia. December 31, 1888; Gretta Juan- 
ita, February 10, 1895; and William 
Ivan, Februarjr 5, 1893. The family at- 
tend the Evangelical chuich at Hamilton, 
of which the parents are members, and 
Mr. Roasa is identified through member- 
ship relations with the Modem Woodmen 
of America at Elvaston, while his polit- 
ical support is given to the Republican 
party. He deserves much credit for what 
lie has accomplished, as he started out in 
life empty-handed, brooking no obstacles 
that could be overcome by detemiined 
purpose and honest efifort, and he has 
gradually worked his way upwarfl from a 
humble financial position to one of 
affluence, having an excellent farming 
l;roperty in Hancock county. Illinois, on 
which he resides. 



WILLIAM EDGAR LYON. 

The business enterprises of Carthage 
find a worthy representative in William 
E. Lyon, who figured prominently in c<:>m- 
mercial and industrial circles here, his 
wise counsel and unflagging industry be- 
ing the dominant factors in the success- 
ful control of a large lumber and house 
finishing business and at the same time 
he is a dealer in coal and wood and as a 
member of the firm of W. E. Lyon & 
Company is engaged in the manufacture 
of brick and tile. Of resourceful busi- 
ness ability and strong determination, he 
carries forward to successful completion 
wliate\er he undertakes if his end can be 
acciimplished by honorable means. 

Mr. Lyon is yet a young man, for his 
birth occurred in Burlington, Iowa, on 
the 5th of April, 1870, his parents being 
William and Mary (Barkley) Lyon. His 
father was bom in Linden, Washington 
county, Pennsylvania, in 1851 and the 
mother's birth occurred in the same 
county. The former was a grandson 
of a I^-esbyterian minister, Dr. McMillan, 
wIk.i was one of the first preachers of the 
gospel west of the Alleghanv mountains 
and established the Washington College 
in Washington county, Pennsylvania. He 
preached for many j^ears, riding the cir- 
cuit on horseback. He was over six feet 
tall, weighed three hundred pounds and 
was a most jovial and good-hearted man 
and very witty. Moreover his earnest- 
ness of purpose and his strong humani- 
tarian principles were manifest in his un- 
tiring efiforts to promote the cause of re- 
ligion. A great-uncle of our subject on 
the patemal side was a soldier of the war 




WILLIAM E. LYON 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



of 1812 and his father has in his posses- 
sion the old German rifle mounted in sil- 
ver belonging to his uncle and which will 
eventually be inherited by Mr. Lyon of 
this review. 

Air. and Mrs. William Lyon have re- 
sided in Burlington, Iowa, for the past 
thirtj'-seven years and for a considerable 
period he was engaged in business as a 
carpenter and contractor, but eventualh' 
turned his attention to the lumber trade, 
becoming a member of the Burlington 
Lumber- Company. At the time of the 
Civil war he enlisted in the Union army, 
running awav from home to become a 
drummer l)iiy. and he remained at the ■ 
front until the close of hostilities. Fra- 
ternally he is an Odd Fellow and has 
passed all of the chairs in the local lodge. 
Both he and his wife are devoted and ac- 
tive members of the Presbyterian church 
of Burlington, in which Mr. Lyon has 
sei-ved as elder for many years. When 
Mr. Lyon arrived in Burlington the joint 
capital of himself- and wife was but ten 
dollars. He is today a wealthy man. 
owning a fine residence and in control <>f 
an extensive and profitable business. His 
aged father still lives in Pennsylvania. 
^^'illiam Lyon is a self-made man in the 
truest and best .sense of the term and his 
well-directed labors have been the source 
of his pro.sperity. . He is seldom at error 
in matters of business judgment, has the 
power to co-ordinate plans and forces and 
through the utilization of opportunity 
has developed extensive trade interests 
until the name of William Lyon com- 
mands respect and admiration where\'er 
it is heard. His political allegiance is 
given to the Republican party and for 



several years he has sei^ved as alderman 
of Burlington and has also been a mem- 
ber of the school board, filling those po- 
sitions with dignity and honor. Unto 
him and his wife have been born seven 
children, of whom five are yet living. John 
M. is engaged in the lumber business in 
La Hai-pe and is a graduate of Parsons 
College, of Fairfield, Iowa. William E. 
is the second of the family. Lydia B., 
also a graduate of Parsons College, of 
I''airfield, is residing with her parents in 
Burlington. Charles, who is a graduate 
of Elliott's Business College, of Burling- 
ton, is now engaged in the lumber busi- 
ness in Palmyra, Missouri. Bessie, who 
has been attending Parson's College at 
Fairfield, is at home with her parents. 

W^illiam E. Lyon was a public school 
student in his native city and for two 
winters attended Elliott's Business Col- 
lege. He was afterward bill clerk and 
stenographer for the Burlington Lumber 
Company for four years. While attend- 
ing school he began to handle saws and 
tools in the sawmill, working when quite 
a young boy for fifty cents a day. He 
spent his vacations and Saturdays in this 
way and gained an intimate knowledge 
and interest in the trade with which his 
father was connected. He did all kinds 
of work in the sawmill in order to ac- 
quaint himself with the business and be- 
come qualified for a position in connection 
therewith. After four years spent as bill 
clerk and stenographer for the Burling- 
ton Lumber Company he came to Car- 
thage in February, 1892, when not quite 
twenty-one years of age and established 
a lumber yard, having an office on Main 
street. He handles sash, doors, molding. 



3^-^ 



BIOGRAPIIICIL RBI 'IliU' 



nails. l)aii)e(l wire, fencing- wire and all 
grades of lumber, and in lyoi lie eidarged 
his business by adding- td it a coal office, 
dealing- in wood and both anthracite and 
bituminous c<ial. He has the lai-gest lum- 
ber plai-it in the city and has established 
a fine business. In 1902 he purchased 
the brick and tile plant of Plurnl) Broth- 
ers and has since conducted that enter- 
prise under the firn-i style of W. K. L\on 
& Conipany. They ha\e enlarged and re- 
bmlt the tile plant and make shipments 
of theii- output to \-arious jinints in lib'- 
nois. There is also a large honie de- 
mand for their tile and brick. The\' like- 
w ise deal in lin-ie, cen-iei-it and patent plas- 
ter and also handle sewer pipe. 

On the 20th of December, 1894, Mr. 
L\on was married to Miss Viola Susan 
T\ner. who was born in Burnside. Han- 
cock county, Illinois, a daughter of Jared 
aii(l Emily ( McGahan ) Tyner, both of 
whon-i were natives of Hancock county, 
Illinois. The father, who was ;i drug- 
gist at Buniside, passed away a number 
of years ago, but the mother is still liv- 
ing and is a member of the Christian 
church, to which Mr. l^Mie^- also be- 
liinged. Thev had tliree children : Mar\-. 
the wife of (ieorge W. Kay, superintend- 
ent of the L\-on Ijrick ])lant at Carthage; 
Mrs. l.von : and Birdie, the wife of Janies 
F. (.ibson, of Carthage. Mr. ;ind Mrs. 
I.\on ha\'e three children, all born in L'ar- 
ihage: I'".mil\- Margaret, aged eight 
\ears ; (.)r\ille, si.x vears of age; and 
jared Edgar, three \'ears old. Mr. and 
Mrs. Lyon reside on Wabash avenue with 
her mother, Mrs. Tyner. 

.Mr. L\-on l)eloi-ig-s to the .Masonic fra- 
ternit\- and is also an Odd h'ellow and 



Knight of P\thias. He and his wife are 
devoted Christian people, his niembers4-iip 
being- with the Presbyterian church, while 
his wife belongs to the Christian clun-ch. 
He is serving- as elder and clerk of the 
session and is also teacher of the n-ien's 
Bible class. He gives his political sup- 
port to the Republican ]iart}-, but has 
ne\er aspired to otfice. While he has 
never been a ])ul)]ic n-ian in social or po- 
litical life he lias always been quite 
prominent in clnu-cli circles and there is 
no good work either in the name of char- 
it}' or the ad\ancement of religion which 
does not find in him ;ni earnest and n-ia- 
■ teri.'d helper. That his tastes have not 
led him into public walks is the onlv rea- 
son why he has not been honored b\- his 
fellow townsmen with office and political 
|)refernient. Like his ancestors, he is a 
man of large prop(-)rtions and is e(|uall}- 
large-hearted. Of genial good nature, 
pleasant and jo\ial, he is always a .gen- 
tleman and numbers bis friends arid ;;d- 
i-)iirers aniong all classes of people. He 
has made a notable success in business 
for one of his vears and his success is 
due chiefiy to his natural ability and his 
thorough insight into the Imsiness in 
which as a \'ounp- tradesman he embarked. 



L. TH.VDDErS THOM.VS. 

L. Thaddeus Thon-ias is the owner of 
an excellent farni of one hundred and 
sixt\- acres, constitutirig the northeast 
rpiarter of section 24, Montebello town- 



HANCOCK COUXTY. ILLIXOIS. 



383 



ship, where he has h\ed since the spring 
of [900. His liiime. a commodious frame 
residence, stands in the midst of a fine 
lawn, ornamented with heantiful shade 
trees and about fifteen rods from the road 
that divides Montebello and f'rairie town- 
ships. Mr. Thomas is a native nf Adams 
countv, Ilhnois, horn Decemljer i, 1841). 
His father. Isaac 'i'liomas. was horn in 
Bourbon count}". Kentnck^•, and was a 
son of James and .Mjigail ( I.angsford ) 
Tiiomas, who were hl<ewise natives of 
Kentucky. Isaac Tliomas came with his 
parents to Illinois in 1831. tlie family 
home being establisJied in Adams count)' 
near Oninc)'. and in that Incalit}-, after- 
attaining his majoritw he married Miss 
Louisa Xichols. likewise a native of 
Bourbon count}'. Kentuck}'. and a flaugh- 
ter of John and Kittie (Carter) Xiclmls. 
who were born in the Blue Grass state. 
Following their marriage Air. and Mrs. 
Isaac Thomas began their domestic life 
upon a rented farm in Adams cnunty. 
where tliey remained until 183 r, wlien 
thev remn\-ed tcT Sonora township. Han- 
cock county, making purchase of eighty 
acres of land. This Mr. Thonias im- 
proved and cultivated, erecting tliereon a 
frame residence and extending the bound- 
aries of his farm by additional purcliase 
from time to time. Eventually he 1)ecame 
one of the extensive landowners of the 
county, his holdings covering al>out se\en 
hundred acres. He used the ])lace for 
stock-raising and general farming, rais- 
ing large numbers of cattle, liorses and 
hogs. His business interests were a 
source of large revenue to him. owing to 
his capable conduct of his farm and In's 
thorough understanding of the licst nietli- 



ods of tilling the soil and caring for the 
stock. He died upon the old homestead 
in Aiiril. 1901, at the age of seventy-four 
xears. and in tiie spring of 1906 his 
widow removed from the farm to Car- 
thage, where she is now lix'ing at the age 
of st\'cnty-seven }'ears. 

L. Thaddeus Thomas was one of twins, 
the sister Ijeing Laura Ann Th<imas, who 
is now with her mother in Carthage. 
They were the parents of eight children, 
six of wliom are yet living, the others be- 
ing: Luella, who is the widow of Henry 
W el)l)er, and resides in Carthage: Xao- 
ma Jane, who is with her mother; Mar- 
tha, the wife of Orville Honce. of Mon- 
tc'bello township: and James Harvey, of 
Carthage. 

In his l)o}'h<io<l days L. 'Idiaddeus 
Thomas remained upon the old homestead 
farm, acquiring his education in tiie dis- 
trict schools, but liis opportunities in that 
direction were somewhat liniited. He 
was married .Vpril 15, 1886, to Miss Eliz- 
abeth Honce, who was born in Adams 
county, Illinois, a daughter of Henry 
and Sarah (McBroom) Honce, natives 
of Butler count}', Ohio, who in 1850 ar- 
rived in .\dams couiit}', Illinois, where 
the}' resided for a few veai's and then 
came to MoiUeliello township. Mr. 
Honce purchased a farm upon wliich he 
lixed until his death in .\ugust. 1899, 
wlii'e his wife now makes her home 
;nnong her children. 

Following liis marri;ige .Mr, Tliomas 
pui'cliased eight}' acres of land on sec- 
tion \^. Montebello township, winch was 
an improved prairie farm. lie built a 
barn fortv bv sixtv feet and added other 
nioileni structures and ei|uipments. He 



384 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



also extended the boundaries of his phice 
until he owns over two hninh-ed and forty 
acres all in one body, but he now rents 
the land, while he gives his personal su- 
pervision to his farm of one hundred and 
sixty acres on section -'4. Montebello 
township, which he purchased in the 
spring of 1900. ' This place was well 
improved when it came into his posses- 
sion. He has here a very pleasant and 
comfortable home and a two-story frame 
residence which is situated in the midst 
of a fine growth of ornamental and shade 
trees. There are also well tilled fields, 
the grain ripening under the summer sun 
and promising abundant hai"vests. In 
the barnyards and pastures are seen good 
grades of shorthorn cattle and Poland 
China hogs for his stock-raising inter- 
ests prove an important department of his 
business. 

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas has 
been blessed with two children : Alta 
Pearl, born January 26, 1889; and Les- 
ter Earl, bom October 5, 1891. Both 
are attending school in Hamilton. The 
parents hold membership in the Presby- 
terian church at Elvaston, in the work 
of which they take an active and helpful 
part, while since 1905 Mr. Thomas has 
sei'\'ed as one of the church trustees. 
His political support is given to the 
democracv. 



SAMUEL DAVID GNANN. 

The attractiveness of Hancock county 
as a place of residence is plainlv indicated 



by the fact that many of its native sons 
have remained within its borders since 
attaining adult life to enjoy its privileges 
and benefit through the improvement of 
its business conditions. Such a one is 
Samuel David Gnann, a resident farmer 
of Appanoose township. He was born 
in this township, Januaiy 30, 1869, his 
parents being Benedict and Ursula (Sut- 
ter) Gnann, natives of Prussia and of 
Switzerland respectively. About 1858, 
the father leaving Germany, crossed the 
.\tlantic to the new world and took up 
his abode in Wisconsin, where he was 
emp'oyed at farm labor. Mr. Gnann, 
howe\-er. had learned and followed the 
baker's trade. He removed to Iowa, lo- 
cating in Keokuk, where he was em- 
ployed in various ways for three years 
and on the expiration of that period came 
to Appanoose township, and invested the 
mone)- which he had saved from his earn- 
ings in one hundred and twenty acres of 
land on section 33. The farm had been 
placed under cultivation and upon it was 
a brick dwelling. He was married in 
Keokuk to his brother's widow. She had 
accompanied her first husband to that 
citv, and by that marriage had become 
the mother of one child, Hannah, who is 
now the wdfe of Joha Gross, of this town- 
ship. The death of Mrs. Ursula Gnann 
occurred in November, 1892, and in the 
spring of 1894 Benedict Gnann was 
again married, his second union being 
with Mrs. Minnie (Lutz) Blum, the 
widow^ of Carl Blum. Since their mar- 
riage they have resided in Nauvoo. 

Samuel David Gnann, the only son in 
a family of seven children, has always re- 
sided upon the old homestead and on the 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. JLLIXOIS. 



385 



I2tli of April, 1900, he purchased one 
liundred and twenty acres of this place. 
He attended the Alaple Grove township 
scliool. wherein he acquired his elemen- 
tary education and subsequently he was a 
student in the hig'h school at Nauvoo. 
Since l)eginning business on his own ac- 
count he has made substantial improve- 
ment upon his farm, not the least impor- 
tant of which is a fine residence, which 
was erected in 1905. 

On the 24th of October, 1895, Mr. 
Gnann was married to Miss Xellie Ma)' 
\\ ebb, a native of Appanoose t<:iwnship, 
and a daughter of \\'illiam G. and I.aura 
(Davis) Webb, the former born in Han- 
cock county and tlie latter in Ohio. Mr. 
and Mrs. Gnann now have two sons : 
Everett Ervin. born August 20, 1896; 
and Merle Edgar, born August 9, 1903. 
In religious faith Mr. Gnann is a Lu- 
theran, having been confirmed in the 
church when fifteen years of age. He 
votes with the democracy, has served as 
township clerk for three years and has 
been school treasurer since 1894. Tl's 
aid and co-operation can always he count- 
ed upon for supporting movements fur 
the general good. Fraternally he is iden- 
tified with Temple lodge. No. 222. Inde- 
pendent Order of Odd Fellowsi at Nau- 
voo. and also is a member of the Mod- 
ern Woodmen of America at Niota. 



CHARLES WILKENS. 

Charles \\'ilkens, who is the owner of 
an exxellent farming property in Si mora 



township, and because of his activity and 
success in business making- him a repre- 
sentative citizen and by reason of the fact 
that he is a native son of Hancock coun- 
ty, well deserves mention in this volume. 
He was born in .\pp<anoose townshi]), 
February 2, 1837, and is the eldest in a 
famil)' of two sons and three daughters, 
whose parents were \\''illiam and Mar- 
garet (Zimmerman) Wilkens, the former 
a native of Hanover, Germany, and the 
latter of Bavaria. His maternal grand- 
father was Charles Zimmerman. Wil- 
liam Wilkens emigrating from Germanv 
to America in 1846, made his way to St. 
Louis, accompanied by a son and two 
daughters born of his first marriage, the 
wife and mother having died prior to that 
date. He was employed in a brickyard 
in St. Louis for a time, and after the 
■\Formon war came to Appanoose town- 
shi ji, Hancock county, and purchased 
eighty acres of land two and a half mile'- 
northeast of Xauvoo, which had been 
placed under cultivation. Subsequentlv. 
in connection with a Mr. Bryant, he pur- 
chaserl one hundred and sixtv acres of 
land and later bought several acres more. 
He improved these different places and 
continued to engage actively in farming 
un*il 1882, when he sold out and removed 
to the town of Nauvoo, spending his re- 
maining days in the enjoyment of a well 
earned rest. His wife died September 
19, 1875, and his death occurred July 
II, 1885. 

Charles Wilkens acquainted himself 
with the common branches of English 
learning by attending the district schools, 
but his educational privileges were some- 
what meager, as in his youth he had as- 



386 



BlOGRAl'inCAl. REniiW 



sisted liis father in clearing the land anil 
culti\ating the fields. He swung the cra- 
dle during manv harvest seasons and per- 
formed all the work incidental to devel- 
oping the fields and cultivating crops. 
Following- his first marriage he Ijougiit 
eighty acres of land in Rock Creek town- 
ship, where he lived for seven years. He 
then sold out and bought eighty acres im 
section 29. Sonora ti.iwnship. all under 
culti\-ation save for about seven acres of 
timber which he has since secured and 
placed under the plow. The improve- 
ments upon the farm ci instituted a stone 
dwelling of eight rooms and a stone l)ani. 
which he has since remodeled, .adding 
thereto sheds and granaries. In 1904 he 
also Ijuilt a new bam and has im])rc n-ed 
his ])riiperty until it is now a fine farm. 
It s well sup]Tlied with water, fur he has 
dug four wells and two cisterns, which 
furnish an unbounded water supph' for 
the house and for the stock. He has a 
fine house upon the ])lace and various .ac- 
cessories and conveniences which go to 
make uj) a model farm of the twentieth 
century, (^n the J3(l of Alay. 1903, he 
added ninety-sexen acres to his farm ad- 
joining the original tract on the smith 
and purchased from the estate of Joseph 
Miller. It is situated on section 32. So- 
nora township, and he also bought ninety- 
eiglr. and seven-tenths acres on section 
31, of which fort}- acres w-as under cul- 
ti\-ation. while the remainder w;is cov- 
ered with timber and brush. He carries 
on general farming and raises shorthorn 
cattle, I'oland Cliin;i hogs of good grades. 
He is well known ;is an extensive feeder. 
Ori the 17th of I'ebruary, 18S1, Mr. 
W'ilkcns married Miss Carrie Kahler, a 



native of Nauvoo, who died March 29. 
18SS, leaving two chiklren : George 
William, who was born November 25. 
18S1 : and David F., born February 17. 
1885. Another son, Bernard, died in in- 
fancy. On the 2d of May, 1889, Mr. 
\\'ilkens married Man- Schmidt, who 
was bon-| in Xauvoo, a daughter of John 
and Mar}- ( Bliickberger) Schmidt, na- 
tives of Austria. The children of this 
marriage are: Valley M., born April 
22. 1890; Charles and Gabriel, twins, 
born Ma}- 4, 1892: John, May 5, 1898; 
Ral])li O., October 10, 1899: and Eulia, 
born Janu<'ir\- 8, 1903. 

\\ hen only six years of age Mr. W'il- 
kens made frequent trips to Nauvoo, 
walking two and a half miles, and he re- 
members seeing the county when there 
were still man}' evidences of frontier life 
and the work of improven-ient has been 
ca'-ried on until this is one of the rich 
agricultural centers of the state of Illi- 
nois, nor is it lacking in its conimercial 
aufl industrial advantages. He belongs 
to the Catholic church at Nauvoo. and is 
a supporter of the Deniocr;itic partv, on 
which ticket he has been elected to the 
oftice of highway commissioner. He lias 
also ser\-ed as sch(-iol director and is 
known for his devotion to iiiatters that 
are of material interest to the countv. 



COLLINS BRCXTON. 

Collins Ihunton, deceased, was an earlv 
settler of Illinois, whose memor\- con-i- 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



387 



passes tlie greater period uf develdpment. 
progress and inipru\enient in this part of 
the state. He bore, too, an active 
and helpful part in the work of 
general impr(_i\-enient, especiall)' along 
material lines and he justly merited 
the success which came to him and 
the high regard which was uniformly 
tendered him by those with whom he was 
associated. He was born near Cincin- 
nati, Ohio, Alav 14. 1 81 8, his parents 
being Mr. and ]\Irs. Tlmmas Brunton. 
The father was b(jrn in Scotland, while 
his mother had her birthplace among the 
Pennsylvania Dutch. About 1830 the 
Ijarents remo\-ed from Ohio to Indiana, 
and in 1840 became residents of ^Ic- 
Donough county, Illinois, but soon after- 
ward t(_)ok up their abode in Adams 
county, this state, where the mother died. 
The members of the family then became 
scattered and Collins Brunton came to 
\\'ythe township, Hancock county. He 
was a youth of about twelve years at the 
time of the removal to Indiana and his 
education was largely acquired in the pub- 
lic schools of that state. Following the 
death of his mother he came to this county 
in 1850, purchasing three hundred and 
twenty acres of land on section 26, Wythe 
township, of which about one hundred 
acres was covered with timber. He after- 
ward, however, disposed of much of the 
timber tract but two hundred and fift)' 
acres are still comprised within the old 
homestead farm, ^^^^en he came into ])(.is- 
session of this property there was no 
building upi.m it save a log house, which 
had been erected by the Mormons, while 
forty acres of the land had been placed 
under the plow. In 1851 he erected a 



residence of ele\en rooms and as the }'eari 
passetl he placed upon his farm all mcideni 
impro\ements — which are many. There 
is also a house for tenants and a line tim- 
l)er tract of thirt}- or fort_\- acres, tiood 
liarns and outbuildings are a feature of 
the farm and during the active manage- 
ment of Mr. Brunton exerything about 
the place was kejit in most thrifty 
Condition. 

On the jSth of March, 185J. occurred 
the marriage of Collins Brunton and Miss 
Xanc\' X. McGee, wIkj was Ijorn in ]\Ic- 
Donough county, Illinois, March 31, 
1832, and was educated in the district 
schools there. Her i)arents were Samuel 
and Elizabeth ( Bullington) }*IcGee, na- 
tives of Kentucky, whence they removed 
to Indiana in their childhood days. They 
were married in the latter state and sev- 
eral children were born to them ere their 
remo\-al to McDonough county, Illinois, 
about 1829. They located there just 
])rior to the winter of the great snow — 
an incident memorable in the history of 
this state. It brought on very hard times 
and the MeGee family had to go to Jack- 
S(jn\ille. about eighty miles, to get bread 
stuff', having to break a n.iad through the 
snow with ox teams. S(jmetimes such a 
trip would require three weeks. ^Ir. Mc- 
Ciee had K)St his first wife in Indiana, and 
at her death she left si.x children. The 
second wife was the mother of Mrs. 
Brunton, and there were twelve children 
I)V this marriage. .Vltogether fifteen of 
his children lived to mature years but only 
foiu' are now living, namely : Mrs. 
Brunton: Sarah E., the wife of Isaac 
Wil.son, of Carthage; Francis Marion, of 
El\-aston; and Andrew [ackson, who is 



388 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



living in Bear Creek township. Mr. 
McGee passed away May 31, i8()4. while 
his wife survived until August 21. 1882. 

Following his marriage Mr. Brunton 
located u].)on what has since been known 
as the old Imniestead and there he tilled 
the soil and raised cattle, horses and hogs, 
while during the period nf the Cix'il war 
he also kept sheep. In early days there 
were manv wild animals in the forests and 
various ex'idences of frrmtier life were 
still to be found in Hancock county. His 
wife had located in Bear Creek townshi]) 
in 1846, and was here during the Mor- 
mon war. while her halfdjrother, Henry, 
and her eldest brother. Elisha, partici- 
pated in the effort which resulted in the 
expulsion of the ]\Iormc>ns from the 
county. 

Mr. and Mrs. Brunton became the par- 
ents of two children. Henrietta Evelyn 
and Minnie Frances. The former was 
born March 21, 1855. lost her hearing 
when eighteen years of age and has al- 
ways remained at home with her mother. 
Minnie F., born November 25, 1859. is 
the wife of Nelson Comfort, of Carthage, 
and she is now sending two daughters 
to school there, Marie Evelyn, born April 
17, 1885; and Annetta Grace, born Sep- 
tember 15, 1890. 

Mr. Brunton was a devoted member of 
the Methodist Episcopal church for many 
years but afterward joined the Baptist 
church, in the faith of which he passed 
away. He belonged to the Masonic fra- 
ternity in Warsaw and gave his political 
allegiance to the Republican party. His 
death resulted from heart trouble, occa- 
sioned by lagrippe. and he passed awa\- 
March 17, 1896, his remains being in- 



terred in McGee cemetery on the old 
home place in Wythe township. He was 
then in the seventy-eighth year of his 
age, and was accounted one of the most 
respected and venerable of the worthy 
pioneer settlers of this part of the state. 
He had lived in Hancock county from the 
early '40s and had been a landowner here 
from 1850. A life of diligence and en- 
terprise was crowned with a g(.iodly 
measure of success and through his hon- 
orable dealings he became known as a 
man of unquestioned integrity who closely 
adhered to the golden rule in all of his 
business and social relations. 



JOHN T. THORNBER. 

John T. Thornber, who is engaged ex- 
tensively in agricultural pursuits in Han- 
cock county, owning a farm of two hun- 
dred and fifty acres situated in Sonora 
and Rock Creek townships, a portion of 
which was the property of his father, is 
a native of Lancashire, England, burn 
Octol^r 16, 1854. a son of Henry and 
Lucy (Ellison) Thornber, also natives if 
that country, the former bom in Lanca- 
shire, while the latter's birth occurred in 
Yorkshire. The maternal grandfather of 
Mr. Thornber was Mathew Ellison. 
Henry Thornber, father of our subject, 
on leaving England emigrated to .Vmer- 
ica, and at once made his way to Hancock 
county, the year of his arrival being 1843. 
Here he bought forty acres of land l>'in.<^ 
in Rock ,Creek township, and two years 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



389 



later was married to Miss Lucy Ellison, 
hei" parents liaving emigrated from Eng- 
land to this portion of the state. In 1853 
the father returned to his native land, but 
two years later made his way once nmre 
to Rock* Creek township, Hancock coun- 
ty, where he purchased considerable lanil 
and engaged in general agricultural pur- 
suits. His death occurred in February, 
1887, while his wife had passed awa}- 
many years before, her death occurring 
on Christmas day, 1865. The father was 
married a second time, in February, 1868, 
his union being with Margaret Pilking- 
ton, likewise a native of England, and of 
this marriage there is one son, Amos J., 
a practicing physician of Burlington, 
Iowa. Of the father's first marriage there 
were born six children, of whom our sub- 
ject is a member, namely: David R., a 
resident of Chateau county, Montana : 
Mary H.. the wife of Isaac Seigfreid, of 
Rock Creek township: John T., whose 
name introduces this review: Lucv M.. 
who became the wife of C. H. McColIom, 
of Carthage, Illinois, where her death oc- 
curred in December, 1886; W. H., a res- 
ident farmer of Sonora township : anci 
James H., a printer of Fort Madison, 
Iowa. At the time of the father's death 
he left his family a valuable estate, com- 
prising twelve hundred acres of land, sit- 
uated in Rock Creek, Sonora and Pi>ri- 
toosuc townships, of which our subje't 
fell heir to one himdred and thirty-one 
acres lying on section 12, Sonora town- 
ship. 

Mr. Thomber of this review acf|uire<l 
his education in the district schools of 
Rock Creek township, and during his 
bovhood and vouth assisted his father in 



the operation of the home farm. 
At the age of twenty-three years 
he liicated nn the farm which he 
inherited from the father's estate, and 
here he added many modem improve- 
ments, including a nice home, good barns 
and other substantial outbuildings for the 
shelter of grain and stock, and here he 
took up the work of general farming and 
stock-raising, meeting with very gratify- 
ing success, so that he was eventually 
able to add to his original holdings by 
the purchase of more land, Iving on sec- 
tions I and 12, Sonora township, and he 
alsi3 owns ten acres of timber land in 
Pontoosuc township. In T905 he erect- 
ed a barn forty by fifty feet, for the shel- 
ter of horses, grain and hay. On his 
farm he has also erected a tenant house 
which is now occupied by his son-in-law, 
Harry H. Martin, who assists Mr. 
Thomber in the operation of the farm. 
He has also set out many shade and fruit 
trees, having an orchard of two acres 
]ilanted to apples, cherries and peaches, 
and many varieties of smaller fruit. 

In September, 1877, Mr. Thornlier 
chose as a companion on life's journey 
Miss Flora B. Berdine, a native of Mar- 
shall cotinty, Illinois, and a daughter of 
Jacob S. and Mary (Randolph) Berdine, 
both natives of New Jersey, and the lat- 
ter a daughter of Isaac Randolph. L'nto 
our subject and his wife have been born 
four children: Grace, who was Ixn-n 
August II, 1878, is the wife of Harry H. 
IMartin, and they live on her father's 
farm. Frank was bom October 20. 1883, 
and married Grace Weber, and resides in 
Rock Creek township. Edrie, born Oc- 
tober 24, 1888, is engaged in teaching 



390 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



school in Sonora township; Heiin', born 
in January. 1880, died in August of the 
fi)llo\ving year. 

[n his poHtical views Air. Thornber is 
a republican and served one year as liigii- 
way commissioner. He lias never been 
active in jjohtics. preferring to give liis 
unchvitled attention to his own private 
interests. .AUliough he inherited a por- 
tion of his prnpertN', lie has worked hard 
in the inipri)\ ement of this and in his 
work met with success so that he was able 
to add many more acres to his original 
holdings and is today accounted one of 
the prominent and prosperous farmers of 
his section of the ciuinty. He has s]ient 
the greater part nf his life in the cdui- 
munity wliere he yet resides and has so 
lived as tu win the respect and confidence 
of all with whom he has come m ci intact. 



JOHX B. WORTHEX. 

John r>. Wnrthen. a leading merchant 
of Warsaw, owning and conducting a 
grocery store, was born in this city. I<'eb- 
ruary 4. 1855. a son of Amos H. and 
Sarah P>. (Kimball) W'orthen. His 
father, the distinguished geologist and 
scientist, came to \Varsaw in 1836, and in 
the public schools of this city the sc m, Ji ihn 
B.. acf|uired his early education, which 
was supplemented by study in the State 
University, at Champaign. After com- 
pleting his education he went to Salt Lake 
City, where in 1872 and 1873, he was em- 
plo}'ed as bookkeeper in a C(_immercial 



house. He then returned to Keokuk, 
Iowa, and accepted a clerical position at 
the depot of the Keokuk & Xorthwestern 
Railroad and remained there until i87(>, 
when he went to Centerville, Iowa, as 
agent on the Minnesota, Iowa & Xebra.ska 
Railmad. In 1878 he was agent at 
Hokah. Alinnesota. for the Canatlian 
Southern Railroail. where he remained 
until 1879, when he returned to \\';irsaw. 
and in partnership with \\". li. Hill opened 
a grocery store. In 18S1 Air. Hill snld 
his interest to Charles K. WUrthen and 
the firm name oi W'orthen Brothers was 
then assumed. In 1882. however, John 
B. W'orthen purchased his brother's in- 
terest and since that time has conducted 
the business alone, ha\ing at the i)resent 
time the largest grocery Ikjusc in W ar- 
saw. He occupies a store building forty 
b\' seventy feet with a complete line of 
stajile and fancy groceries and the extent 
of his stock is indicative of the growth of 
his trade, which is now very important 
and brings him a gratifying income. 

In 1882 A-Ir. W'orthen was married to 
Belle .S. C()nnor. who was liorn in Luray, 
Alissiiuri. in 1857. a daughter of Benja- 
min l'\ and Elizalietb (Lamb) Connor. 
Thev have five children: Ella E.. born 
in 1883: Jeannette L.. in 1887; Marie, in 
i8()i ; Helen Eunice, in i8()3; and Jnhn 
C., in iSqcj. Airs. W'orthen and the f:un- 
il\- are members of the Episco])al church. 
.\lr. W'lirthen affiliates with the Alasonic 
fraternitw in which he has taken the de- 
grees I if the blue lodge, chapter and com- 
mandery. For four years he acted as 
master of the lodge, has filled other offices 
therein and at this writing is treasurer. 
Ha\-ing spent almost his entire life in his 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



391 



nati\e city he has a wide accjuaintance 
and his sahent characteristics are such 
as have gained for him a position of 
prominence in pnbHc regard. 

CHARLES K. WORTIIEN. 

Charles K. Worthen, who since 1867 
has devoted the greater part of his Hfe 
to scientific research and the collection of 
animals and birds for the various natural 
historical museums of this country and 
Europe, was born in Warsaw. Illinois. 
September 6. 1850. He has a natural 
predilection for the tasks to which he is 
now devoting his energies, his inherited 
tendency coming to him from his father. 
Amos H. \\'orthen, scientist and geolo- 
gist, who for many years stood as one 
of the foremost representatives of geolog- 
ical research in America. The son was 
educated in the public schools of \\' arsaw 
and of Springfield, the family removing 
to the latter city in 1858. In 1861, how- 
ever, the}- returned to Warsaw, and in 
1867 Charles K. ^^'orthen began the work 
of illustrating the geological reports pub- 
lished by his father. He devoted ten 
years to that task and then went to Bow- 
doin College in Brunswick, Maine, where 
he illustrated Lieutenant Wheeler's Ex- 
pedition W^est of the One Hundredth Me- 
ridian under Professor Charles A. White. 
He afterward went to the Cambridge 
(Massachusetts) Museum of Compara- 
tive Zoology, where he became associated 
with Professor Louis Agassiz, illustrating 
the fishes and fish teeth of Illinois fos- 
sils. A part of the work was done for 
Professor Agassiz and part for the Illi- 
nois geological survey. While at Cam- 
25 



bridge he began his work in natural his- 
tory, which he has followed since that 
time, his energies being devoted to labors 
along the line of natural history and tax- 
idermy. He has supplied various mu- 
seums of this country and of Europe with 
their animal and bird specimens, having 
collectors in all parts of the world, se- 
curing material for his work. His scien- 
tific knowledge along these lines is broad 
and comprehensive and his opinions are 
largely received as authority. 

In ]\Iay. 1873, Charles K. Worthen 
was married to Clara F. ^^'augh. a daugh- 
ter of John M. and Mary A. (Ellis) 
Waugh, who were natives of Rock Is- 
land. She was born in ^^'aughtow^, ad- 
jacent to Rock Island, June 15, 1855, and 
was educated in the schools of Rock Is- 
land and of Warsaw, accompanying her 
parents on their removal to the latter city 
in her early girlhood. Mr. and Mrs. 
"Worthen now have four children. Frank 
F., born March 10, 1874, is vice president 
of the O'Brien-Worthen Company, of 
Keokuk. Iowa, manufacturers of dental 
and surgical goods and supplies. He is 
a graduate of Washington University, at 
St. Louis, Missouri, and practiced 
dentistry in Warsaw for eight years. 
The other members of the family are 
Bertha V., who was born February 14, 
1876, and died February 3, 1901 ; Aimee 
AA'.. born August 24, 1880; and Mabel 
R., born November 26, 1883. 

AMOS H. WORTHEN. 

Amos H. A'Vorthen. proprietor of a 
grocery store in AA'arsaw. was born in 
Charlestown, Massachusetts, Februar}^ 



39-2 



BIOGRAPHICAL RIA'IRW 



2\ . 1844, ami was educated in the schools 
of \\ arsaw and of Springfield. Illinois. 
.\t the age of seventeen years he en- 
listed in .\ugust. 1861. as a niemher of 
the Se\entli ^Missouri Cavalry and served 
until the 2 1st of Xovemher. 1864. when 
he was mustered out with the rank of 
first sergeant. He participated in the 
battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, Deceni- 
l)er 7, 1863, and was there captured and 
sent as a prisoner of war to Fort SniitlT. 
.\rkansas, where he remained for aix)Ut 
two weeks, wdien he was paroled. Later 
he was exchanged and returned to his 
regiment, where he served until mustered 
out. After returning from the war in 
18(14 he made his home in ^\'arsaw•, where 
he filled the office of tax collector for 
;i year. In 1867 he bought a farm of 
forty acres four miles south of Warsaw, 
where he engaged in raising grapes and 
fruit, his attention l)eing devoted to horti- 
cultural jjursuits until 1894, wdien he 
again took up his abode in \\'arsaw and 
clerked for his brother, J- B. Worthen, 
until T904. In that \'ear he purchased 
the store of Homer Schaefer and is now- 
conducting a grocery house, carrying a 
complete line of staple and fancy gro- 
ceries and enjoying a good patronage. 

On the 2d of I\Iay, 1867, Mr. Worthen 
was married to Miss Jennie M. Brown, a 
daughter of Peter Brown, of Indianapolis, 
Indiana. She was born August 10, 1846, 
and in her girlhood days came to War- 
saw, residing with her uncle, Isaac H. 
lirowii. until her marriage. Mr. and 
Mrs. .\mos H. AA'orthen have six children. 
I'.ernanl H., born in 1869, is now a dealer 
in sporting goods at Atlanta. Georgia. 
Robert B. is proprietor of a restaurant at 



Lake Arthur, Louisiana. Kate S. is the 
wife of Charles H. Bolte, of Cripple 
Creek, Colorado. Helen S. is conducting 
a milliner)- establishment at Cripple 
Creek. Hubbard B. is a painter at 
Boulder, Colorado, and ]\Iarv is assistant 
chief operator in the telephone office at 
\\'arsaw. 



(lEORGE COLUMBUS McCORD. 

George Columbus McCord is the owner 
of \-aluable farming property in La Harpe 
township, where he owns and operates 
one hundred and eighty-two ruid a half 
acres, which was formerly the property 
of his father, and he is one of the re- 
spected and worthy citizens of Hancock 
count V. His birth occurred on the farni 
which is now his home, I'ebruary 22. 
1845, a son of I. W. and Xanc}- ( ^lani- 
fold ) ?\IcCord, the former born in Oxer- 
ton count\-, Tennessee. Jul}- i. 1815. The 
paternal grandfather, John McCord, lo- 
cated in ^lorgan county, Illinois, in 1830, 
but a year later took up his abode in Mc- 
Donough county, this state, wdiere his 
death occurred. His w-ife bore»the maid- 
en name of Mar^• \\'illard. The maternal 
grandparents of our subject. George and 
^Tary ( Pursley) Manifold, becan-ie resi- 
dents of Hancock countv in 1836. at 
which time they settled in La Harpe 
tow-nship. where the death of George 
Manifold occurred about one year later. 
J. Y\'. McCord and Nancy Manifold were 
married in this county on the 15th of 
March, t835. and at once began their 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



393 



domestic life in McDonough county, 
where tlie father operated a tract of land 
which he rented, and on whicli tiiey made 
their home during the succeeding three 
years, subsequent to which time th>ey 
came to La Harpe township, this county, 
where the father purchased forty acres 
of land lying on section 20. As he pros- 
pered in his undertakings he added to his 
original holdings until he owned one hun- 
dred and eighty-two and a half acres all 
in La Harpe township, and in addition to 
this he owned a tract of ninety-four acres 
situated in Fountain Green township. He 
participated in the Mormon war of 1844, 
which resulted in the expulsion of this 
religious sect from this section of Illi- 
nois. He was a democrat in his political 
views, and cast his first presidential vote, 
for Martin \'an Buren in 1S36. He and 
his wife were both devoted members of. 
the Cumberland Presbyterian cliurch. 
The mother of our subject died October 
8. 1899, while the father survived until 
April 9, 1901, when he. too. was called 
to his final rest. 

George C. ^NlcCord. whose name intro- 
duces this record, is the fourth in order 
of birth in a familv of four sons and 
four daughters. He was reared to farm 
life in this county, assisting his father in 
the various tasks of carr}'ing nn general 
agricultural pursuits, and during his l>ny- 
hood and )-outh attended the cimimon 
schools near his father's home. He re- 
mained under the parental roof until lie 
had attained the age of twenty-two years, 
when he started out in life on his own 
account, first going to AIcDonough coun- 
ty, where he bought a farm of eighty 
acres situated in Hire township. He later 



added a tract of forty acres and had one 
of the finely improved farms of his por- 
tion of the state. He continued to make 
his home here until 1893, when he dis- 
posed of this property and bought the 
homestead property in Hancock county, 
which comprises one hundred and eighty- 
two and a half acres, to which he re- 
mijved. and here he has resided to the 
present time, his energies being devoted 
ti> general agricultural pursuits and the 
raising of stock. He has been veiT pro- 
gressive and practical in his work so that 
he has accomplished whatever he has un- 
dertaken and is now in possession of four 
hundred and twenty-i^ne acres of valua- 
ble land partly in La Harpe township 
and ])arth' in Fountain Green township. 
Mr. McCord has been three times mar- 
ric'l. his first union being with I\Iiss Han- 
nah Moore, their marriage Ijeing cele- 
brated in 1865. She was born in Terre 
Haute. Illinois, a daughter of James 
Moore, and by her marriage became the 
mother of one son. Arthur. wh.> was born 
in 1867 and died in infancy. The mother 
passed away in March. 1868. and for his 
second wife ^Ir. IMcCord chose Amanda 
^lurrav. their marriage being celebrated 
in October. 1873. Her birth occurred at 
Lebanon. Kentucky, a daughter of Ben- 
jamin F. and Mary Elta (Wilson) Mur- 
ra\'. whi.i were likewise natives of Leb- 
an.in. The children of this marriage are: 
Willis, who was born September 4. 1874. 
and who married Daisy DeHaven. To 
them were Itorn two children. Edna, now 
at home, and a son Fay, who died in in- 
fancv. Her death occurred November 
8, 1002, and ^^'illis McC'ird then wedded 
Lela Barret, bv whom he has one son. 



394 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriFAV 



Harry. 1-ula Etta AicCuni. bom Janu- 
ary I, 1877, is the wife of Joseph Cam- 
eron, a resident of Fountain Green town- 
ship. 'Hiey liave two children, Vernon 
and Mamie. Two of the children by Mr. 
McCord's second marriage died in in- 
fancy. Mr. McCord's second wife passed 
away February 22, 1882. For his third 
wife Mr. McCord chose Ellen C. Wilson, 
to whom he was married May 3, 1883. 
She was hum in Hire township, McDon- 
ough county, this state. January 17. 1852. 
and was educated in the district schools 
near her liDUie. She is a daughter of 
Thomas and Sallie ( Hungate) Wilson, 
natives of Kentucky, while her paternal 
grandparents were James and Nancy 
(Dougherty) \\'ilson and William and 
Nancy (White) Hungate, respectively, 
all natives of the Blue Grass state. By 
the last marriage of Mr. McCord there 
have been born six children, of whom 
two are deceased. Herma Mahala, bom 
May 15, 1884, was married January 25, 
1905, to Joseph Freeman. Lloyd Elmer, 
bom October 8, 1886, died August 6, 
1896. Alpha M.. bom May 18. 18S7, 
is- with her parents. Fronia Hazel, the 
next member of the family, was bora 
IMarch 22, 1890. Wilson A,, bom June 
14, i8q2, died March 22, 1893. Elva 
Leona, the }'oungest, was born March 29, 
1894. 

In his pnlitical views Mr. McCord is a 
democrat but is not active in the work (jf 
the party, preferring to give his undi- 
vided attention to his business interests, 
which are quite extensive. Starting out 
in life on his own account he possessed 
a strong determination to succeed in the 
business world and with this end in view 



workeil diligently and energetically until 
he is now one of the prosperous represent- 
ative agriculturists of Hancock county. 
In his relations with his fellowmen he 
has commanded the respect of all and be- 
cause of his straightforward and honor- 
able dealing his success has been worth- 
ily won. 



(;i<:ORGE BYRON WORTHEN. 

Getirge Byron Worthen is well known 
in \\'arsaw, being a representative of one 
of its prominent pioneer families and a na- 
tive sun of the city. He was born June 
3'^- ^'^?)7' li's parents being Amos H. and 
Sarah B. (Kimball) Worthen. His fa- 
father for thirty years state geologist of 
Illinois, is mentioned on another page of 
this work. At the usual age George B. 
AA'orthen began his education in the pub- 
lic schools and when a }-outh of fifteen 
^■ears learned the tinner's trade, which he 
followed through the succeeding decade. 
He then turned his attention to the culti- 
^•ation of a vineyard and fmit farm in 
Wilcox township, where he resided for 
thirty-seven years, being a very successful 
in that line of business. In igoi he again 
took u]i his abode in Warsaw and is now 
li\-ing at the corner of Eighth and Clark 
streets, his activity and enterprise in for- 
mer years having brought him a compe- 
tence that now enables him to live retired. 

On December 23, 1868, Mr. Worthen 
was married to Mrs, Mary L, Death, nee 
Bedell, then the widow of Absalom Death. 
She is descended from an old colonial fam- 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



395 



ily. Her great-grandfather in the pater- 
nal line was in the Revolutionary war, 
and her Grandfather Bedell served in the 
war of 1812. The great-grandfather was 
a French Huguenot, and a man of much 
prominence. Mrs. Worthen was born in 
Warsaw, in 1S39, a daughter of Edward 
A. and Elizabeth (Montgomery) Bedell. 
Her father's birth occurred in Syracuse, 
New York, in 18 18, and her mother was 
born in Ireland in 1819. He came to Illi- 
nois when only eight years of age. arriv- 
ing in i8j6, and eventually became one 
i:)f the prominent and prosperous residents 
of Warsaw, where he followed merchan- 
dising and the real estate business, at one 
time owning nearly the entire town. He 
afterward went to Utah, where he \A'as 
Indian agent at the time of his death, 
serving under appointment of President 
Franklin Pierce. He passed away in 1853, 
when on his way home from Utah. In 
politics he was a Douglas democrat, and 
was frequently a delegate tn the ci inven- 
tions of his party, wielding a wide influ- 
ence in local political circles. His wife 
died at the home of her daughter in Keo- 
kuk, Iowa, in 1899, although she always 
made Warsaw her place of residence. She 
held memliersliip in the Presbyterian 
church, while Mr. Bedell was a ^Methodist 
in religious faith. He was one of the 
must prominent residents of \\'arsaw for 
many years and wielded a wide influence 
o\-er pulilic thought and action. In the 
family were seAen children : Mrs. 
'\^''orthen ; Helen, who died at the age of 
five years : Edward A., who was a sol- 
dier of the One Hundred and Eighteenth 
Illinois Regiment and is now connected 
with the dispensary department at the Vet- 



erans' Home in Colorado; Elizabeth 
Montgomery, ' the wife of Edmund H. 
Jones, who resides at San Juan, Porto 
Rico; LaFayette, who died in childhood; 
Louis Peyton, of California ; and Warren 
Ashley, who died in childhood. Mrs. 
Bedell li\ed in Fort Edwards which was 
located on a point in the northwest part 
of ^^'arsaw. when she came to Hancock 
count}- in 1835. There was little else 
in the locality save this fort, which had 
been erected for protection against the 
Indians. 

Mr. and ]Mrs. Worthen ha\'e become the 
parents of se\en children, all Ijorn in this 
countv, namely : Henry Knox, who died 
in infancy; Jesse M.. a civil engineer liv- 
ing in Ouincy, whi> married Luella New- 
ell, and has a daughter. Frances Lucile, 
now seven years of age; two children who 
died in infanc\': Ceorge B., a successful 
attornev at law in Iowa City, Iowa, who 
married Etta Horstman, and has a daugh- 
ter, ^l.nry Theye ; .\mos Henr\-, who died 
in infancy; and Edmund Lcaiis. The last 
named is a graduate of the State Univer- 
sity at Champaign, Illinois, and of Cor- 
nell College, and is now in the employ of 
the United States government, located at 
Washington, D. C. :\Ir. and Mrs. 
Worthen were playmates together in 
childhood days and are now spending the 
evening of life together, having traveled 
life's journey together as man and wife 
for almost forty years. Mr. ^Vorthen has 
prospered in his business undertakings 
and whatever success he has achieved is 
attributable entirely to his own labors. In 
politics he is a republican and has served 
as ta.\- collector of Warsaw and a member 
of the school board in his township, but 



396 



BIOGRAPHICAL REIIEIV 



has ne\'ei" been ambitious for political hon- 
ors. The lionie which he and his wife oc- 
cupy was l)uih in 1847, and is one of the 
tjld lanihuarks of the city. It was fonner- 
Iv owned Ij}' Mrs. Wortiien's mother after 
her father's death. Mr. and Mrs. Worthen 
spend much time in travel, largely passing 
the winter months in Porto Rico, Florida, 
Texas and other winter resorts. Their 
heme contains manv beautiful, rare and 
tasteful souvenirs of their trips, including 
a screen which is ma<le of shells and was 
secured in I'drto Rico, together wdth a 
set of hangings made of shells of the 
same kind. 



DAVID MACK. 



David Mack, deceased, was for many 
years a distinguished and able lawyer, 
practicing at the Carthage bar, and his 
ability in his pnifession, his devntiim tn 
and co-operation in matters of public 
progress and citizenship and his genuine 
personal worth endeared him to so large 
a percentage of the people of this city 
and county that his death came as a per- 
sonal bereavement to the great majority. 
He was born in Adams county, Penn- 
sylvania. May 15, 1817, his parents be- 
ing Alexander and Susanna (Fisher) 
Mack, also of Adams county. The fa- 
ther was the owner of a large farm in 
Pennsylvania and he came to the west 
when seventy-si.x years of age. In the 
family were seven sons and three daugh- 
ters. 

David Mack was a self-made man. wlm 



depended upon his own resources for his 
education as well as the material things 
<if life. He remained with his father 
until seventeen years of age, working at 
farm labor. One day, howe\-er, he tied 
his horse and plow to the fence and said, 
"Father, I am going to college. I have 
plowed my last row^" The father 
thought he must have been affected by 
the heat of the sun and made that state- 
ment, but the young man replied, "No. I 
am going tonight." He had thought the 
matter over carefully and earnestly and 
carried out his plan by at once entering 
Aliami C(j]lege in Ohio. He made a state- 
ment to the president of his financial con- 
dition and also 6f his ambition to pur- 
sue a collegiate course, and arrangements 
were made whereby he was able to teach 
in tlie summer seasons and attend col- 
lege in the winter months. This he did 
until he had completed the course in Mi- 
ami College by graduation. Much of the 
elemental strength of his character was 
thus shown furth and as tlie years passed 
he developed his latent energies and tal- 
ents and added to his aliility Ijy research, 
inx'estigaticm and broad reading. 

In 1846 ]Mr. Mack made his way to 
Springfield, Illinois, to study law and was 
there graduated, as was his son a number 
of years afterward. In 1848 he came to 
Carthage, where he afterward entered 
into partnership with Bryant T. Scofield. 
a connection that was continued fcjr a 
number of years. He was at dififerent 
times a partner of Mr. Peterson, Henry 
Draper and William Baird and later ad- 
mitted his son, Judge Mack, to a partner- 
ship. The favorable opinion which the 
public passed upon him at the outset of 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



397 



liis career was in nu degree set aside or 
modified as the years went by, but on the 
contrai"}' was strengthened as he gave 
evidence of his abihty to handle intricate 
Htigated interests. He won notable vic- 
tories before court or jui"y and the rec- 
ords give evidence of his connection with 
most of the important litigation tried in 
the courts of his district. 

On the loth of March, 185 1, Mr. Mack 
was united in marriage to Miss Augusta 
Ulrich, who was born on the tludson 
river, at Fishkill. Xew York, on the 27th 
of November, 1824. a daughter of Louis 
and Henrietta (Vi>n Reisenkampff) Ul- 
rich. The father died at the home on the 
Hudson ri\'er. where Mrs. Mack was 
born, when she was fifteen years of age. 
He was the owner of a large manufactur- 
ing plant there and was a veiy prominent 
and influential business man. In the 
family were eight children, all of wlnjm 
are now deceased with the exception of 
Mrs. Mack and her brother, E. R. Ul- 
rich. who is now living in Springfield. 
By the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Mack 
were burn five children, of whrjm f(3ur 
are yet living: Anna became the wife 
of William Simms Knight, a Presbyte- 
rian minister, who died in 1906. She is 
now living in Carthage, Missouri, and has 
three children. Augusta, Ellen and Da- 
vid. Henrietta Mack, who resides at 
home. David E. Mack married Miss El- 
len Carey and with their son Edward yet 
reside in Carthage. Susanna is the wife 
of John Firey, a wholesale druggist of 
Aberdeen, South Dakota, and they have 
two children, Carl and Margaret. 

Mr. Mack gave his early political alle- 
giance to the democrac}' and after the 



war became a stalwart republican, but 
would never accept any political office, 
although many have been proffered him. 
He held membership in the Presbyterian 
church, to which his wife now belongs 
and in which he served as an elder for 
many years, taking an active and helpful 
Ijart in church work. In his early years 
he was a Mason and at all times he was 
a conscientious and upright man and an 
enterprising and prominent citizen whose 
efiforts in behalf of public progress were 
far-reaching and beneficial. He was 
honored and respected by all and deep 
regret was felt when his life work 
was ended on the 20th of September, 
1897. Mrs. Mack still sur\'ives her hus- 
band and occupies the old and beautiful 
home which he built some years prior to 
his death. She is a cultured and intelli- 
gent woman, greatly admired by those 
who know her as she bears her eighty- 
two years lightly. 

David Mack was afflicted with near- 
sighted eyes, and for this reason he was 
unable to join the ranks of the defenders 
iif the Union during the Ci\-il war, but 
gave his attention and money to assist 
the widows and orphans, to which many 
now living- in Carthage can testifv. 



JAMES BRIDE. 



James Bride is now the owner of what 
is known as the old Bride homestead, for- 
merly in possession of his father and 
which he received through inheritance. He 



o9S 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW ' 



was born in St. Albans township, this 
county, }*lay j8. 1848, a son of Samuel 
and Esther J. (^Dyer) Bride, both of 
whom were natives of Rutland, \'ennont, 
tlie lonner Ix^rn January 4. iSio, and the 
latter in Octolier. 1812. The paternal 
grandfather. William Bride, was a native 
of Scotland, and married Miss Scripture, 
who was likewise born in the land of hills 
and heather. The maternal grandfadier 
was Jonathan Dyer, a native of Vermont. 
The marriage of Samuel Bride and Esther 
J. Oyer was celebrated in the Green Moun- 
tain state in 1835. and a year later they 
started with teams for Illinois, traveling 
across the coinitr}- by slow stages, often 
camping by the roadside at night and thus 
they made their way across the i)raiiies 
and through the forests until they at 
length reached Hancock county. They 
located in St. Albans township, where 
Mr. Bride purchased a tract of raw jirairie 
land upon which he established his home 
and l)eg"an the development of a farm. In 
1841. however, he sold that property and 
removed to Wythe township, purchasing 
or.e hundred and sixty acres on section 
21. This was all open prairie land, not 
a furrow ha\ing- l)een turned nor an im- 
provement made upon the place, but he 
at once began to fence his property, erect- 
ing buildings and breaking the prairie. 
He turned the sod on many an acre, 
dropped the seed, and in due course of 
time gathered good harvests. He contin- 
uously and successfully engaged in gen- 
eral farming until 187 1, when he retired 
from active agricultural pursuits and pur- 
chased a residence and about fifteen acres 
of land in 'W^arsaw. He then gave his at- 
tention to the further development and im- 



])rovement of that place until his death, 
which occurred on the J4th of December, 
1893. ^^'s widow afterward made her 
home among her children until she too 
passed away in January. 1900, subsequent 
to which time the old home in Warsaw^ 
was sold. Mr. Bride was a stalwart re- 
publican from the time of the organiza- 
tion of the party and always took an ac- 
tive and helpful interest in ix>litics but 
was never an office seeker. As a citizen, 
however, he greatly desired general im- 
l)rovement and progress and did what he 
could to promote the best interests of his 
community and his couubk". Unto him and 
his wife were bom four children : Lercy. 
who died in infancy in Vemiont ; Frances 
K.. the wife of Albert Shinn, of Ottawa, 
Franklin county. Kansas: Wallace S.. who 
is living in Warsaw : Tames, of this re- 
view . 

Tames Bride has always resided upon 
the old home place in Wythe township, 
wliich he inherited from his father while 
bis brother \\'allace was given one hun- 
dred and sixty acres of land adjoining our 
subject's farm on the west. In his boy- 
hood days James Bride attended the dis- 
trict schools of ^^'ythe towTiship, where 
he mastered the common branches of Eng- 
lish learning and through the periods of 
vacation he received ample training at 
farm w'ork, assisting in the labors of field 
and meadow. Since inheriting the old 
home property he has erected various 
buildings upon it. The house was bttilt 
in 1890 and contains nine rooms. He has 
planted apple, pear and cherry trees, so 
that be has considerable frtiit upon his 
place and in addition to the development 
of the fields he raises stock. His home 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



399 



stands in the midst of a well kept lawn, 
adorned with fine shade trees and is one 
of the attractive farm properties of this 
part of the county. 

On the 20th of April, 1871, Mr. Bride 
was married to Miss Julia W'arne, whose 
birth occurred in Muskingum county, 
Ohio, .\lay 2^, 1847. Her paternal 
grandparents were Llewellyn and Sarah 
( Beach j Warne, natives of Pennsylvania. 
Her father, Abram W^arne, was born in 
Ohio, and having arrived at years of ma- 
turity was married to ^liss Xancy Allen, 
also a native of that state, and a daughter 
of Samuel and Sarah Allen. The death 
of Abram W'arne ocairred December 3. 
1809, ^vhile his wife survived until May 
18. 1906. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. 
Bride has been blessed with three sons 
and two daughters : Samuel Elmer, who 
was lx»rn June 25. 1872. and is living in 
Callaway county. ^lissouri ; Cora Esther, 
who was born October 30, 1874, and is 
the wife of Joseph Gra\-. of Wythe town- 
ship: Elorence May. who was born May 
II. 1878. and is at home; Frank E., who 
was torn .April 3, 1882. and is engaged 
in the feed business in Keokuk, Iowa; 
and James K.. who was bom June 22, 
1885. and completes the family. 

Politically a republican, Mr. Bride 
keeps well informed on the questions and 
issues of the day and is recognized as a 
local leader in the ranks of his party. He 
has served for three terms as assessor and 
has been school trustee since 1900. His 
religious faith is that of the Presb}'terian 
church and he is a most active and helpful 
worker therein. ser\-ing at the present 
time as elder, deacon and treasurer. The 
church finds in him a devoted member 



and he stands for all that is just, true and 
right in man's relations with his fellow 
mai;. 



ObLAK LAIMI-. 1 KIL HAKl. 

Oscar Emmet Richart. who was a self- 
made man. his example illustrating what 
may be accomplished through determina- 
tion and energy in the active affairs of 
life, was for many years identified with 
farming interests in Hancock county and 
at his death he left not only a verj- de- 
sirable property but also an untarnished 
name. He was born in Akron, Ohio, 
Februar\- 21, 1837, a son of Thomas and 
Armina CCapron) Richart. The father 
was born in Pennsylvania, September 14. 
1 810. and the mother in the same state 
October 7, 181 1. They were married in 
1 83 1 and in 1848 became residents of 
Hancock county, taking up their abode in 
what is now called Dallas Cit\- but was 
then East Bend. The father was a stone 
mason by trade and for several years 
lived in Dallas City, after which he spent 
a few years in Kansas. Subsequently he 
went to Chicago, but his death occurred in 
Dallas Cit>-, November 29. 1893. when 
he was eighty-three years of age. His 
l-olitical support was given to the Repul)- 
lican party. His wife sun-ived him only 
a few days, passing away December 9. 
1893. Of their five children only one is 
now living, George Richart. who resides 
in Chicago. 

Oscar E. Richart. whose name intro- 
duces this record, was educated in the 



400 



hi()(;rai'iik'.\i. Riirir.w 



public schools <>l' Dallas City ami in llic- 
district schools nf Dallas |i iw iislii|). I k- 
remaineil at ImuK' with his iiintlier while 
his lather was in Kansas and at the i>nt- 
l)rcak of the t"i\'il war. responding' to his 
country's call l'i>r aid, he enlisted in iS'u 
as a niemhcf of (.'onip;in\ l\, h'ifteeuth 
Illinois N'olunteer infantrw hnl after two 
years' acti\'e ser\'ice he hecanie ill and 
was forced to relnrn home. 

On the J5th of March, iS(i3. Mr. 
Richart was married to Miss Caroline 
Ramsay, whose hirlh occurred in Mar- 
shall connty, Illinois, Alay i, i^^44, her 
parents heini:;' Sanniel .and Lo\isa ( Terry ) 
Ram.say. Her father, a nati\e of Mary- 
land, was horn in i8i(S, while her mother's 
birth occnrred in ( )hio in i S_>n. 'Ihev 
spent nincli of their ^■onn^•er \ears in 
Marsh.all connty, Illinois, and in 1856, re- 
moved to llancock" connty. settlins.;- in 
Dallas townslh]). Mr. I\amsa\- Ljaxe his 
political snp])ort to the democrac\- and \\,as 
a citizen of worth, who ti>ok dec]) interest 
in cverx'thing' pertainitig to general prog- 
ress and im].)rovemcnl. I lis wife died in 
1874. Of their family of eight children 
se\'cn are yet living, nameh' : Mrs. 
Richart; William, of Dallas Cily : Mary, 
the wife of Andrew Byers, of Dallas City : 
Addison, of Kansas; Elizabeth, the wife 
of John Layton, of Stronghurst, I'enel- 
ope, deceased; Stephenson, who is li\ing 
in Durham townshi]); and Andrew J., of 
St. Louis. Missouri. 

I'ollowing his marriage Mi". Rich.art 
jjurchased one hundred and si.xty acres 
of land on section 14, Dallas township. 
Tt was cox'crcd with tiiubcr hut he cleared 
away the trees and hrnsli ;md in 1881; 
erected a pleasant residence thereon. Tie 



was then engaged in general farming 
until his death, \vhich occurred May 28, 
i8i)(.). his remains being interred in 
Harris cemetcr)'. He was a man of en- 
terprising spirit, carefully conducted his 
business affairs and his success was at- 
tributable in large lueasure to his own 
efforts, lie was a luere boy when he 
started out in life on his own account and 
he alwa)'s assisted his luother dtn'ing her 
life time. 

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Richart 
was blessed with six children, of whom 
li\e are still living and all were born upon 
the old homestead farm. These are: 
I'rank C.. who li\es with his mother: 
Nellie A., the wife of jaiues l'"oresiuan. 
of I'onloosnc townshi]). b\ whom she has 
foiu" children, llari'w l.lo\(l, I lugh and 
RiUh : lumice. the wife of \\ illi.im l\_\le. 
of D.all.is township, b\- whoiu she has live 
childi-en, ('orwin. Is.abelle, Chester, 
I'.rnest and Caroll, while Roxy May 
was born of Mr. I\\le's lir^t marriage: 
brnest, ;i resident farmer of I'oiitoosuc 
township, who married Aiuy Holmes and 
h;is one son, ( ilenn ; and I'.llicc, who is 
;il home with her mother. 

Mr. Richart belonged to the Grand 
.\rm\- post rmd \\;is ;i rc]iublic,an in his 
])olitic;Ll \iews. lie liel<l \arions town- 
ship ollices ;md in .all life's rel.ations was 
I'ound to be a man worthv of the trust 
reposed in him. He w.as f.aithful in cit- 
izenship, progressive and rcli.able in his 
bnsini'ss life .and tnistw ( irlln- in his 
friendshi])s. Since her husb.and's death 
Mrs. Rich.art has continued the work of 
the farm ;ind has erected .a barn .and 
gran.arw In addition to the home place 
of one hundred .and si\l\- acres she owns 



II.INCOCK Cor'.VV)'. IIJ.IXOIS. -\n\ 

sixty-three acres ill Dallas ti)\viislii|) ahmii l<i\\ ii^lii]). wIkmc his :il;i'iI whImw mdu re 

a half mile west dl her ])lace of resideiiee. sides will: lii-i :i< ni ,iii<l <laii^lilci'. lie ua^ 

She is a reliiied, iiilellij;eiil: \voin;m, kind- a slalwail rc|inhh(aii in his puhliral \ic\\s 

hearleij and lnyal, and slut and her famil)- .-nid held xarinns Inw iisjiip ..niics, heni;^' 

()CC-H[)}' an enviahle i)i)silinn in pnhlic re- jitslire (jf llii- peace fur some \eai's, in 

f^ard in tiie community where ihey reside. which capacit\ he i-endered fair and nn 

parlial dc-cisions. Me was a man ol 
slion^' chai-aclcr, of "dod hear! and of 

marked inc|i\ iihcdil \ . 1 le was (^rcalK in 

leresled' in all dial Icnded n, aiUancc the 

coinit\' anil pininole llie welfare of ils peo 

( llAUl.l'.SC. CRAW hnkl). plr, jMid wherever he was known he com 

manded I he res])ert and j^ood will of diose 

Charles C. (Vavvford is the yoiinj^'cst wiih whom he was associated, fic spent 

memljer of an old, proiiiineiil and hi,L;iily iie;irl\ his eiilire life in Walker lownsliip. 

respected famil\ of 1 lancock connl\, e\er Iml prior lo his de;illi purchased a I'arm 

charactcri/cd h\ ^real industry, fair ile.il in \Vilco\- lownsliip, whereon his widow 

iiij.;- and conrleoiis and ohli^iii),;' treatment still makes her home. 1 lis death occurred 

of all willi whom they has'e heen as.soci- March 27,, i^j.s, and he was laid hi rest 

ated : Like (he others of (he family he in Crecn I'lain cenielerv. Mr. Crawl'ord 

has made rapid si rides in his hiisincss ca- w;is iwiei- ni;iiiied, :mi<1 hv (h<- first union 

reer and is one of die successful mer had lliree children, of whom ( wo are now 

clianls of (he (own. livin;.^ : Alice, (lie wife of John StocktO'ii, 

Ills ])arents, 'i'homas and Sereijla of I )en\er. Colorado ; and 1 .aura, (he wid 

C Daujifhcrty) Crawford, were lioth rcjirc- ow of [Iriali Sea(on, also of Denver. The 

seiila(i\es of old families of Kentucky, children of (he second marriaj.ce are nine 

and were horn in I'.onrhon county, the fa- in iiumher, of vvliom eif^lit reached v<'ars 

(her on (he jd of Seii(emher, iXi2, and of m.'idirity : Mary, the wife of ['"rank C. 

(he inodier on (he j^d of .\pril, 1829. .\ndrews. of Warsaw; Marj^'-aret R., who 

Thomas Crawford came with liis i)arents became the wife of Aquila Daujchcrty, 

to tiiis county in 1832, the family home and at her death was laid (o rest by her 

bering established in Walker township, fadier's side; Virginia, vvlio died in in- 

since which time the name of Crawford fancy ; James F. ; William T. and John C, 

has figured jirominently and honorably in all of Warsaw; Fannie, the wife of L. W. 

connection with the substantial growth I'.erry, of Carthage; Cora, who is with her 

and development of this part of the state, niodier: and Charles C. who completes 

After some years Thomas Crawford en- (he family. 

tered a large tract of land in Walker The last named was born upon the old 

township, there carrying on farming very farm homeslcad in Walker township, 

succcssftdly for many years. Subsequent- which was also the birthplace of all his 

ly he purchased a good farm in Wilcox brothers and sisters, in the year 1870. He 



402 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



acquired his education in the district 
schools near his home and in the pubhc 
schools of Warsaw, while later he became 
a student in Parson's College, at Fair- 
field, Iowa. He then returned to his home 
and for a brief period was busy upon the 
hume farm but soon afterward entered 
into partnership with John M. Cherry and 
opened a drug and book store on Main 
and Fourth streets in Warsaw, b'rom the 
beginning success has attended this ven- 
ture and they now have a profitable trade. 
The store is thoroughly modern in every 
particular, and in addition to the line of 
drags and books which the}' carr\- they 
also keep a fine line of cut glass and 
queensware, paints and other commodities, 
and have a beautiful soda fountain. Their 
liusiness is one of the leading commercial 
enterprises of the city and the proprietors 
are classed with the representative busi- 
ness men. 

On the iith of October, 1905, Mr. 
Crawford was united in marriage to Miss 
Blanche f^ond, of Blandinsville, Illinois, 
a daughter of .\lliert and Ida (Griffin) 
T^lnd, the former a native of Ohin, and 
the latter of ]\IcDiinough county. Illinois. 
They still reside in Blandinsx'ille, where 
Mr. Pond is a successful druggist. The\' 
have foiu' children, three sons and a 
(laughter: Blanche, now Mrs. Crawford; 
Charles, wlm is in the sti>re with his fa- 
ther; Rollo and Robert, both at home. 
Mr. Crawford has an attractive residence 
between Fifth and Sixth on Crawford 
street, and its hosjiitality is greatly en- 
i()\ed In' their many friends. ]Mr. Craw- 
ford is a ]Mason and ])astmasler of his 
lodge. His father was one of the first 
Masons of Hancock count>' and his father 



and his brothers, James F. and John C, 
have all been masters in the fraternity. 
Charles C. Crawford likewise holds mem- 
bership with the Maccabees and is a val- 
ued representative of these organizations. 
His business life is characterized b)' alert- 
ness and enterprise which enable him to 
readilv a])preciate and improve on oppor- 
tunity, and through his well directed ef- 
forts and unfaltering diligence he is 
steadil}' working his wa_\' upward. The 
consensus of public (Opinion regarding 
hini as a liusiness man is altog'ether favor- 
able, while socially he is popular and his 
wife, during the brief period of her resi- 
dence here, has likewise niade many warrn 
friends. 



ANTHONY P. LAYTON. 

Anthony P. Lavton, of Dallas town- 
ship, is proprietor of the largest nursery 
in Hancock county and his business is 
constantly growing in accordance with 
the sijirit of enterprise and close ajiplica- 
tion which he manifests in its control. A 
native of Burlington, Iowa, he was born 
July 22, 1864, and is a son of Biard and 
Margaret (Rose) Layton. The father, 
born July 2, 1818, is now eighty-eight 
years of age and is practically living re- 
tired in Dallas. His wife, however, died 
ill 1891, at the age of seventy-six years. 
They came to Hancock county when their 
son, Anthon}' P. Layton, was only a 
year old and the father establishing in 
business as a nurseryman ami farmer. In 
the faniih' were nine children : Williani, 



H.^XCOCK COUXTY. ILI.IXOIS. 



403 



of Carthage; Samuel, of Batavia, Iowa; 
Joseph, of Deadwood. South Dakota ; 
John, of Stronghurst, IHinois ; George, 
also living in Stronghurst ; Millard, whose 
home is in Fairfield, Iowa : Margaret, the 
wife of John Gathers, of Dallas ; Anthony 
P., and Glara, the wife of Xewton Byler, 
of Durham, Illinois. James, the second 
eldest child, was killed in the hattle of 
Vicksburg and William ser\'ed as a team- 
ster in the Givil war, 

Anthony P, Layton was educated in the 
district schools of Hancock county and 
worked with his father in the nurseiw 
business until he attained his majority. 
He afterwar<l became a partner in the 
enterprise and they are still associated in 
the ownership of the nursery, although 
the father has retired from active busi- 
ness life. Air. Layton of this review 
occupies si\ty-tV)ur acres of land on sec- 
tion 12, Dallas township, which is still 
owned by his father, and he also owns 
some unimproved lots in Dallas Gity. 
He sells trees, shrubbery, small fruit, 
plants, and makes a specialty of roses and 
his nursery Inisiness is the most extensive 
in the county. In earlier days they em- 
ployed salesmen to dispose of their stock 
but it has now become so well and fa- 
\'orably known that he now depends on 
the reputation of his product and a good 
catalog issued annualh' to sell his trees 
and shrubs. He is thoroughly con\er- 
sant w ith the best methods of carrying on 
this (work, having had practical expe- 
rience from his boyhood days to the pres- 
ent time, and the nursery stock which he 
shi])s is alwa)'s of the best quality, so that 
his goods command a ready sale on the 
market. In his business he is ver\- suc- 



cessful owing to his fine nursery stock and 
his capable management. 

In November, 1905, was celebrated the 
marriage of Mr. Layton and Miss Laura 
Coman, who was born in Keokuk, Iowa. 
Airs. La}ti.in is a member of the Presby- 
terian church and a most estimable lady, 
who has gained many warm friends dur- 
ing her residence in this county. Mr. 
La\-ton belongs to Knigths of Pythias 
fraternity and is also a member of Dallas 
City lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted 
Masons, No. 235, of Dallas, of which he 
served as master for three years and as 
representative to the grand lodge for three 
vears. Plis pc.ilitical allegiance is given 
to the democracy, but he has never sought 
or desired political office, as his business 
interests claim his time and attention, 
making him one of the prosperous and 
representative residents of his i)art of the 
covinty. The name i.if Layton has long 
been associated with the nursery business 
in this locality and has ever stood as a 
synonym for ci.>mmercial integrity and 
enterprise. 



JOHN CHARLES GOEHRING, 

In studying the lives and characters of 
l)rominent men we are naturally led to in- 
(|uire into the secret of their success and 
the motives that prompted their actions. 
When we trace the career of those whom 
the world acknowledges as successful and 
of those who stand highest in public es- 
teem -we find that in almost ever}" case they 
are those who have risen gradually by 



404 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



tlieir own efforts, their diligence and per- 
severance. These quahties are undoubt- 
edly based in a large measure by the gen- 
tleman whose name introduces this re- 
\iew, and added to these is a devotitju to 
])rinci])lc that nia\' well be termed the key- 
note of his character. It is this which 
commands the confidence and respect so 
uniforml\- gi\en him. and it was this that 
secured him tlie liberal patronage which 
was accorded him during the long period 
of his connection with commercial inter- 
ests in Warsaw. Xow he is living retired, 
enjo\ing a well earned rest. He was 
born in Saxony, dermany, March _', 1H36, 
and was educated in the public schools. 
In iSfi6 he came to .\merica, landing in 
New \'ork and after three weeks he went 
to Xew Jerse}' and thence to l^hilailelphia. 
The year 1868 witnessed his arri\:d in 
Warsaw, wdiere he has since lived. lie 
was for a time coiuiected with the 
wdolen mills as a wea\er. \\i irking tbei-e 
foi- about four _\ears. ;ind on the expiration 
of that period he began business on his 
own account as a dr\ goods merchant, 
conducting his store continuousl}' and suc- 
cessfully until ioo(), when he sold out. His 
business grew from a siuall beginning to 
an enterprise of large proportions, being 
.the most extensive store of its kind in 
\\'arsaw. His methods were such as 
would alwavs bear close in\'estigation and 
scrutin\-. He sought success along hon- 
orable lines, believing- that it would come 
to him if he was straiglitforward in his 
dealings, resolute in his piu-pose and en- 
ergetic in all that he undertook. 

On the 24th of July. iSjj. Mr. (ioch- 
ring was married to .Miss .Vm.alie Kol- 
;id/k\. a daughter of John and .Margaret 



( Sjjleict ) Koladzky. She was Ijorn in 
Holstein, (lermany, August 24, 1842, and 
came alone to Hancock county when 
twent\-oue years of age. Here, how- 
e\'er, she joined a sister and an uncle, who 
had pre\iousl\' crossed the .\tlantic. and 
since that time she has continuously lived 
in this i>art of the state. Unto Mr. and 
Mrs. Goehring were born six children 
but three ]i;i\c passed away — Marie, who 
(lied at the age of two ears: Henry., at 
the age of nine months : and .\manda 
when three \ears old. Those who still 
sur\-i\-e are: John: Emily, the wife of 
Dr. J. R. Blan, a practicing ])hysician 
at Eliza, Illinois: and Hannah, at home. 
In 1886 Mr. (loehring purchased a fine 
residence of Mr. Miller and now has one 
of the lie.autiful honies in Warsaw, which 
he occupies, in the enjo\nient of a well 
earned rest, surroundeil by many of the 
comforts and luxuries that go to mrd<e 
life wortli li\ing. He is a member of 
the Lutheran church and where nationrd 
issues are in\-ol\-ed he \otes w iiji tlie Re- 
publican jiartN' but otherwise casts an iu- 
de])endent ballot. Mr. (loehring has been 
a man of commanding infiuence in the 
communitx' and count}' and is widelx' 
known and honored. He is always on 
the right side of questions affecting moral 
aufl educational interests and is known as 
a man of sterling integrit}-. He has a 
wide ac(juaintance and his frieutls are 
numerous, having been gained by his 
jjcrsonal worth and his outspoken dex^o- 
tiou to the best interests of the commu- 
nit\-. In the summer of 1906 Mr. Goeh- 
ring made a \isit to his old Imme in Sax- 
onv, Genuany, where he renewed ac- 
quaintance with a few old friends. 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



405 



SMITH F. BRYAX. 

Smith F. Bryan, une of the representa- 
tive and prominent agriculturists of 
Hancock county, is a native of Mercer 
county, Pennsylvania, where his birth 
occurred November 17, 1832. He is 
a son of Jacob and Man- ( Eagle)- ) 
Bryan, the former a nati\e nf New Jer- 
sey, while the latter was born in Xew 
York. His paternal grandparents were 
William and ^Iar^• ( Suphon) Bryan, like- 
wise nati\es of Xew Jersey, while the 
maternal grandparents were Daniel and 
Elizabeth (Showerman) Bagley. During 
his residence in the Keystone state, the 
father. Jacob Bryan, followed the occu- 
pation of farming, and also engaged to 
some extent in shoemaking, doing work 
of this character for his own faniil}' and 
for his neighbors during his e\'enings 
after his work in the fields was done. 
Hoping t(.i enjo\- better business opportu- 
nities in the new and unimpni\ed regions 
of the west, Jacob Brvan renioxed with 
his family in 1840. to Illinois, traxeling 
by steamer down the Ohio and up the Mis- 
sissippi rivers to Warsaw, where they ar- 
rived May iJth of that year. They then 
continued their journey o\erland to La 
Harpe. where the}- took up their abode on 
land known as the Gettings farm, which 
was situated four miles north of the cit_\'. 
He rented that place for two years, and 
then having saved sufficient capital to jus- 
tif\' the purchase of land, he invested in a 
tract of two hundred acres, lying on sec- 
tion 3. La Hari)e township, and forty 
acres of timber land King on section 10. 
The tract of two hundred acres was all 
wild prairie, and Mr. Bryan at once set 



to work to clear the fields and further im- 
l)ro\e the place by the erection of ;i home 
and out buildings. The first house which 
the family ocupied was made of sod, in 
which they continued their residence for 
three years, when a more substantial 
frame house w-as erected. He continued 
the arduous task of developing and cnlti- 
\ating new land by his careful manage- 
ment and well directed energy he at length 
gathered good crops and was thus enabled 
form time to time to increase his landed 
possessions and further improxe his place. 
During this time. howe\er. the family 
endured man_\' hardships and pri\ations 
incident to life in a new and undeveloped 
region but as the years pas.sed by and 
other settlements were made they were 
enabled to enjoy more conveniences and 
comforts of life. Mr. Br\an purchased 
one hundred and sixty acres adjoining 
his original purchase, and also bought 
a tract of one hundred and sixt_\' acres 
in Henderson county, liesides purchasing 
other tracts of both impro\ed and timljer 
land from time to time. < )n the Jd of 
Xo\-ember. 1837. howe\er. he ])urchased 
a tract of twent\- acres located near La 
Har])e. for which he paid one hundred 
dollars per acre, and on which he took up 
his abode, his death there occurring March 
2('\ i88[. when he had reached the very 
\enerable ag'e i)f eighth-seven vears. for 
his birth had occurred .\ugust 13. 1 704. 
In the f;miily of Mr. and .Mrs. Jacob 
Bryan were born si.\ children, as follows: 
Rice B., born June 4. 1826. passed away 
in Kansas. Hannah, who was born Jul)' 
(), 1828, met her death in a runaway Oc- 
tober 22. 1830. Cowden 'SI.. l>orn June 
\f>. 1830. died December 9. 1884. Smith 



4o6 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IEU' 



¥., wliose name intrdiluces this recurd. is 
the next nf the family. Juhn 1"., horn 
January 3, 1^3*1. ilied .March 8. 18(34, 
wiiilc serving' liis countr}' in the Civil war, 
having- enlisted as a member of Compau}- 
G. One Hundred and Eighteenth Illinois 
Volunteers. Elizabeth B., born ]\Iarch 
22, 1839, became the wife of J. \\ . Cas- 
sing'ham. and her death occurred October 
21, [886. After the death of the father, 
the mother made her Ikjuic with her 
daughter, Mrs. Cassingham, until the hit- 
ter's death, when she went tu li\e with "uv 
subject, where she remained until her 
death, Feliruary 21, 1898, when she had 
reached the very ad\anced age iif ninety- 
three years, her liirtli having occurred 
March 26, 1805. 

Smith F. Bryan shared with the family 
in the hardships of life on the fnmtier 
and assisted his father in the arduous task 
of developing and cultivating his land. 
He began his education in the early sub- 
scription schools (if Pennsyl\-ania and 
after the remo\"al of the famil}- to this 
state continued his studies in the comnmn 
schools, but his advantages in this direc- 
tion were verv limited, owning to the un- 
settled condition of the country and the 
meager facilities that were offered along- 
educational lines. He has. however, in 
later life through reading" and investiga- 
tiiin beconie a well inforn-ied man. He 
continued under the parental roof until 
the time of his marriage, January 28, 
1859. at which time he was u-iarried tn 
Miss Delina Painter, whose birth occurred 
November 13. 1836. she being the fifth 
-white female child born in Hancock 
county. She is a daughter of Joseph T. 
and Phebe (Rea) Painter, the former 



born in Philadelphia, March 25, 1800, 
while the mother's birth occurred in Mer-. 
cer county, Pennsylvania, Xovemlier 2. 
1809. The paternal g-reat-great-grand- 
father of Mrs. Bryan came to the I'nited 
States on the Mayflower, and his son. 
Robert Painter, was one of the signers of 
the Declaration of Independence. Her 
paternal grandparents bore the names of 
William and Martha (Torton) Painter, 
nati\-es of the Keystone state, while her 
maternal grandparents were John and 
Anna (White) Rea, the latter a daughter 
of U'illiam and .Mary (Webster) Wdiite. 
The father of Mrs. Bryan, Joseph T. 
Painter, on leaving Pennsylvania removed 
to Missouri in 1816, making the journey 
on a flat boat down the Ohio river. In 
Januar}'. 1823, however, he returned to 
his native state, where he continued to re- 
side until June, 1836, at which time he 
made his way to Illinois, landing in Han- 
cock county, where the town of Pontoosuc 
is now located. He and his family then 
walked to La Harpe — a distance of twelve 
miles, where the father purchased one 
hundred and sixt_\- acres of land located 
on section 9, and a tract of eighty acres 
in timber on the same section. Here 
he hewed the lumber with which to erect 
a home for himself and family, and began 
the work of clearing and cultivating his 
land. This proved an arduous task but 
he ])(jssessed a resolute spirit and by the 
assistance of his estin-iable wife he soon 
had a well developed farm, on which he 
had ])laced many improvements. In 1838 
he built tl-ie first sawmill in Hancock 
count}-, and his brother-in-law, Henry 
Reynolds, built the first grist mill in this 
section of the countrv, both being run bv 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



407 



water power. This pioneer couple con- 
tinued to make their home in Hancock 
county throughout their remaining da_vs. 
the motlier passing awa}' August 29. 
1842, while the father survived for many 
}-ears, his death occurring Septemher 9, 
'1875. 

Following his marriage Smith h. 
Bryan removed to a farm near La Harpe, 
which he rented for several years, and 
then made purchase of the farm formerly 
owned by his father-in-law. Mr. Tainter. 
At the outbreak of the Civil war. how- 
e\er. Air. Bryan put aside all business and 
personal considerations, and enlisted as a 
member of Company G. One Hundred 
and Eighteenth Illinois Volunteer Infan- 
try, joining the company at Terre Haute. 
Illinois, on the 14th of August, 1862. 
They were assigned to duty with the 
Thirteenth Army Corps under General 
Mc. Clernard, General Osterhause acting 
as brigadier commander. Mr. Bryan 
participated in many of the important and 
hard-fought battles, including the siege 
of Vicksburg and Grand Gulf, the siege 
at Jackson, and many other places. Dur- 
ing his service he was injured in the left 
hip bv the explosion of a shell, after which 
he was sent to a hospital in Keokuk in 
April, 1865. He had many very narrow 
escapes while at the front. He received 
an honorable discharge June 5, 1865. after 
which he returned to his home, and re- 
sumed his farming operations, and has 
here continued to make his home to the 
present time, being now one of the valued 
factors in the agricultural life of Hancock 
county. Mrs. Bryan also had two broth- 
ers who served their country in the Civil 
war. Charles T., born February 18, 
26 



1 83 1, enlisted in the same company in 
which her husband did dut_\-. and he was 
promoted to the rank of first lieutenant. 
His death occurred in Terre Haute, May 
30. 1892. The other brother, Arion, who 
was born January 25, 1842, became a 
member of Company B, Twenty-eighth 
Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and died dur- 
ing the ser\ice, in the ]\Iarine Hospital 
at Cincinnati, April 26, 1862. 

Unto our subject and his wife were 
born five sons and three daughters, 
namely; Emma \'., who was born De- 
cember 6, 1859, and is now the wife of 
James T. Brown, a resident of La Harpe ; 
Ida Alay, wh<i was bom July 28. 1861, 
and died October 23, 1S65; Joseph P., 
who was born December 9, 1862, and 
died August 10, 1891 : John F., who was 
b(jrn July 25, 1865, and now resides in 
La Harpe township; William E., living 
on the home farm, born September 4, 
1867; James R., who was born Septem- 
ber 15, 1869, and is a resident of Belfast, 
Iowa; Mary A., born June 13, 1872, who 
is the widow of Elmer Spiker, and re- 
sides at \\'aterloo, Iowa; and Charles C 
who was born March 14. 1876. and is a 
barber residing at Terre Haute, Illinois. 

Politically Mr. Brv'an has always given 
stanch support to the Republican party 
and served as assessor of his township for 
one term. His religious faith is indicated 
by his membership in the Christian church 
at La Harpe. and his life is guided by 
high principles and good deeds. His 
militarv record is one of which he has 
e\'ery reason to be proud for during the 
service of his country he displayed un- 
faltering loyalty on the battle-fields of the 
south. As a pioneer of this portion of 



4o8 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEll' 



the state he lias seen many wonderful 
changes as the work of transfornialinn 
and development has been carried mi 
along' all lines of agricultural, industrial 
and commercial acti\ity, and in the ail- 
vancement (if the agricultural life of the 
county no man has taken a more acti\-e 
and helpful part than he whose name in- 
troduces this review. Having spent the 
greater pari (jf his life here he has a 
wide and favorable acquaintance and both 
he and his estimable wife enjoy the high 
esteem of all with whom they are brought 
in contact. 



D.WID ALLEN ROBLXSOX. 

David Allen Robinson, one of the \en- 
erable citizais of \\'ythe township, has 
passed the eightieth milestone on life's 
journev, his birth having ijccurred in 
jNIuskingum county, Ohio, on the 2d of 
April, 1826. His paternal grandfather. 
Lsrael Robinson, married a Miss Hedge, 
and their son Silas, father of our sub- 
ject, was born in Virginia, and wedded 
Piillv W'ariie. a native of Pennsylvania, 
and a daughter of Aljram and Sarah 
( I'ierce ) Warne. 

David Allen Robinson pursued his ed- 
ucation in the common schools of Oliin, 
ami when a yciung man of twenty-two 
}'ears left home in 184S, and with a com- 
rade traveled by stage to Colorado and 
thence on one of the old-time railroads 
to Cincinnati, Ohio, where they took 
passage on a steamer, the E. W. Ste- 
vens, that proceeded down the Ohio and 



Mississippi rivers to St. Louis. At St. 
Louis they boarded the Edward Bates, 
which was blown up a short time after- 
ward. L'pon the latter vessel they pro- 
ceeded to Warsaw, Illinois, and Mr. Rob- 
inson soon secured employment as a book 
agent. After a month or two, however, 
he began chopping wood and continued at 
that work during the winter for about five 
\ears, while in the summer seasons he 
engaged in breaking prairie. Thus he 
made his start upon the frontier. Sub- 
seipiently he worked as a farm hand un- 
til he and his brother Barzillai were able 
to purchase one hundreil and si.xty acres 
of land, constituting the northeast quar- 
ter of section 8. \\'ythe township. This 
was a tract of wild prairie, i>n which not 
a furrow had been turned nor an improve- 
ment made. They built a rail fence and 
broke the land and also erected thereon a 
frame house. When arrangements had 
been thus far completed for the develop- 
ment of their home they were joined by 
their father, mother and another brother, 
Abram Robinson, who came from Ohio. 
Soon after the marriage of David .\. 
Robinson the land was divided among the 
members of the family, his tract compris- 
ing four hundred and eighty acres in all. 
The first one hundred and sixty acres 
which had been purchased fell to the 
share of his brother Barzillai. while Mr. 
Robinson took as his share one hundred 
and sixty acres just south. The third 
brother, Abram, secured the southwest 
quarter of the same section, and thus the 
three brothers continued to reside in the 
same neighborhood antl were prominent 
and active forces in the development of 
this part of the county. Upon the land 



HANCOCK COCXTV. ILLIXO/S. 



409 



which David A. Robinson secured there 
was an old house, while forty acres had 
been broken, but there were no fences. 
He at once began fencing the place and 
he broke the remainder of the land. He 
also made additions and improvements 
to the house from time to time and as the 
3'ears passed transformed his property 
into a valuable and well improved farm, 
bringing the fields under a high state of 
cultivation and adding many modern im- 
provements. 

On the 8th of Januar>-. 1856. Mr. 
Robinson won as a companion and helji- 
mate for life's journey Miss Laura D. 
Chandler, who was born in Muskingum 
count)', Ohio, a daughter of Samuel and 
Lorinda (Bliss) Chandler, who came to 
Hancock county by canal through Ohio, 
and thence by the Ohio and Mississippi 
rivers to Warsaw. They settled in \\'il- 
cox township among its earliest residents 
and shared in the hardships and pri\a- 
tions of pioneer life while assisting in the 
work of establishing a home upon the 
frontier. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. 
Robinson was blessed with seven chil- 
dren: Nira. at home: Harriet, who is 
the widow of Fred Wood and resides 
with her parents: Grace, the wife ni Ed- 
ward Albers. of ^^'arsaw : Florence, at 
home: Laura, the wife of C. .\. ]\[cFet- 
ters. of Bolton, Missouri; Chandler, wh<i 
is living" in southern Minnesota: and Al- 
len, who deals in horses and mules at 
Hamilton. 

Subserjuent to his marriage Mr. Rob- 
inson added eighty acres to his place and 
later purchased one hundred and twenty 
acres more in this cijunty. fie alsd lie- 
came the owner of fnur hundred and 



forty acres in Gentry county, Missouri, 
and two hundred and forty acres in Sher- 
man county, Nebraska, thus making ju- 
dicious and extensive investments in real 
estate as his financial resources have per- 
mitted. He has also carried on general 
farming and stock-raising. At two dif- 
ferent times he has li\ed in \\'arsaw for 
two years each time. l)ut has remained 
for the most part ujion his farm, and has 
transformed it into nne of the best im- 
proved farm properties in the county. In 
1885 he erected a fine residence, contain- 
ing ten rooms, and he has planted all of 
the shade and fruit trees upon the place, 
having an orchard of three .acres. He 
also has a large barn eighty by fortv 
feet, with twenty-four-foot posts, afford- 
ing ample shelter for grain anfl stock. 
In 1887 he sank an artesian well to the 
depth of eight hundred and twenty-six 
feet. \\'hen the drilling was completed 
it spouted twenty feet in the air, but the 
stream has been gradually receding un- 
til now it is eighteen feet below the sur- 
face. He has the water piped about a 
half mile for the benefit of the stock upon 
his place. All of the improvements are 
in keeping with ideas of progress along 
agricultural lines and his extensive hold- 
ings are the visible ex'idence of a life of 
enterprise and thrift. Now in the even- 
ing of his days he has a fine property, 
from which he derives a good income, 
supplying him with all of the comforts 
and many of the luxuries of life — a fitting 
reward for his earnest and indefatigable 
toil in former years. In his political 
views he is a republican and in religious 
faith a Presbyterian. He has e\er li\ed 
so as to command the respect and good 



410 



BIOGRAPHICAL RE]-IFAV 



will uf his fellownieii, his life exemplif}'- 
iiig- must honorable principles. 



PHILLIP DALLAM. 

I'hillip Dallam, editor and proprietor of 
the Warsaw Btilletin, was born in St. 
Louis, May 22, 1853. His father, Fran- 
cis A. Dallam, was a native of Butler, 
Kentucky, born in November, 1824. His 
education was acquired in St. Louis, 
where he went when a young boy, and 
when still but a lad he became connected 
with newspaper work and subsequently 
was owner and editor of various 
journals at Potosi, Missojin-i, Ouincy, 
Illinois, Oquawka, Illinois, and finally 
at Warsaw, Illinois. \i the time of 
the Civil war he took the first com- 
pany from Henderson county, Illinois, 
this being known as Company E of the 
Tenth Illinois Infantry, and after serving 
for some time as captain he was promoted 
to the rank of major, and still later to ad- 
jutant general on the staff of Cieneral L. 
I'". Ross. After about eighteen months' 
active service he was forced to leave the 
army on account of ill health and went to 
Nevada and California to recuperate. 
While in Nevada he was on the editorial 
staff of the Virginia City Enterprise, and 
during that time he served as a member 
of the constitutional convention, which 
made Nevada a state. He continued his 
residence in the west for about two and a 
half vears, after which he returned to 
Of|ua\vka, Illinois. He was fond of 



change, howe\er, and lived at various 
places, coming in May, 1867, to Warsaw, 
where he died in March, 186S. He mar- 
ried Miss Anna M. McKee, whose parents 
were early residents of St. Louis. In their 
family were nine children : Frank M., 
now of Loomis, Washington; William 
• H., deceased; Philip; Guy M. and Thomas 
A., who have passed away; Nellie B., the 
deceased wife of Truman Plantz, who is 
attorney general of the Modern Woodmen 
of America, and is represented elsewhere 
in this volume; Richard, who is in the 
printing business in St. Louis; Anna, the 
wife of John P. Hill, of Minnesota; and 
John E., who is an Episcopal clergyman 
and is now chaplain in the regular army, 
ha\-ing resigned his charge in Minnesota 
and enlisted for service in the Philippines. 
The mother still survi\es and makes her 
home with her daughter, Mrs. Hill, of 
Minnesota. 

Philip Dallam largely acquired his edu- 
cation in the public schools of Oquawka, 
(}uinc\' and Warsaw, becoming a resident 
of the last named place when a youth of 
fnnrteen \ears. Soon afterward he took 
up the newspaper work, entering the office 
of the ^^'arsa^\• Bulletin on the ist of Jan- 
uarv, t86S. He has since been continu- 
otisly connected with this paper save for 
the period of his service in the Spanish- 
American war. when he served as pay- 
master under appointment of President 
McKinley for nearly a year. The Bulle- 
tin, formerly the Record, was established 
in August, 1865, by Henry Lick, who 
conducted it until May, 1867, with two 
partners, Messrs. Blyth and Schiffger. In 
1867 F. A. Dallam became proprietor and 
conducted the paper for ten months, and 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



411 



he was succeeded by his son, Frank M. 
Dallam, who took charge in March, 1868, 
and remained as editor and proprietor un- 
til May I, 1875, when he was succeeded 
by his brother, Philip Dallam, who is the 
oldest editor in consecutive service in the 
county, ha\'ing- pul)lished the Bulletin as 
proprietor for thirty-one years, while his 
connection therewith covers a period of 
almost thirty-nine years. In 1891 he 
erected the present building in which the 
paper is published and enlarged the plant. 
The paper today has a much greater cir- 
culation than it had when Mr. Dallam 
took charge, and is graduall}' increasing. 

Mr. Dallam has ne\er aspired to polit- 
ical honors. He has been a member of 
the librar\- board for more than twenty 
years and has been president of the Young 
Men's Homestead and Loan Association 
since its organization in 1883. 

On the 17th of March, 1880. F'hilip 
Dallam was married to Miss Eugenia A. 
Hunt, a daughter of Milton T. and Helen 
M. (Baldwin) Hunt. Their family has 
numbered six children : Philip H., now 
in the state auditor's office at Springfield, 
Illinnis : Edith E., who is a graduate of 
the \ew Englanfl Musical College, at 
Boston, and also of Olierlin College, of 
Ohio, and is now a teacher of music in 
Howard College, Gallatin, Tennessee ; 
Clara H., a teacher in the public schools 
of Warsaw; Milton H., who died at the 
age of five months : Anna Therese. a stu- 
dent in the public schools of ^^''arsaw: and 
Frances Paca, who died October 20. 1900. 
at the age of six years. The mother jiassed 
away on the 25th of April of tb.e succeed- 
ing _\ear at the age of forty-two. com- 
parativelv a young woman. 



LINUS CRUISE. 

Linus Cruise, attomey-at-law of the 
Carthage bar, was born in Connersville, 
Indiana, April 5, 1859, a son of John 
and Margaret ( Moore) Cruise. The fa- 
ther was born in Pennsylvania in 1826, 
while the mother's birth occurred in 
Morgan county, Ohio, in 1825. He re- 
uKned from the Keystone state to Ohio 
and afterward to Connersville, Indiana, 
where he engaged in merchandising un- 
til the outbreak of the Civil war. In 1S61 
he enlisted in response to the country's 
call for troops as a member of an Indiana 
regiment and participated in several bat- 
tles. At the battle of Chickamauga he 
lost his life and was buried upon the field, 
there being about thirteen thousand 
L'nion men killed in that engagement. It 
was the day the Union line was extended 
and the rebels took advantage of the 
same. In his political views Mr. Cruise 
was a democrat but without aspiration 
for office. His wife survived him for 
many years, passing away on the 13th of 
February, 1899. In 1865 she removed 
with her seven children to Adams coun- 
t}-, Illinois, where she located upon a 
farm, there residing until her children 
reached adult age, while later she took up 
her abode in Hancock county, settling- 
near r.urnside. The following is the 
record of the family: R. B. is living 
in Bumside. Isabella became the wife 
of John J. Walker, who died some years 
prior to the tleath of his wife, who jiassed 
away in 1881, leaving one child, Ella, 
who is now the wife of Frank Wilkes, a 
resident of .'Vdams count\", Illinois. ]Mr. 
and Mrs. Wilkes have four children, Aler- 



4T2 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAlFAl' 



liii. Wesley, Maude and Olive. George 
W. Cruise, the third member of the fam- 
ily, now living in Dallas. Texas, mar- 
ried Francis Lanier, who is deceased. In 
their family were nine children: Elsie, 
who is married and has two children : 
Alva. Eddie. Estey (deceased), Claude. 
F'almer. Ruth, h'rancis and Sidney. Fan- 
nie Cruise is acting as housekeeper for 
her two brothers at Burnside, Illinois. 
John is living in Burnside. Linus is the 
ne.xt of the family. Margaret is the wife 
of F. M. Hammerick, nf Burnside, and 
has two sons, Harold and Aubrey, aged 
respectively twelve and six years. 

Mr. Cruise of this review was educated 
in the district schools of Adams county, 
in the Camp Point high school and in 
the State Xormal L'niversity at Normal, 
Illinois. He pursued his law course in 
Drake University at Des Moines, Iowa, 
from which he was graduated in 1897. 
In the fall of that same year he opened 
a law office in Carthage and is a gen- 
eral practitioner in this city and county. 
From the beginning he has enjoyed a 
g-ood clientage and his business has con- 
.stantly increased along .safe and gratify- 
ing lines and he has in more recent years 
been connected with much of the im- 
portant litigation tried in the cnurts nf 
his district and is regarded as a safe coun- 
selor and strong advocate. 

In 1890 Mr. Cruise was married tn 
Miss Anna H. Gentry, who was born in 
Bloomington, Monroe county, Indiana, 
January 26. 1863. a daughter of John T. 
and Harriet J. (Shreves) Gentry. Her 
mother \fas bom in Indiana and her fa- 
ther was a native (if North Carolina. 
Mr. Gentrv was a farmer by occupation 



and when Mrs. Cruise was two months 
(jf age he removed to Pilot Grove town- 
ship. Illinois, where he carried on gen- 
eral agricultural pursuits. His political 
allegiance was given to the Republican 
party, of which he was a stanch advocate. 
He died Januar}" 14, 1873, while his wile 
passed away January 9, 1903, the for- 
mer lieing laid to rest in Pilot Grove 
cemetery and the latter in Ross Ridge 
cemetery in Carthage. They were mem- 
bers of the Baptist church and were peo- 
i)le of the highest respectability. In tlieir 
familv were six children. William R. 
Crentry. the eldest, died in Hancock coun- 
t\', Illinois, in 1881. lea\-ing a widow, 
who in her maidenhood was ]\Ialinda J. 
."^cott, and two children, A\'illiam M. and 
Lillian. The former married Grace Dag- 
gert, resides in Denver, Colorado, and 
has one child, Vivian Mildred, now five 
\ears of age. Joshua N. Gentry, now- 
residing near McMinnville, Oregon, mar- 
ried Miss Mary A. Brechtel, who died 
in Norton. Kansas, in 1902, leaving two 
children, Orin C. wh(j married Miss 
Helen Burnett, of Norton, Kansas; and 
Mabel, the wife of August Ford, resid- 
ing at ]\IcMinnville. Oregon. ^lary died 
in infancy. John M. Gentry, the third 
member of the family, now living at Hy- 
annis, Nebraska, married Miss Fannie 
Monnahan and has three children : Car- 
\'er. aged fifteen : John, who died in in- 
fancv : and Ravm<ind. aged six years. 
Mrs. Cruise is the next of the family. 
Fannie J. Gentiw became the wife of 
Thomas J. McFarland and the}' reside in 
Carthage. 

Mrs. Cruise began her education in the 
district schools of Pilot Grove townshii) 



HAXCOCK COUXTV. ILLIXOIS. 



413 



and was graduated fnnn the State ^C<ir- 
mal School at Terre Haute, Indiana, in 
the class of 1884. She successfully 
taught school for several years in Han- 
cock county. By her marriage she has 
become the mother of one son, Orville 
Gentry Cruise, who was born December 
17, 1890, in Pilot Grove township and 
died January 17, 1891. Mr. and Mrs. 
Cruise are devoted members of the Chris- 
tian church, in which he has senxd as 
deacon and for two years has been one 
of its elders. His wife belongs to the 
Society of Willing W'urkers and the 
Missionary Society, while Mr. Cruise has 
been assistant superintendent of the Sun- 
day-school. They both take ;i \-ery ac- 
tive and helpful part in the wi irk nf the 
church and Sunday-school and their la- 
bors have been effective and far-reach- 
ing. Mrs. Cruise read law at home with 
her husband while- he was pursuing his 
law course in Des Moines and is an able 
assistant to him in his profession. The}" 
reside on Madison street, north of the 
public square, where Mr. Cruise pur- 
cliased a home several years ago. In a 
profession where advancement depends 
entirely upon individual merit he has 
worked his way steadily upward and to- 
day occupies a prominent position in pro- 
fessional circles in Carthage. In his po- 
litical views he is a democrat, but has 
never been an aspirant for office, serx'ing 
on the school board for several years 
but in no other official positions. He has 
preferred to give his undivided time and 
attention to his practice and his devotion 
to his clients' interests is proverbial. He 
has a comprehensive knowledge of law. 
is correct in its adaptation and in the trial 



of a case shows great strength by reason 
of his earnest study, his analytical mind 
and his logical deductions. 



HENRY G. LINXENBURGER. 

Henry G. Linnenburger possesses much 
mechanical genius and is one of the en- 
terprising agriculturists of \\'alker town- 
ship, where he now has a splendidly im- 
proved property, bis farm with all of its 
fine ef|uii)ments being the visible evidence 
of his life of thrift, enterprise and capabil- 
itv, and' he justly merits the success that 
he has achieA'ed and is well worthy of the 
esteem ;md admiration which are tendered 
him 1i\- his friends and neighl)ors for what 
lie has accomplished. Mr. Linnenl^urger 
is a nati\'e of Walker township, having 
been born here in 1862. His parents. 
Charles and Mary ( Susick) Linnenbur- 
ger, \\ere natives of Gemiany. born in the 
vear 1829. They came to America in 
earlv life, crossing the Atlantic on one of 
the old-time sailing vessels, which re- 
quired weeks to make a voyage that is 
now accomplished in about the same num- 
ber of days, making their way to Han- 
cock county, settling in Walker township. 
Vfter several years' residence here upon 
a farm he was married. He has since de- 
^■oted his attention to the general agricul- 
tural pursuits in this part of the county, 
and both he and his wife are yet living in 
Walker township. His political support 
is given to the Republican party, but he 
has never been an office seeker. In the 



414 



BIOGRAPHICA L RE I IE 1 1 ' 



t'amil}- arc six children : Minnie, who be- 
came the wife of Henry Altheide, antl 
died in 1888 ; Henry, of this review ; 
EHzabeth, the wife of Gotheb Haner, hv- 
ing in Walker township ; Mary, the widow 
of Joseph Altheide, also a resident of 
Walker township: Matilda, the wife of 
William Wallhrink, of Wythe township: 
and Annie, the wife of Edward Wall- 
hrink, of Fviicky Run township. 

Henrv Linnenliur£;er had somewhat 
limited educati<inal privileges, altliDUgh 
he attende<l school to some extent in 
Ivick\- Run township. He engaged in 
farming ■ m his own account to some ex- 
tent before he attained his majority, hav- 
irg been reared to the occupation and 
trained to habits of industry, economy and 
l^erseverance. In 1883 he was united in 
marriage to Miss Anna Eliza Whitledge, 
who was born in Kentucky in 1862, a 
daughter of Overall K. and Frances 
(Wheeler) Whitledge, also natives of the 
Blue Grass state. The father died during 
the early girlhood of his daugliter, Mrs. 
Einneriburger, and the mother afterward 
came to Hancock count)- in ^SJ2. settling 
in Walker township. .\t a later date, 
however, she returneil lo Kcntuck\ , where 
she now resides. She was the mother ot 
five children but only twci are now living, 
Robert Whitledge. of Warsaw, and Mrs. 
Linnenburger. 

T-'or a vear after his marriage ^Ir. l.in- 
nenljurger resided in Rocky Run township, 
'and then purchased one hundred and thir- 
tv-five acres of land, of which sixty acres 
is on section 6, and seventy-five acres on 
section 7, Walker township. Tn 1885 he 
erected here a cottage and he has made .all 
of the other substantial im]irovements 



upon the place. He has forty acres of tim- 
ber land on section 27, Walker township, 
in addition to his home properly and he 
is regarded as a successful farmer and 
stock-raiser. He possesses much more 
than ordinary mechanical ingenuit_\ . In 
fact, his ability is such as may well entitle 
him to be called a genius. His large, mod- 
ern granary, tool house, blacksmith shop 
and summer house are substantial anil at- 
tractive Imildings which are an ornament 
to his farm and a monument to his own 
lalxir. for he built them all with his own 
hands. Beside thoroug'h understanding 
of the carpenter's trade he is ec[ually pro- 
ficient as a blacksmith and does all of his 
own horse shoeing and other blacksmith- 
ing work. He also has one or two pri- 
vate telephone lines, putting in his own 
switchlioard and doing all of this work 
himself. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Unnenburgtr 
have been born three children : Eelia, the 
wife of Charles Ewing, of \\'alker town- 
ship, by whom she has one .son, Truman : 
Charles, who was bom in 1888, and is at 
home: and Winnard. tweh'e vears of age. 
aNo at honif. .Mr. and Mrs. Linnenburger 
luue also reared an adopted son, John 
Homer, who married Lina Hastings, liy 
whom he has one child. John Henry. He 
;in(l his family now reside in Walker 
township. Mr. and Mrs. I,innenlnu-ger 
also recei\ed into their home in 1906 a 
little girl. Ethel Cli.mer. ten years of age. 
11nis out of the kindness of their hearts 
the\ lia\e given homes to two children, a 
fact for which they deserve much credit. 
'IIkw are Ijotb memlsers of the Christian 
cluu'ch, and those who know them and 
know aught of their kindly purposes and 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



415 



their many good deeds as well as their 
fidehty to high principles, know them to 
be most consistent Christian people. Air. 
Linnenburger is also a member of the 
Modem Woodmen of America at War- 
saw and for six years he has served as 
a school director. His political allegiance 
is given to the Republican paity. It is 
rarelv that one finds a more chivalrous 
man. and it is needless to say that his is a 
happ\- honie. With few advantages in 
his youth and with little material assist- 
ance during his business life he has stead- 
il\' worked his way upward and is today 
cine of the substantial farmers of the 
county with a splendid property as proof 
of his well directed laliors and capable 
management. 



GEORC7E C. L.aCROIX. 

George C. LaCroix is a representative 
farmer of Appanoose, his native township. 
He was born on section 32. his natal day 
being September 20, 1848. His parents 
were Andrew and Chloe Ann (Osborn) 
LaCroix, the former a native of France, 
and the latter of Bainbridge, Ohio. By 
a former marriage to a Mr. Henry, Mrs. 
LaCroix had two daughters : Josephine, 
now deceased: and Adelaide, the wife of 
Leonard Hobbs. of Xauvoo. In 1844. 
Andrew LaCroix came to Nauvoo. He 
had one son by his first marriage. Isaac 
LaCroix. who died in the army in 1864. 
He was married a second time in Rush- 
ville. Schuvler countv. Illinois. Fi^llow- 



ing his arrival in Xauxi.io he purchaseil 
seventy-six acres on section 32. Appa- 
noose township, and later his wife bought 
ten acres adjoining. . He began building 
a house but had only completed it to the 
first story, when, in 1850. he started for 
California, traveling across the plains 
with teams. He spent two years on the 
Pacific coast and then returned by way 
of the isthmus route to New Orleans. 
In that city he contracted a cold which 
caused his death April 31, 1853. He 
brought back with him twenty-two hun- 
dred dollars as the result of his two years' 
labor in the Golden state. His wife sur- 
vived him fc:)r more than two decades antl 
passed aw a}' July 31, 1875. 

George C. LaCroix was the younger 
of two sons, his brother being James La- 
Croix. of Los Angeles, California. 
George C. LaCroix remained with his 
mother on the old homestead until her 
death and then bought the interest of the 
other heirs in the property, to which he 
has since added sixty-si.x acres all on 
sectii;>n t,2. Appanoose township. He 
now has one hundred and ten acres in 
the home place and forty acres on the 
northeast corner of the same section, to- 
gether with ten acres of timber on section 
22. Appanoose townshii). .\ house, a 
storv and a half construction of eight 
rooms, was built by his father, and to 
this Mr. LaCroix has made additions, 
con\erting it into a good modern home. 
He carries on general farming and stock- 
raising and is careful in the management 
of his business interests, which are re- 
sulting profitably to him. His farm is 
an old historic place in Hancock county, 
for the battle" with the Mormons took 



4i6 



BIOGRAPHICAL RErfFJI' 



place riglit in front of his house and 
the father witnessed the engagement fnnn 
the housetop. 

On the 2;,d of March, 1S71. .Mr. La- 
Croix was married In Aliss Carohne Rent- 
schler. a native of Xauvuo. and a daugh- 
ter of John M. and Annie ( Snearlery ) 
Rentscliler. natives (if Wurtemlierg. ("rer- 
manv. In their famil}- were four chil- 
dren, wild are yet living, while the family 
recortl is as follows: Christ, a resilient 
of California; John, wlm died in Cnln- 
rado, in Septemher. 1X1)5. leaving a wife 
and five children: (ieorge. wlm died 
!vlarch 30. 1903, in Corning. Arkansas: 
Fred, of Denver, Colorailn. who is mar- 
ried and has two children; Mrs. LaCroix ; 
and Anne and Sii])hia. twins. The former 
is the wife nf William W'ehber. and tlie 
latter is the widnw of Ceorge Bressler. uf 
Breckenridge, Colorado. 

The home of Mr. and Mrs. LaCmix 
was blessed with three sons and three 
daughters. Chloe Adelaide, bom Octo- 
ber 5. 1872. was married December 23. 
1905, to Charles Smith, of Cripple Creek, 
Colorado. Harry A., born September 
10, 1874, married Grace McCullom in 
December, 1905. Minnie E.. who was 
born December 14. 1876. was married 
February 11, 1902, to Ed Ainsworth. nf 
Ma.son City. Illinois. Fred C, born ■May 
8, 1S82. resides in Cripple Creek. Colo- 
rado. Jesse Raymond, born August 17. 
1887, and Mildred Helen, December 23, 
1892. are at home. 

IMr. LaCroix exercises his right of fran- 
chise in support of the men and measures 
of the democracy, and in his frateral re-, 
lations he is a Mason, who exemplifies in 
his life the beneficent spirit of the craft. 



which is based upon mutual helpfulness 
and brotherly kindness. He has always 
lived upon the old homestead and the les- 
sons of industry and integrit}' which he 
learned in his youth have Ijeen carefully 
followed and have made him a prosperous 
and honored business man antl farmer of 
Appanoose township. 



KOfSERT L. CARLTON. 

Ixnberl L. Carlton, proprietor of a re- 
taurant in Carthage, his business making 
him a foremost representative of this line 
of commercial activity, was born in Car- 
thage. September 9, 1868. his parents be- 
ing Ceorge W. and Nancy (Boyles) 
Carlton, natives of ^Maryland and Penn- 
s^'lvania respectively. The father was a 
farmer Iw occupation and removed from 
Tventuckv to Woodville. Illinois, in the 
\ear 1840. There he followed farming 
for a number of years and in 1831 came 
to Carthage. Hancock county. Soon aft- 
erward he settled upon a farm near the 
citv. on which he made maany substantial 
im]iro\-ements. but this farm has now been 
cut up into town lots. He died in the 
vear 1896 and his wife survived until 
February, 1905. both being buried in Moss 
Ridge cemeten'. Her brother, Archibald 
Bovles. served throughout the Civil \\'ar 
with the Union army and was with Sher- 
man on the celebrated march to the sea 
and also participated in the grand review 
in \\''ashington. D. C. Unto George Carl- 
ton bv his first wife there were born five 



HAXCOCK COrXTV. ILLIXOfS. 



417 



cliildren. four of wiiom are li\ing : A. I., 
a resident of Carthage; Susan, the wife 
of Jolm T. Davis: O. P., : and [Marietta, 
the wife of Thomas W. Da\is. All are 
living in Carthage. Mr. Carlton's second 
wife was the mother uf our subjeC: and 
in their family v.ere ten children, of whom 
eight are living: George E., who resides 
in the state of Washington : Edward, of 
Galesburg, Illinois; Eliza, the wife of J. 
II. ]\TcOuary. of Monett: Missouri: Alice, 
the wife of Richard AlcCrellias. of Car- 
thage. Illinois: William H., of Monett. 
Missouri : Robert L. : ]\Iiner\a E.. the 
wife of Charles A. Starke_\- : and Richard 
B. Carlton, whose home is in Keokuk, 
Iowa. One son of the famil}-. O. P. Carl- 
ton. ser\-ed during the latter part of the 
Civil war. 

Robert L. Carlton at the usual age en- 
tered the puljlic schoDJs and therein con- 
tinued his studies u'ltil he was well 
equipped for life's practical and responsi- 
ble duties. He resided upon his father's 
farm until twentv vears of age. when 
he was married. It was in [March. t8S8. 
that he wedded ]\Iiss Ella Smith, a native 
i)f tliis county and a daugliter of John 
Smith, who was a carpenter bv trade but 
has been dead for many years. Her moth- 
er has also passed away and both were 
buried in Oak Grove cemeterv. Their 
seven living children are : Henry, a resi- 
dent of Oklahoma : Svlvester. who is liv- 
ing in Carthage: .\. B.. residing in this 
city : Erhvard. of Oklahoma : Homer, of 
Missouri : [Mrs. Carlton : and Emma, the 
wife of Harvey Ellington, of Keokuk. 
Iowa. 

Edllowing his marriage Mr. Carlton 
li\'ed for nine vears on one of his father's 



farms, where he engaged in general agri- 
cultural pursuits and stock-raising and his 
business activity and careful management 
constitute the basis of a very gratifying 
success. In 1898 he was called upon to 
mourn the loss of his wife, who died on 
the 3th of January of that year and was 
laid to rest in Moss Ridge cemetery. She 
was a devoted member of the Christian 
church, was a kind friend, a good neigh- 
l)(ir and a dexoted ;uid lo\-ing wife and 
mother. She left two children. Hazel E. 
and Claude, aged respecti\'eh' fourteen 
and ele\'en }ears and now students in the 
public schools. In Feljmary, 1900, Mr. 
Carlton was married to Miss Alda J. Mos- 
le}-. who was b(Trn in Hancock township 
and is a daughter of Samuel and Mar- 
garet (Gibson) Mosley. The father is a 
farmer of Hancock countv and is an advo- 
cate of the democrac\'. In the famih' are 
seven living children : Arthur, who 
makes his h()me in this countv : Tavlor. 
Luther, both of Carthage: Mrs. Alda 
Carlton: Ida. the wife of Homer Nelsrm. 
of Fountain Green. Illinois; Lawrence, 
who is with his father in Hancock town- 
ship : and Dena. at home with her parents. 
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Carlton 
has been blessed with four children : Edith, 
five years of age : Kenneth and Ruth, aged 
respecti\-ely four and two vears : and Leah 
less than a year old. Since 1900 Mr. Carl- 
ton has been engaged in the restaurant 
business on [Main street and has a larger 
patronage than any other merchant in this 
line in the city. He ser^'es regular meals 
and lunches, ice cream and soda water 
and his establishment is a favorite resort 
with those who have patronage to bestow. 
His close application to his business and 



4U 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



liis earnest desire to please his patrons 
have been strong elements in his growing 
trade. He votes with the democracy and 
fraternally is connected with the Knights 
of Pythias and with the Modern Wood- 
men. His wife is a sincere member of 
the Christian chnrch. The}' occupy his 
father's old home place, which he pur- 
chased and which is situated on Wabash 
avenue. Mr. Carltnn is a jovial, pleasant 
gentleman of good ])rincip]es. affable in 
manner and friendly in disposition and 
both he and his wife are jiojiular in the 
conlmunit^■. 



JOHN E. COCHRAN. 

John E. Cochran, a highly respected 
farmer of Wythe township, is numbered 
among the residents that Pennsylvania 
has furnished to Hancock county. He 
was born in Westmoreland county, of tlie 
Keystone state. September 9. 1841, a son 
of James and Xancy (Elder) Cochran, 
who were also born in that count}'. His 
paternal grandfather. John Cochran, was 
a nati\'e of Fayette county. Pennsylva- 
nia, while the maternal grandparents. 
J(.ihn and Sarah ( Rose) Elder, were na- , 
tives of Pennsylvania. l)nt were of Eng- 
lish lineage, the family having been es- 
taljlished in Pennsylvania at an early 
(lav. James Cochran, father of our snl)- 
jcct, followed the occupation of farming 
and conducted salt works in Penns}l\'a- 
nia for many years, but at length, attract- 
ed bv the opportunities of the new and 



growing west, he came to Hancock coun- 
ty, arriving in Bear Creek township, on 
the 14th of November, 1862. There he 
lived for eighteen years and became the 
owner of a valuable fann of three hun- 
dred and twenty acres of prairie and tim- 
l)er land. It was unimproved when it 
came into his possession, but he placed it 
under a high state of cultivation, devel- 
oping an excellent farm property. As 
his son. John E. C<ichran, was the eldest 
of the faniil}-. much of the work devolved 
u])on him. In 1870 the parents removed 
to \\'\'the township, wliere they purchased 
one hundred and forty acres of land on 
section 16. and thererm niatle their home 
until called to their final rest. The fa- 
tJier died on the 14th of August. 1895. 
while his wife surx'ived until the 2d of 
Noveml>er. 1900. They were most high- 
Iv esteemed ])eople .and during the long 
}'ears of their residence in tliis count}' 
wiin the friendship and high regard of 
man}' with wJioni the}' were brought in 
contact. In their family were five sons 
and two daugliters. 

John Ti. Cochran, the eldest, spent his 
}'outli in Penns}lvania and acquired a dis- 
trict school education there. He was a 
\'oung nian of about twenty-one years at 
the time of the renio\'al of the family to 
Illinois, and he did much of the arduous 
work coimected with the de\'elopment of 
a new farni. turning the first furrows on 
niany an acre. At length he began farm- 
ing on his own account and e\'entuall}' 
he traded a sixt}'-acre farm as partial 
])a\'ment for a tract of two hundred and 
fortv acres. He li\ed upon the latter 
place until i88j, when he came to Wythe 
township and bought one hundred and 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



419 



sixty acres on section 22. tlie pin'chase 
price being nine thousand dollars, lie 
sold his first place in 1887 for seven thou- 
sand dollars, and in the spring of 1906 it 
was sold for nineteen thousand. On re- 
mo\'ing to his present property Mr. Coch- 
ran at once began its further cultivation 
and de\'elopment. He had dug a forty- 
foot well, which is the finest in the town- 
ship. He now has twenty feet of water 
in the well and has erected in connection 
therewith a windmill. He has also built 
a two-story frame residence of eight 
rooms with cellar of cement sides and 
floor. He has also installed an acetylene 
gas lighting plant and altogether has one 
of the most modern and attractive homes 
of this part of the county. He has like- 
wise built a large bam forty by sixty 
feet with twenty-four-foot posts, and it 
has capacity for two thousand bushels of 
com. He has a nice house, carriage sheds 
and various other buildings upon his 
farm, and altogether it is a model prop- 
erty, lacking in none of the equipments 
and accessories known to the best farms 
of the twentieth century. There is a fine 
apple orchard and everything about the 
place indicates the careful supervision of 
the owner through its neat and thriftv 
appearance. 

On the 7th of March, 1867, Mr. Coch- 
ran was married to Miss Rachel Moore, 
who was born about a mile and a half 
north of Basco in Bear Creek township. 
Her parents, Andrew and Abigail 
(Tweed) Moore, were natives of Dela- 
ware, and in 1835 became residents of 
Bear Creek township, where the father 
purchased and improved one hundred and 
sixtv acres of land. Mr. and Mrs. Coch- 



ran ha\x' beciime the parents of seven chil- 
dren, but onh' one is now living, Newton 
M.. I if \\")'the township, who was born in 
Bear Creek township, August 4, 1868. 
The others — Elmer, Hany, Annie. Nan- 
nie, Jessie and Charles — all died in in- 
fancy. Mr. Cochran is a republican in his 
political allegiance and his religious faith 
is indicated by his membership in the 
Presbyterian church. He has always 
been deeply interested in the subject of 
agriculture and in anything pertaining 
to progress along that line and has not 
only been a follower but a leader in the 
work of general improvement in farm 
life in Hancock county. His own pro- 
gressive spirit is indicated in the splen- 
did appearance of his place and his fine 
farm is the just reward of his life of in- 
tense and well directed activity. 



REASON A. NELSON. 

Reason A. Nelst)n, of La Harpe, is an 
extensive landowner, having seven hun- 
dred acres in Illinois besides valuable 
property elsewhere. He was born near 
Pittsfield, Pike county, Illinois, January 
26, 1846. His paternal grandfather, 
Elisha Nelson, was a native of Ireland and 
after coming to the new world settled in 
Ohio. His son, George C. Nelson, was 
born about ten miles from Cadiz, Ohio, 
March 28, 1825, and when but seventeen 
years of age was married to Charlotte 
Carnes, wlio was born in the same lo- 
cality. They became the parents of five 



420 



BIOGRAPHICAL UFA lEW 



children, of wlium three are still lixiiii;', 
tlie second l)eing the subject of this re- 
view. The wife and mother, howc\-er. 
passed away in 1850 and in 1853 Cieorge 
C. Xelson married Sarali A. Ir\'ing. who 
was horn in Harrison county. Ohi(.). Xo- 
\'ember u. 1833. Her |)aternal grand- 
parents were James and Tdizaljeth 
(Barnes) Irxdng, both of whom were na- 
ti\'es of Alarx'land. Her father. James 
Ir\iiig. was horn in Harrison count}-, 
Ohio, and haxing arrixed at )ears of 
matnrit}- was married to Martha nun- 
ham, also a nati\e of that count)' and a 
daughter of William and Alary 
( Cliauncy ) Duidiam. nati\es of X'irginia. 
Mr. and Mrs. James lr\ing li\ed upon a 
farm in (Jhio until 1844. when he sold 
his propert\' there and remo\ed to Pike 
C(.)unty. Illinois. There he ])urcliased a 
tract of land upon which lie li\ed luitil 
liis death about two years later. It was 
in 1853 that his daughter Sarah Ann be- 
came the wife of George C. Xelson. tlien 
of Henderson cnuntv. Illinois. At the 
time of his first marriage Mr. Xelson 
was but se\enteen ^•ears of age and for 
four years tliereafter he continued to 
work for his father. When he attained 
bis majorit)' be was the owner of two 
steers costing thirteen dollars and a half, 
vvdiich he had earned through extra labor. 
Continuing to work hard and sa\ing bis 
earnings, he was at length enaliled to pur- 
chase fort}' acres of land in Pike county, 
Illinois, which be tilled with one horse 
and an o,\. In 1834 he sold out and re- 
m(i\'e<l to Henderson count}', where be 
purchased a half section of farm knid 
and ten acres of timlier. paying (.me half 
down and the balance on time, .\fter 



that change be met with success ami be- 
came one of the uKjst extensive landown- 
ers of the state, ba\'ing about three 
thousand acres. He was also the owner 
of one hundred and fifty head of blooded 
horses and man}' head of cattle, sbee)) 
and hogs and was thus one of the leading 
stock-raisers as well as large landowners 
of Henderson count}'. He continued ac- 
tively in business until his tleatb. which 
occurred X'oveiBber i, 1894. The chil- 
dren of the second marriage are; Wil- 
liam S., born Xovember 12, 1854: 
Charles H. : Elmer R. : Grace M., the wife 
of Antlrew James, of La Harpe, Illinois; 
Bessie S.. who became the wife of Ernest 
Hull anil died August 30. 11)05; and 
Ouinton Ward. There were also six 
children who died in infanc}'. The 
spring following the death of Mr. Nelson 
his widow and the children rernoved to 
La Harpe, wdiere she is now residing. 

Reason A. Nelson acquired his educa- 
tion in the puljlic schools of Henderson 
count}', Illinois, and was reared to the 
occupation of farming. He remained 
under the parental roof and assisted in 
the work of field and meadow until 187 1, 
or for a year after his marriage, when he 
rented one of his father's farms, consist- 
ing of two hundred acres. He then re- 
nioxed to that place, whereon he reniained 
for three years, when he rented two hun- 
dred and eig"hty-fi\'e acres near Terre 
Haute, Illinois. This he continued to 
lease for eight years at a rental of one 
thousand dollars jier year and at the end 
of that time he bought the farm for sixt}'- 
two and a half dollars per acre. The 
west half of Terre Haute comprised a 
part of his original farm. After selling 



HAXCOCK COUXTV. ILLIXOIS. 



421 



that tract for city lots he bought eiglity 
acres lying west of the north half of his 
first purchase and later he added six and a 
half acres adjoining on which stood a 
house, barn and other good farm build- 
ings. As the years passed he has pros- 
pered through his judicious investment, 
through his careful management of his 
business affairs and through his unremit- 
ting diligence, so that when the La Harpe 
district fair was established he was able 
to loan five thousand dollars towards its 
promotion. He has continued adding to 
his property until he now owns seven 
hundred and twenty acres of farm land in 
lllini)is. together with city propert}', and 
he also has an interest of one hundred and 
sixtv acres in Kansas. About igoo he 
bought eighty acres of land in Henders(_in 
countv, for which he paid six thousand 
dollars, and after st(Kking it with every- 
thing necessary for a complete farm he 
presented it to his eldest son, who li\-e<l 
there for about two vears, when he sold 
the property for seven th(.)usand dollars 
and removed to La Harpe. 

On the 29th of ()ctober, 1870. Mr. 
Xelson was united in marriage to Miss 
Susan R. Ruckman. who was born in 
Newark. Xew Jersey, November 2^, 1846, 
a daughter of ]Mr. and Mrs. Stephen 
Ruckman and the fourth of a family of 
eight children. About iSC)4 her mother 
and stepfather removed to Hancock 
county, settling near La Harpe, and later 
they took up their abode at Bloomfield, 
Iowa, where Mrs. Nelson was living at 
the time of her marriage. This union 
was blessed with eight children, four sons 
and four daughters, l,)ut three of the num- 
ber died in infanc_\". Those still lixing 



are: ]\lrs. Jerusha M. Ijerkshire. of 
Terre Haute. Illinois, who was born in 
September. 1876; Le Roy E.. who was 
born in August. 1879. and is now in La 
Harpe: Mrs. Maude E. Kerr, who was 
born in March, 1881. antl lives in La 
Harpe township: George C, who was 
born January 4, 1 884, and is also in La 
Harpe: and Mrs. Charlotte Elston, wdio 
was born March 1 i, 188O, mid is now on 
the old home place at Terre Haute, Illi- 
nois. Mrs. Xelson dejiarted this life 
June 5, 1904. In May, 1904, the family 
had removed to La Harpe, where a month 
later ^Irs, Nelson died. ^Ir. Xelson has 
since resided in La Harpe, froui which 
town he superintends his business inter- 
ests. His eldest son, after selling the farm 
which was a gift from his father, clerked 
for two vears in a grocer_\' store owned 
bv his uncle in La Har])e and then Ixiught 
a third interest in the Keef Clothing 
Company in this place. He also owns a 
third interest in a farm of one hundred 
and sixty acres in Iowa. 

Mr. Xelson votes with the Republican 
partv and fraternally is identified with 
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows 
and the Rebekah lodge. His entire life 
has been passed in Illinois and for many 
years he has resided in Hancock county, 
where his labors, directed by intelligence 
and sound judgment, have pro\en im- 
portant factors in a very desirable success. 

The sons of Mr. Nelson belong to the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows and 
all of his daughters belong to Rebekah 
lodge, and are also members of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal church of La Harpe. and 
all are held in the highest esteem by all 
who know them. 



422 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriEIJ' 



JOHN HAIGH. 

John Haigh, a pioneer farmer of Appa- 
noose township, where he owns two hun- 
dred and sixty acres of rich and produc- 
tive land situated on section 14, was born 
in Frankford, near Philadelphia, Penn- 
sylvania, July 26, 1 82 1, and comes of 
English lineage, his paternal grandfather 
having been born in Yorkshire, England, 
whence he removed to Penns}'lvania in 
18 1 5, where he conducted a cotton manu- 
factor}-. His death there occurred in 
1844, his wife having passed away many 
years previous. The subject of this sketch 
is a son of John and Mary Haigh, in 
whose family were four sons and two 
daughters, of whom our subject is the 
third in order of birth. 

John Ilaigh. whose name introduces this 
review, was reared in the Keystone state, 
and was there educated in the common 
schools. When a small boy he assisted 
his father in a cotton mill, and later 
learned the trade of dressing morocco used 
for making ladies' shoes, being employed 
in this way for twelve or fifteen years. He 
was there married in 1841 to Miss Sarah 
Folcrod. who was born in Philadelphia, 
and her death occurred about a year after 
their marriage, leaving a son. Louis. On 
the 1 2th of Eebmary, 1846. Mr. Haigh 
was married a second time, his union be- 
ing with Miss Sarah Sheward, who was 
born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, 
September 28, 1828, a daughter of War- 
rick and Ann Sheward. Following his 
marriage he lived in Philadelphia until 
1853, when he went to Pittsbu'g by rail, 
where he took passage on a steamer for 
Otn'ncv. Illinois, where Mrs. Haigh's par- 



ents were then living. After a very brief 
stay in that city the}- came to Hancock 
county, and made purchase of forty acres 
of land situated on section 18, Pontoosuc 
township, a portion of which had been 
cleared, while the remainder was covered 
with timber. This he cleared, placing his 
land under a high state of cultivation. On 
the place was a log house, in which the 
famil}' maile their home for two years. 
He then remo\'ed to a farm in Appanoose 
township, to which he moved his log 
house. As the years passed by he pros- 
pered in his business affairs and was soon 
enabled to purchase more land, adding 
sixty acres. On this he erected a frame 
house containing three rooms, to which 
he has since a(Jded so that he now has a 
comfortable home supplied with every 
convenience. He has added to his landed 
possessions from time to time so that he 
now o^wns two hundred and sixty acres of 
rich prairie land, situated on section 14. 
Ajipanoose township. Here he is en- 
gaged in the work of general farming, and 
also raises cattle, horses, hogs and sheep, 
and finds this branch of his business a 
\"ery profitable source of income. When 
he took ]5ossession of his property it was 
all wild and unimproved but he soon broke 
the prairie, placed his fields under cultiva- 
tinn and added all of the buildings which 
are here found, so that he now has a 
moflel farm nf the twentieth centurv. 

I'nto '\\v. and }ilrs. Haigh have been 
born the following named : Jolm. of Ap- 
panoose township: William, of Holt 
county. Nebraska : Annie, the wife of Wil- 
liam Seigrist, also residing in Appanoose 
township ; Jennie, the wife of David R. 
Thornber, who now makes her home with 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



parents; George, on the home farm; Tru- 
man, of Los Angeles, California; Mary 
Emma, the wife of Nimrod Woody, of 
Los Angeles, California; Rachel, the wife 
of Peter Mcintosh, of Alton, Oregon 
county, Missouri ; Sherman, likewise a 
resident of Los Angeles ; Morris, who died 
at the age of thirty-two years; James, of 
Bogard, Missouri ; and Benjamin, who 
died at the age of thirteen years. Louis, 
the son of the first marriage, resides at 
Niota, Illinois. 

In politics Air. Haigh is a republican 
but is not an active worker in the work 
of the party, \\niile still a resident of the 
Keystone state he became a member of the 
Odd Fellows order and also of the Ameri- 
can Mechanics. When he located in Han- 
cock county much of the land was still un- 
claimed and uncultivated, and deer and 
wolves were still roaming over the 
prairies and through the forests, while 
prairie chickens, wild turkeys and other 
game was to be had in abundance. He 
has lived to see many changes here, the 
land having been reclaimed bv the set- 
tlers and all modern improvements are 
here seen. His life has been quietly 
passed, and yet his record contains manv 
lessons worthy of emulation, for he has 
been found persistent, active and honor- 
able in all life's relations, and having 
lived in this section of the state for more 
than a half century he has a wide and 
favorable acquaintance. 

Since the above was written Mr. Haigh 
has passed away, his death occurring on 
November 6, 1906, at the home place after 
a short sickness. He is buried in the 
Jackson grave}-ard in Appanoose town- 
ship. 



\\ILLIAM O. SAXFORD. 

William O. Sanford is now living re- 
tired in Hamilton and belongs to that 
class of men who have found in the pres- 
sure of ad\^ersity and the stimulus of op- 
position incentive for bringing forth their 
best and strongest efforts and thereby 
winning success. Mr. Sanford is one 
of the oldest citizens of Hamilton, hav- 
ing passed the eighty-fourth milestone on 
life's journey, his birth having occurred 
in Tioga county, New York, July 21, 
1822. His parents were Timothy and 
Lucinda (Tea!) Sanford. the fomier a 
native of Connecticut and the latter of 
New Hampshire. In the paternal line he 
comes of one of the old New England 
families. His grandfather was Ebenezer 
Sanford, also a native of Connecticut, and 
a son of Ebenezer Sanford, Sr., who was 
bom in England. The last named, in 
company with three brothers, came to the 
LTnited States, settling here before the 
Revolutionary war when this country 
was still numbered among the colonial 
possessions of Great Britain. He became 
connected with the navy during the pe- 
riod of hostilities, which led to the es- 
tablishment of the republic and was killed 
in an efifort to prevent the British from 
reaching West Point, New York. Eb- 
enezer Sanford, Jr., lived in Connecticut 
and later removed to Candor, Tioga 
county. New York, where he resided for 
a few years, when he removed to Mon- 
roe county, Michigan, where he died. 
He married Rhoda North, who was a 
granddaughter of Lord Norton, of Eng- 
land, and their son. Timothy Sanford, 
was reared in Hartford county. Connect- 



424 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



icut, removing thence to Tioga county, 
New York, after he had attained his ma- 
jority. In the latter place he was mar- 
ried t(i Miss Lucinda Teal, a daughter 
of Rev. Benjamin Teal. At the time of 
the war of 1812 he espoused the cause 
of the United States and valiantly fought 
during the second periled of hostilities 
with England. He continued to remain 
a resident of New York up to the time of 
his demise, which occurred in 1891. He 
had long survived his wife, wlu) passed 
away in 1837. 

William O. Sanford was the second in 
order of birth in the family of six sons 
and two daughters. He assisted his fa- 
ther in a sawmill business which the lat- 
ter was operating in the midst of the tim- 
bered regions, as that C(juutry was cov- 
ered with hemlock and ])ine trees. He 
also learned the trade of cabinet making, 
entering uiioii an ap])renticeship when 
se\-enteen years of age and working for 
four years in that way. He and his 
brother afterw'ard removed to Akron, 
Ohio, where they conducted a caliinet 
making business until 1833, when \\ il- 
bam (). Sanford sold out t<i his brother, 
who carried on the business until his 
death in i8cKi. .\fter disposing of his 
cabinet making interests Mr. Sanford of 
this re\ie\\ came to Illinois and sjient 
about two _\e;u's in looking for a favora- 
ble location on the Mississippi river. 
Finally be located at Hamilton, where he 
s])ent m;ui)- years, being employed as dis- 
tributing agent and also overseeing the 
construction of depots. Trie erected sex- 
eral of the older houses in Hamilton, 
and now owns three of them. He tr;i\-- 
eled over about five hundred miles of the 



Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, 
assisting in the construction of all of tlie 
buildings on its line. For about three 
}-ears he conducted a mercantile business, 
being thus engaged subserpient to the 
Civil war. 

When the country was engaged in hos- 
tilit}' between the north and the south 
Mr. Sanford enlisted in defense of the 
Union, becoming a member of Company 
Cr. Twenty-third Illinois Infantry, called 
^Mulligan's Irish Brigade of the Second 
Division and Twenty-third Regiment of 
the Twenty- fourth .Army Corps. He 
was one of those wIk") guarded Libby 
Prison for three months. He enlisted in 
1861 for the purpose of driving the Con- 
federates from the northeastern part of 
Missouri and in the winter of 1864-5 'i^ 
re-enlisted with the same command and 
was houoral)lv discharged in August of 
the latter year. 

Following the war Mr: Sanford re- 
turned to Hamilton and entered the serv- 
ice of the railroad, remaining in that po- 
sition for about four years. He bad 
charge of the mechanical department of 
the Toledo. Feoria & \Varsaw Railroad 
when it was built to Keokuk. He assisted 
in the construction of the bridges and de- 
])ots on the road. That he has prospered 
in his undertakings is indicated by the 
fact that he now owns three houses and 
lots in addition to his attractive residence 
in Hamilton. Since 1892 he has lived 
retired amid many of the comforts and 
some of the luxuries of life which have 
been gained through his own efforts. 

]\Ir. Sanford was first married in Oc- 
tober. 1849. to Aliss Joanna Baker, who 
was born in New A'i>rk. The\- had one 



}JAXCOCK COrXTY. ILLIXOIS. 



425 



child. Charles B. San ford, who died in 
Xenialia countv. Kansas, in i888. while 
the wife and mother passed awa}" in 
April. 1852. On the ist of January. 
1857, Air. Sanfnrd was again married, 
his second tmion being with Sarah A. 
Kauffman, who was born near Dayton. 
Ohio, March 4. 1829, a daughter of 
Christian and Hester (Whitmore) Kauff- 
man. natives of Pennsylvania. The chil- 
dren (if this marriage were as follows: 
-Vrthur J., who died at the age of two and 
a lialf years: Emma Luella. who died 
when three and a half years of age: Orion 
H.. who died in San Antonio. Texas. 
Alarch 6, 1892, at the age of twenty- 
seven years: and Orion H.. who was born 
September 21, 1863. and died March 6. 
1892. The last named attended the 
Pierce Business College at Keokuk and 
was afterward clerk for the Standard Oil 
Companv at Keokuk for about a year, 
when he was transferred to Davenport, 
where he was employed for six years. 
His health then failed him and with his 
parents he traveled to California and 
Texas, but was taken with grip in the 
last named state after his health had l)e- 
come partially improved. This disease, 
however, terminated fatally. 

In his political \-iews Mr. Sanford is 
a stalwart republican. He was elected as 
a member of the city council at .\kron. 
Ohio. ser\'ed for two terms and an unex- 
pired term as clerk and also filled out 
an unexpired term as ma_\or. acting in the 
latter capacity for nearly a year. He was 
a very prominent resident of .\knpn. 
Ohio, and was connected with the ma- 
jority of its leading organizations. After 
coming to Hamilton he was elected and 



served as alderman here. He wrote the 
first city charter and succeeded in secur- 
ing its passage through the legislature. 
He was the second mayor of Hamilton 
and served for three terms, while for ten 
terms he filled the position of alderman. 
His public sendee has been most capa- 
ble and over the record of his official ca- 
reer there falls no shadow of wrong or 
suspicion of evil. In his business afifairs 
he lias prospered as the years have gone 
by and is now in possession of propertv 
which indicates a well-directed activity 
and enterprise in former vears. He has 
made a close and discriminating stud}' of 
the needs and possibilities of his town and 
count}- antl in his official capacities has 
labored earnestly and effectively to pro- 
duce the liest results. Living retired in 
Hamilton, he has a wide and fa\-oraI)le 
acquaintance in this part of the countv 
and his labors have at all times been so 
honorable that he has won not only suc- 
cess but als«.i an untarnishe^l name. 



JAMES \\'. WESTFALL. 

On the roster of county officials in Han- 
cock county appears the name of James 
W. Westfall. who is filling the position 
of count}- clerk. Carthage has been fa- 
vored in the class of men who have oc- 
cupied her official positions, for there has 
Ijeen little corruption in public office here 
such as is more comnion in large cities. 
In fact the business duties connected with 
the city and county ha\e been performed 



426 



BlOGRAl'HICAL KEI 'lEll' 



in a most favorable manner by men (if 
broad integrity and wortb and of this 
class James W. Westfall is a worth}- reji- 
resentative. He is a son of Cabin inul 
Elizabeth (McCullough) Westfall and 
was born near Lacrosse in Hancock 
county, November 30, 1861. His par- 
ents are also natives of this county and 
the father for many }-ears followed the 
occupation of farming but at length re- 
tired from active business life and dieil 
in Burnside, Illinois, December 11. 1893. 
His widow still resides there. Jn their 
family were four children, of whom three 
are now living : Alary, who died at the 
age of four years: Ellen, now the wife of 
T. G. Wright, of Burnside; James W. : 
and George X.. who resides in Alarceline, 
Missouri. 

Mr. Westfall of this review pursued 
his early education in the public schools 
in Pilot (irove township and afterward 
attended a business college at Keokuk. 
Iowa. When his schools days were o\-er 
he became a successful telegraphic o])- 
erator for the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw 
Railroad, occupying positions at various 
places for ten years. He was also post- 
master at Burnside for four years and 
was engaged in the hardware business 
there for four years. He came to Car- 
thage to make his home in 1898 and was 
here elected to the office of count}- clerk, 
which position he is still filling. He is a 
stanch democrat in politics and has ser\-ed 
in several official positions, acting as 
township clerk in Pilot Grove township. 

On the 20th of February, 1887, Mr. 
AV'estfall was married to Miss Laura 
Mills, of Durham township, Hancock 
county, a dattghter of John and Elizabeth 



Mills, whose parents were old settlers of 
that township, where her father followed 
farming. They are still living and now 
make their home with their children. 
They had two daughters : Airs. West- 
fall ; and Emma, the wife of O. D. W'ick- 
izer. of Chinook, Montana. Mr. and 
Airs. Westfall have six sons, four ijf 
whom were born in Burnside and the 
_\-oungest in Carthage. These are : \'er- 
non, born Alarch 28, 1S88; Bruce, in De- 
cember, 1889: Paul, December 18, 1894: 
Alills, July 22, 1897; and James, bcjrn 
July 21, 1900. Lewis, born April 13, 
1906. The parents are prominent and 
influential memliers of the Alethodist 
Episcopal church, in which Air. Westfall 
is ser\-ing as steward, while his wife be- 
longs to the \arious church societies. 
l'"raternall}- he is connected with the Ala- 
sonic lodge of Burnside and with the 
chapter at Carthage and he also- belongs 
t<i Bentley lodge. No. 412.- Independent 
r)r(ler of Odd Fellows in which he 
has passed all of the chairs. He 
is likewise a member of the Woodmen 
of the ^^'orld and the Court of Honor and 
is popular in these various organizations. 
He is now proving a capable officer, dis- 
charging his duties with promptness and 
fidelitv such as indicates his loyal citizen- 
ship and progressive spirit. 



THOAIAS RUGGLES. 

Xo histor\- ni Hamilton would be com- 
plete without mention of Thomas Rug- 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



427 



gles, who for fifty years has been a dry 
g-Qods merchant of this city and since 
1848 has resided here. He came to Ilh- 
nois when it was a pioneer district, trav- 
eling across the country when one would 
ride for miles and miles without seeing a 
habitation or evidences that the seeds of 
civilization had been planted on the west- 
ern frontier. He is thoroughly familiar 
witli tlie history of the county and events, 
which to most people are matters nf his- 
torv. have been witnessed li\' him or ha\'e 
been matters of experience with him. He 
was born in Daviess county. Indiana, De- 
cemlier 13, 1825. His paternal grandfa- 
ther. Thomas Ruggles, was a native of 
Xorth Carolina and married Rachel Free- 
land, who was I)orn in Maryland. Their 
son, Jaccjb Ruggles, was born in Bourbon 
county, Kentucky, where the family lived 
for a number of years. Having arrived 
at adult age, he married Miss Henrietta 
McDonald, who was also born in Ken- 
tucky and was a daughter of Francis and 
Fleanor (Hamilton) McDonald, the for- 
mer a native of Maryland and the latter 
of Delaware. Francis McDonald w as a 
Revolutionary soldier and was taken on a 
British man of war to the new world. 
When they landed at Charleston, South 
Carolina, he deserted the British troops 
and joined the colonial army. He was 
only a boy at that time. He fought for 
the independence of the colonies and after 
the establishment of the republic he emi- 
grated to Kentucky at an early day and 
lived there for a number of years. Subse- 
quently he removed to Indiana, where his 
last days were passed. Thomas Ruggles 
was also a pioneer settler of Indiana. li\"- 
ing there at a time when in the miflst of 



the little settlement was an old log fort, to 
which all of the citizens would go to seek 
protection from the Indians when there 
would be an uprising among the red 
people. 

Jacob Ruggles, father of our subject, 
li\'ed upon the farm in Indiana for many 
years. In 185 1 he went to California, 
where he remained for nine years, return- 
ing to Indiana in the fall of i860. 

Thomas Ruggles, whose name intro- 
duces this review, began his education in 
one of the old-time subscription schools 
which met in a log caliin in Indiana. He 
spent the days of his boyhood and youth 
on the old homestead farm in that state, 
living with his parents until 1847. -^^ the 
age of twenty-three years he came to Illi- 
nois, making his way to Hamilton. He 
traveled on horseback alone, being two 
weeks upon the wa)-. He would travel all 
dav at times and not see more than two 
or three houses. He stopped at first at 
Montebello and in the spring of 1849 went 
to work on a farm, where he farmed for 
six years. Before removing to Illinois, 
however, he had studied law with an uncle 
in Indiana. He fanned the first year in 
Illinois and worked with the man who 
helped lay out the town of Hamilton, be- 
ing employed at carpentering. In 1856 he 
established a general mercantile business 
in the new town of Hamilton and has con- 
tinued in active connection with commer- 
cial interests to the present time, although 
\arious changes ha\-e occurred in the 
partnership. He was first associated with 
John K. Allen and in i860 he sold out. 
In 1861 he began business again at Oak- 
wood, where be continued until 1870. He 
then entered upon the active practice of 



428 



BIOGRA PHICA L RE I IE J I ' 



law, having been admitted to the bar in 
1867, and he also engaged in farming a 
tract of land until 1875. Iii that year he 
again established a general store, which 
he conducted until 1881, since which time 
he has given his attention only to the gro- 
cer}- trade. He is a pioneer in business 
in Hamilton and no man today connected 
with its Ijusiness interests has been for a 
longer period actively associated with 
commercial life here. He now has a good 
store, well ecjuipped with a carefully se- 
lected stock of staple and fancv groceries 
and has a gratifying patronage. 

In December, 1849. Mr. Ruggles was 
united in marriage to ]Miss Elizabeth Wal- 
ler, who was l)orn in Indiana, a daughter 
of George and Catherine (McDonald) 
Waller. Their children were George, who 
\\as l)orn in 185 1 and died at the age of 
trve years, Homer, who was bom in 1852, 
and died at the age of four years ; Cather- 
ine, who was born in 1854 and died at the 
age of thirt}--five years ; and Henrietta, 
who was born in 1855 and died when 
eighteen years of age. The wife and 
mother passed aw a}" in June, 1857. In 
July. 1858, Mr. Ruggles was again mar- 
ried, his second union being with Hannah 
L. (_dioate, who was born in Adams coun 
ty, Illinois, and is a daughter of Langdon 
and Deborah (Jones) Choate. There 
were six children of this marriage, of 
whom one daughter died in infancy. The 
others are : Thomas, who was born in 
1863 and died at the age of thirty years ; 
Clara, the wife of Robert Hall, who is en- 
gaged in the insurance business in Hamil- 
ton ; Edmond, who died at the age of thir- 
ty-five years: Leon, of Hancock county; 
and Alice, who died in infancv. The wife 



and mother passed away in June, 1872, 
and in April, 1874, Air. Ruggles was mar- 
ried to Mrs. Anna B. Christfield Mason, 
the widow of Dr. John Mason, who was 
a dentist of Keokuk. 

In his political affiliation Mr. Ruggles 
has long been a republican, supporting the 
party since its organization. He was one 
of the first school directors of this district, 
was trustee of TIamilton during the sec- 
ond year of the existence of the village 
and was alderman for about twelve years. 
In 1858 he was elected justice of the peace 
and filled the position of supervisor the 
same year. He continued in the latter of- 
fice for eight terms and was also school 
trustee for a nimiber of }ears and has con- 
tinued as a justice of the peace with the 
exce])tion of two terms up to the present 
time. The fact that he has long lieen re- 
tained in the public service is indication 
of his capability and fidelity. He is a Ma- 
son, being" the only charter member of 
Hamilton lodge now living. This is 
known as Black Hawk lodge. No, 
J38, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, 
and he is also connected with the 
Royal Arch chapter and the Eastern 
Star. He is now in his eighty-first vear 
and is a well known citizen, who at all 
times has enjoyed the fullest confidence 
and respect of his fellowmen and has mer- 
ited their regard and good will. 



AUSTIN COLEMAN WOOLFOLK. 

Austin Coleman Woolfolk was born in 
Farmington, Missouri, on the i6th of De- 




'inrvt^'CO^ 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



429 



ceniber, 1836, a son of George and Ma- 
tilda (Taylor) W'oolfolk. In his early 
boyh(jod da}'s the famih' renioxed to Pike 
count}', ininois. The father died during 
the infancy of his son and the mother 
passed awax- when Austin C. W'oolfolk 
was but sixteen }'ears of ag'e. He was 
thus early deprived of parental care and 
attention. In his youth he attended the 
public schools of Pike county and his 
collegiate course was pursued in Bethany 
College of Virginia, after which he re- 
turned to Pittsfield. Illinois, and took up 
the study of L'uv under the linn, Milton 
Hay, one of the most distinguished legists 
that has ever practiced at the bar of Illi- 
nois. His deep interest was aroused by 
the momentous (juestions which awakened 
public attention in anti-bellum days. He 
was a student of the signs of the tim#. 
noted the growing dissatisfaction in the 
south and the threatening attitude and 
his patriotic spirit was aroused in defense 
of the Federal government and its su- 
premac}-. Therefore it was not strange 
that when Fort Sumter was fired upon, 
like many (^ther }-oung attorneys, he put 
aside his la\\' books that he might aid 
his country in the preser\-ation of the 
Union. He enlisted and was instru- 
mental in raising a company which was 
attached to the Seventeenth Illinois Vol- 
unteer Infantry. The command was sent 
to Alton and he was on active duty with 
the regiment for a year, at the end of 
which time he was transferred tn the 
quartermaster's department and later as- 
signed to the United States sendee. He 
participated in two of the most hotly 
contested battles that occurred in the mid- 
dle west — Fort Donelson and Corinth, 



where he suflercd from strangulation and 
fore\er afterward was a sulTerer from 
asthma. He continued with the army 
from 1861 until 1866. faithfully perfnrm- 
ing e\-ery task that de\-olved upon him 
no matter Ikiw hazardous was its nature 
or \\hat risks he had to incur in perform- 
ing the dut\' assigned him. He was then 
honorably discharged at Cairo, Illinois, 
after sending in his resignation. 

Resuming the ptn-suits of ci\ic life, Mr. 
Woolfolk once more entered upon the 
practice of law, locating in Mankato, 
Minnesota, and there he soon gained 
recognition as an able lawyer, who pre- 
pared his cases with thoroughness and 
care, was logical in his reasonings, S(jund 
in argument and forceful in his presenta- 
tion of his cause. His abilit\' attracted 
to hinn wide attention and led to his ap- 
pointment by the goxernor to the position 
of district judge of the si,\th judicial dis- 
trict of Minnesota. His legal learning, 
his analytical mind, the readiness with 
which he gras])ed the ])oints in an argu- 
ment, all combined to make him one of the 
most capable jurists of that district. His 
decisions indicated strong mentality, care- 
ful analyzation, a thorough knowledge 
of the law and an unbiased judgment. 
Fle was widel_\' recognized as a man of 
well balanced intellect and discharged 
with impartiality and ecjuity the duties 
of the (iffice to which life, property, right 
and liljerty must look for protection. At 
length, however, he resigned his ijosition 
as district judge and went to Colorado, 
where through the succeeding six years 
he devoted his attention to the ])ri\-ate 
practice of law. 

On the 8th of October, 1863, Mr. 



43° 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEl]' 



Woolfolk had been married to iXIiss Mary 
Pierce Hay, a daugiiter of IJr. Charles 
and Helen (Leonard) Hay, a liistor_\- of 
whom is given elsewhere in this work 
together with the history of her brothers. 
Major Leonard Hay, of the L'nited 
States army and Hon. J(jhn Hay, late 
secretary of state under ]\IcKinley and 
Roosevelt. Mrs. Woolfolk was born in 
Salem, Lidiana, and with her parents re- 
moved t(.) ^^'arsaw. Mr. and Mrs. Wool- 
folk remained residents of Cohjrado until 
the death of the husband (.m the 1 5th 
of February, 1880, after which his re- 
mains were returned to Warsaw for in- 
terment and here INIrs. Woolfolk has since 
made her home. In an active life he dis- 
played many sterling traits df character — 
not only the qualities which insured iJrog- 
ress and success in his chosen profession 
but also those personal traits of character 
which win confidence and regard in ever}' 
land and clime. The spirit of loyalt)' 
which prompted his enlistment for ser- 
\ice in the Ci\'il war was ever manifested 
in all his duties (if citizenship and among 
his friends — and they were many — he was 
recognized as a most congenial spirit be- 
cause of his intellectual force, his kindly 
disposition, his genial manner and his sin- 
cere and genuine interest in the welfare 
of others. 



SOLOMON J. SALISBURY. 

Solomon J. Salisbury is the uwner nf 
a farm of cme hundred and twn acres 
in 1 'ill it Grove township, which he has 



placed under a high state of cultivation, 
itiaking- it a well improved place. He was 
born in Kirkland, Lake county, Ohio. 
September 18, 1835, and when three 
years of age came to Hancock county. 
Illinois, with his parents, ^^'iIkins J. and 
Catherine (Smith) Salisbury. The fa- 
ther was born in the state of New York, 
and the mother in Vermont, and follow- 
ing their marriage they removed to Ohio, 
where they lived until coiuing to Illinois 
in 1838. The mother was a sister of Jo- 
seph and Hiram Smith. On arriving in 
Illinois they settled first in Plymouth, 
where the father followed the black- 
smith's trade. He afterward became a 
blacksmith at ^^'ebster, Illinois, where he 
continued until his death, which riccurrecl 
when he was about forty-three years of 
age. His wife continued to live at \Veb- 
ster, and there passed away at the age of 
eighty-three years. She was reared in 
the Mormon church and continued in that 
belief until her demise. In early life Mr. 
Smith was also a member of the ^lormon 
church. 

Solomon J. Salisbury acquired his pre- 
liminary education in the schools of 
Plymouth, but at the time of the upris- 
ing of the -people against the Mormons 
the family was expelled from there in 
184C) and removed to Alexandria, Mis- 
souri. In 1847, however, they returned 
to Hancock county, settling at W'arsaw. 
and later removed to Webster, where they 
made their home. In his early youth 
Solomon J. Salisbury began work as a 
farm hand by the mcmth and was thus 
employed until about the time when he 
attained his majority, when he purchased 
land in Pilot Grove township. He has 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



431 



since owned and operated a number of 
different fanns and about twenty years 
ago he purchased his present farm, which 
he improved and upon whicli he has since 
li\'ed. Here lie engages in general agri- 
cultural pursuits and in feeding cattle and 
hogs. In his business affairs he has been 
quite successful and is the owner of a 
valuable place which is indicative of his 
unremitting diligence and ceaseless toil, 
whereby he has advanced to a place 
among the men of affluence in the county. 
Twice married, Air. Salisbury first 
wedded Elizabeth Swisher, and unto them 
were born three children. Ella, the eld- 
est, is now the wife nf Ransom Sherman, 
of Keewaunee. Illinois, and their chil- 
dren are Elmer, Robert, Eliza. Eifie and 
Ruby. Robert resides in Pilot Grove 
township, where he owns a farm of one 
hundred and sixty acres of land. He 
married Margaret Jones, has two chil- 
dren, Eliza and Ella, the fonner now the 
wife of Elmer Grotts, by whom she has 
two children. Eva and Earl. James, the 
youngest of the family, resides in Pilot 
Grove township, where he owns a farm 
of eighty-three acres. He wedded Mary 
L. Roush, and they have one child, Ar- 
thur. Mrs. Salisbury died and was 
l")uried at Webster and Mr. Salisbury lias 
since wedded Margaret Swisher, who was 
liorn in Gallia count}\ Ohio, and is a 
sister of his first wife. Their parents 
were Jacob and IMary (Rife) Swisher, 
the former a native of Virginia and the 
latter nf Kentucky. Following their 
marriage I\Ir. and ]\Irs. Swisher came tn 
Hancock county, settling in Pilot Grove 
township, where the father engaged in 
farming and made his home until his 



death at the age of seventy-three years. 
He was laid to rest in La Harpe. and his 
wife, who died at the age of fifty-five 
vears. was buried at Webster. They were 
the [larents of eleven children, Mrs. Mar- 
garet Swisher being the youngest. By 
her marriage she has three children : 
Mary B.. now the wife of Doud Furrow, 
a farmer of Pilot Grove township, who 
owns ninety acres and by whom she has 
four children, Hulen. Millie. Ruth and 
Raymond; \\"illiam H.. whci owns and 
cultivates sixty acres of land in Pilot 
Grove townsliip and who married Ger- 
trude Dailey. by whom she has four chil- 
dren. Ona. Otie, Lulu and Solomon. 
Don Carlos, who has a farm of eighty 
acres in Pilot Grove township, wedded 
Zua Marrill, and has three children. Ev- 
erett. Herbert and June. 

Mr. Salisbun,' has been an elder of the 
Mormon church for the past thirty-five 
years. \\"\{\\ a number of others he or- 
ganized what is known as the reorganized 
church and has aided in the establishment 
of various crmgregations of this faith in 
Hancock ci mnty. In politics he is a dem- 
ocrat and has held some township ofifices, 
sendng as supervisor, collector and ju.s- 
tice of the peace. He has also practiced 
before the justice courts but has never 
been admitted to the bar. During the 
long- years of his residence in Hancock 
county he has seen many improvements 
made here and has borne his share in the 
work of development along agricultural 
lines and also as a citizai has labored di- 
rectly for the benefit of the community, 
and is held in the highest esteem by all 
with whom he comes in contact, either in 
social or business relations. 



432 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJAEW 



SETH .M. BAKER. 

Seth M. Baker, fanner and stock-i^ais- 
er, was born in Maryland in 1846, his 
parents being Seth W. and Martha (Mur- 
ray) Baker, who were likewise natives of 
that state. The father was burn in 1804. 
and died in 1S7J. at the ai^e nf sixty-Sfven 
-sears, while the nioth.er, l)orn in 1815, 
])asse(l away in February, i8yy. He was 
a farmer In- nccupation and came to Han- 
Cdck ciiunty in 1852, settling upon the 
farm which is now owned and occupied 
by liis son, Seth. His political support 
was given to the democracy. In the fam- 
il\- were nine children, of whom seven are 
now living: James L. T., who is living 
in the state of Washington; Nancy H., 
the wife of Joel Clark, of Washington; 
Seth M.; Jane M., the wife of James 
Gardner, of Walker township; Angeline, 
the wife of Ira Bowens, of Adams county, 
llliuiiis: Ollie, the wife of Alvin Carr, <if 
Stillwell, Illinois: and Severn, also of .Ad- 
ams county. 

Seth M. Baker was a }-outh of but six 
vears when brought by his parents to Illi- 
nois and in the district schools of Walker 
township he was educated. He remained 
at home with his parents until after he 
had attained his majority, and at times 
was engaged in the operation of the home 
farm and at other times devoted his ener- 
gies to stock-raising. He still continues 
to reside upon the old homestead prop- 
erty, comprising one hundred and five 
acres on section 23, Walker township, and 
upon this place in 1904 he erected a pretty 
residence. He also has a good barn twen- 
ty-eight liy thirty-six feet and other sub- 
stantial in-iprovemenls. He is a general 



farmer and stock-raiser and his success is 
attributable to his own. labors, for with 
the exception of twelve acres of land 
which he inherited in 1899 all that he noV 
possesses has been acquired through his 
persistency of purpose ai-id unfaltering 
diligence. 

In 1892 Mr. Baker was married to Miss 
Belle Mitchell, who was born in Wheel- 
ing, ^^'est Virginia, in 1854. Her grand- 
fadier in the maternal line was a soldier 
of the Re\olutionary war. Her parents 
were Da\id and Rebecca Mitchell, the 
former born in county Tyrone, Ireland, in 
1826. and the latter in Ohio in 1830. Mr. 
Mitchell was a fanner and spent many 
vears in -\dan-is county, Illinois, where his 
death occurred. He served throughout 
the Civil war as a stalwart champion of 
the L'nion cattse and thus proved his loy- 
alty to his adopted countr}-. Both he and 
his wife now rest in the cemetery in Lima 
township, Adams county. The_\- became 
residents of Illinois in 1864, and Mrs. 
iNlitchell died in 1871, while the death of 
Air. Mitchell occurred in igoi. In their 
family were four children, of whom three 
are living : Belle, now Mrs. Baker ; John 
]:>, and J. \\'.. both of Adams county. Mr. 
and ]\Irs. I'aker reared cl niece of Mrs 
Baker's, a Aliss Lillian McCinie, who re- 
ceived a good education and became a 
teacher in the schools of Hancock county, 
Illinois. She married Archie Woodworth 
and now lives in Fernita. Colorado. Mrs. 
lialcer is the owner of a good farm prop- 
ert\- in .\dams county. Both our subject 
and his wife hold membership in the 
Methodist church and are highl\- esteemed 
people, whose circle of friends is almost 
co-e.xtensive with their acquaintance. 



HAXCOCK COL'XTY. ILLIXOfS. 



433 



ja:mes Mccarty. 

James McCart}', manager of the grain 
and elevator business owned by F. M. Cut- 
ter and also carrying on a store of his own 
for the sale of canned fruits. ct)nfection- 
ery, tobacco and staple and fancy gro- 
ceries, was born in Hamilton. Butler 
county. Ohi(_), AIa_\- jg. 1S62, his parents 
being James and Mary (C^'Dunell) AIc- 
Cart}'. The parents were natives of 
county Leitrem, Ireland, and the former 
came to America when bfteen years of 
age and the latter when eight years of age. 
In 1859. James McCart}-. Sr., took up his 
abode in Pilot Grove township, Hancock 
county, where he eng'aged in farming 
for a year or more and in 1861 returned 
to Ohio, where he remained until 1869. 
when he again came to Hancock county 
and continued one of its residents up to 
the time of his death, which occurred 
June 6, 1903. His wife passed away Ma}- 
23, 1898, and he was laid to rest Ijy her 
side in the cemetery of this C(_iunty. In 
1861 he had enlisted for service in the 
Civil war with the Seventy-fourth Ohio 
Volunteer Infantry and defended the 
Union cause until after the surrender at 
Appomattox. He was wounded at the 
battle of Atlanta and participated in the 
engagements of Mission Ridge, \'icks- 
burg and the celebrated march to the sea 
under Sherman and also the Grand Re- 
view in Washington, where the president 
and other noted officials of • the nation 
watched the parade of the victorious 
troops, whose long and arduous service 
had upheld the Union. Mr. McCarty 
was a democrat in his political affiliation, 
but neither held nor sought public office. 



B(ith he and his wife were members of the 
Catholic church. In the family were se\'- 
en children, of whi ini fi\e are unw lixing: 
John; James: Thomas. wIkj is conducting 
a restaurant at (jrand Junction, Colora- 
do: Charles, in the railroad service at 
Grand Junction; and George, also a rail- 
road employe living at that place. 

James McCarty nf this rex'iew was a 
young lad when l)riiught by his i)arenls 
to this county and was educated in the 
public schools of Carthage. He entered 
business life as a lirakesman on the rail- 
road, being thus employed for about a 
}'ear. He was afterward section f(_ire- 
man for ten or tweh'e years at Peters- 
burg, Illinois, at Hannibal, Missouri, and 
in the state of Colorado. In 1898 he as- 
sumed the duties of a responsible position 
as manager for the grain and elevator 
business of F. ^I. Cutler at Carthage and 
in this connection he conducts a store of 
his own, dealing in staple and fancy 
groceries, canned fruits, confectionery, 
tobacco and other supplies. His business 
career has been marked b}- a steady ad- 
vance and each step has been carefully and 
thoughtfully made. 

On the 16th of February. 1887, Mr. 
]\IcCarty wedded Miss Winifred B. Kel- 
ly, a native of Menard county, Illinois, 
and a daughter of Patrick and I\Iary 
Kelly. Her father was born in Ireland 
but her mother was born in Menard 
county. He has for many years been 
engaged in mining and he and his wife 
are now living in the county of her na- 
tivity. Both are devoted members of the 
Catholic church. They have ten lixdng 
children: Winifred B.. now Mrs. Mc- 
Cartv : Thomas, of Chicago : Catherine. 



434 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl 'lEll ' 



the wife of Edward Guahn. of Peters- 
burg, Illinois ; Edward, of Chicago ; Pat- 
rick, of Roodhouse, this state; Amlrew, 
of Petersburg", Illinois; Daniel of Rood- 
house; Nellie, who is with her parents; 
Robert, of Petersburg; and Frank and 
George, both at home. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. McCarty have been 
born six children, all nf whum are li\-ing. 
the two eldest being in Petersburg, while 
four are in Hancock Cdunty. These are: 
James D. and Thomas Leo. both in 
school; j\Iar\- Calherine ;ind John, who 
are also attending school; W. J. Bryan, 
known as Bryan McCarty ; and Elizabeth 
Alice, who completes the family. The 
parents are members of the Catholic 
church. 'Slv. McCart\' is a democrat 
and has served as township c<.)llector. He 
belongs to the Odd Fellows society and 
to the Modern Woodmen camp of Car- 
thage. He is a self-made man in the 
truest and best sense of the term. He 
started out in life empty-hantled and 
through his energy, ambition and honest 
dealing has accumulated a competence 
that enables him to provide his family 
with manv comforts. He is a pleasant 
spoken, kind-hearted and home-loving 
man. of much natural w it and is a pleas- 
ant and genial companion, while in busi- 
ness circles he is known for his upright 
principles and steady business haliits. 



FLOYD X. C.\SBURN. 

Flovd N. Casburn is cashier of the 
Farmers State Bank at Ferris. His life 



has been one of continuous activity, in 
which has been accorded due recognition 
of labor, and today he is numbered among 
the substantial citizens of the county. He 
was born March 22, 1876, and his par- 
ents are A. J. and Victoria (Bailey) Cas- 
burn. The father's birth occurred in 
(.'.•unbridgeshire. England, April 30, 1848, 
.•md w hen a lad of but three years he came 
t<i America with his parents, the family 
home being established in Monroe county, 
Xcw ^'ork. They afterward removed to 
( )liio. where he remained imtil 1869. when 
he came to Ferris, where he still resides, 
his home being on almost the same site of 
his first residence here. He carries on gen- 
eral f.irniing and stock-raising, and has 
one hundred and sixty acres of good land 
in Ivock Creek township, where he has 
made many substantial and modern im- 
pro\emei;ts. He still lives upon the farm 
but h;is rented his land and is now prac- 
tically retired from business cares. His 
wife is also of English birth and was a 
daughter of Wright Bailey. Unto Mr. 
and Mrs. Casburn have been born six chil- 
dren, and the family circle yet reiuains 
unbroken by the hand of death. These 
are: i\lay. now the wife of C. D. Tay- 
lor, a farmer li\ing near Ferris ; Floyd N. ; 
Frank E.. who married IMabel Hyndman, 
and is a successful practicing physician 
near Kansas Citv, ^Missouri ; A L.. \vho 
wedded Ada Richardson, and is an able 
memlici- of the medical fraternity at Bent- 
ley, Illinois ; and Nellie and Edith, who 
are attending school in Ferris. The father 
is an honored Mason and Odd Fellow and 
has passed all of the chairs in both lodges. 
He and his wife hold membership in the 
Methodist church at Ferris, of which the 



MAX COCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



435 



family are also members, regularly at- 
tending its services and contributing gen- 
erously to its support. 

Floyd X. Casburn supplemented his 
early educational privileges by a four 
_\-ears' course in Carthage College, after 
which he engaged in teaching school in 
Ruck Creek and Pontoosuc townships for 
thiee years. On the expiration of that 
period he invested his savings in eighty 
acres of land on section 35, Rock Creek 
tiiw iishi|i. wliich he still owns and there 
he carried un general agricultural pur- 
suits fur four years, or until 11)03, when 
-he was elected assistant cashier of the 
Farmers State Bank at Ferris. He be- 
came one of the largest stockholders and 
in h'ebruary rif the same year he was ap- 
pointed cashier, which position he is still 
successfully filling and is a popular bank 
offitial. whose courtesy to the patrons of 
die institution and whose obliging manner 
ha\-e gained for him high regard, while 
his devotion to the inierests of the bank 
lia\e won for him the entire confidence of 
the stockholders. 

On the 19th of July. 1S99. Mr. Cas- 
burn was marrietl to Miss Rachel Wilson, 
a daughter of .Alexander and Isabella 
((Griffin) Wilson. Mrs. Casburn was 
born at Niota, Illinois. September 22, 
1877, and her father was a native of Ire- 
land, while her mother's birth occurred in 
Ohio. They became early and reprcsenta- 
ti\e farming people of Appanoose town- 
ship but passed away some years ago. In 
their family were eleven children, all of 
whom survive, namely: Albert, a resi- 
dent of \\'eber. Kansas: James, of Beaver, 
Texas ; John, of Denver, Colorado: Sarah, 
the wife of I. T. Lewis, of Powellton. Illi- 



nois; Robert H., of Niota, this state; Dil- 
lie, the wife of John Shank, of Ferris; 
Daniel, of Montrose, Iowa ; George 
Franklin, of Ferris; Rachel, now Mrs. 
Casburn; Jesse, of York, Nebraska; and 
Laura, who attends the Western College 
for Ladies, at Oxford, Ohio. 

Mr. and Mrs. Casburn have an inter- 
esting little daughter. Tola Fern, who was 
born Novemlier 2, 1905, in their pleasant 
home in Ferris, which stands in the west- 
ern part of the town, and is the property 
of Mr. Casburn. They are devoted mem- 
bers of the Methodist church and Mr. Cas- 
luun is now noble grand in the Odd Fel- 
lows lodg-e at Ferris. He is the possessor 
of a fine automobile which he has recently 
purchased and which is the only one in 
the town. In spirit and interests he is 
most progressive, as is manifest in his 
business relations and social life, and both 
he and his wife occupy an enviable posi- 
tion in societv circles in Ferris. 



GEORGE COULSON. 

George Coulson, for thirty-eight vears 
connected with commercial and manufac- 
turing interests in La Harpe, his native 
city, and still financially interested in an 
important business enterprise under the 
firm style of Coulson, Brundage & Com- 
pany, hardware dealers, was bom Feb- 
ruary 17. 1843. His parents, Dr. George 
and Nancy A. (Cossitt) Coulson, were 
natives of Pennsylvania and Connecticut 
respecti\-ely. They were married in the 



436 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



Keystone state and in 1833 made their 
way westward to Illinois, settling on the 
present site of La Harpe. They huilt 
one of the first houses here and liyed in 
it until 1846. 

George Coulson when a child was 
taken to Cnuncil Bluffs, where he re- 
mained until 1852. when he was taken 
to Salt Lake Valley. Utah. He acquired 
his education in the common schools of 
Ogden. UtaU, and remained in Utah until 
1857, when he recrossed the plains and 
returned to La Harpe. where he spent 
two years. He then went to Texas with 
an iilder limther and a )ear later made 
his way to California, crossing the plains 
with mules. On the Pacific coast he was 
employed in and about the mines for four 
years and then again made the long and 
arduous journey across the plains. At 
length he safely reached La Harpe and 
here he embarked in the groceiy business 
in 1869. He was thus connected with 
trade interests until 1875. when, on ac- 
count of poor health, he sold <>ut and 
went to Colorado, where he spent six 
months. Again returning he once more 
embarked in the grocery business, in 
which he continued until 1878. when he 
sold his grocery stock Init continued in 
commercial circles as a rcpresentati\-e of 
the hardware business. In the new en- 
terprise he prospered and in 1881 he sold 
a third interest to Israel P.rundage. con- 
tinuing the business under the name of 
Coulson & Rrnndage until 1896, when 
other partners were admitted. The bvisi- 
ness was incorporated in May, 1905. un- 
der the name of Coulson, Brundage & 
Company, of which George Coulson is 
president; J. L. Bradfield, yice president; 



W. v. BradfieUl, secretar}- ; and R. I.. 
\\ idney, manager. The business was 
capitalized at fifty thousand dollars, and 
continued the manufacture of a chicken 
watering fountain patented by R. L. Wid- 
ney. and the buying and selling of hard- 
ware. This manufacturing department 
of the business has become quite e.xten- 
si\'e and the output is shipped all over 
the western states and to various points 
in the east, being sent as far west as Cali- 
fornia and as far east as Massachusetts. 
Since 1896 Mr. Coulson has engaged in 
the fire insurance business and the buying 
and shiijping of grain. 

In November, 1868, Mr. Coulson was 
united in marriage to Miss Maggie Bain- 
ter. who was bom in Fountain Green 
township. Hancock county, and is a 
daughter of Daniel M. Bainter. Three 
children were born of this union ; George, 
who died in 1889, at the age of nineteen 
years; Mary L.. the wife of R. L. W'id- 
nev, of La Harpe; and Charles, who died 
in 1875 when three years old. The wife 
and mother passed away in 1870 and Air. 
Coulson was again married in July. 1877, 
his second union being with Rebecca 
Ma^•or. who was l.)orn in La Harpe and 
is a daughter of John and Eliza A. 
Mayor, who came from England to 
.\merica in 1842 and settled in La Harpe, 
Illinois. Mrs. Rebecca Coulson passed 
away in December. 1891, and in April, 
1897, Mr. Coulson wedded Martha May- 
or, a sister of his second wife. They 
have a pleasant home in La Harpe and 
are highly esteemed by all who know 
them, while the hospitality of the best 
homes of the town is accorded them. 

In his ])o]itical views Mr. Coulson has 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



437 



long been a democrat where national is- 
sues are involved but at local elections 
casts an independent ballot. He has 
served as county super\-isor for three 
years, as collector for one year, township 
assessor for four years, justice of the 
peace one term, mayor one term and al- 
derman of La Harpe, and in these \"a- 
rious offices has discharged his duties 
witli promptness, capability and tidelity. 
He cii-operates in many measures for tlie 
general good and is a progressive, public- 
spirited citizen. Fraternally he is a Ma- 
son and also connected with the Inde- 
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and has 
been treasurer of their lodge at La Harpe 
for tlie past twent)--five years, and the 
Modern Woodmen of America. Al- 
though he has several times left La Harpe 
he has alwa}-s returned here, finding a 
pleasant home in the city and good busi- 
ness opportunities. He has been an im- 
portant factor in its business life, and 
while promoting his individual success 
has also contributed to public prosperity 
■ and improvement. 



JOHN E. DE GROOT. 

John E. De Groot, who at one time was 
engaged in the practice of dentistry but is 
now giving his supervision to agri.cultural 
interests, makes his liome in Augusta and 
is widelv recognized throughout the com- 
munity as a man of keen Inisiness discern- 
ment and enterprise, who jiossesses the 
strong principles and determitiation that 



enables him to carry forward to success- 
ful completion whatever he undertakes. 
He was l)orn in Xin'theast township, Ad- 
ams county, April 6, 1842, his parents be- 
ing John and Margaret (Harvey) De 
( iroot. The father was born in New York 
cit}" and came to Illinois 1)\- the wav of 
the overland route in iS,V- settling at 
(Juincy, Adams county, where he re- 
mained for one year. He then purchased 
a farm in Nordieast township, that county, 
comprising one hundred and sixty acres 
of new and unimproved land and with 
cliaracteristic energy lie undertook the 
task of developing and cuUivating this 
trad. He was successful in Ins under- 
takings and continued to make his iiome 
upon that place until his death, which oc- 
curred in 18S0. when he had reached the 
age of eighty-one years, for he was liorn 
in 1808. As the years had passed he haci 
made e.vtensive investments in propertv, 
his landed interests aggregating about 
eighteen hundrefl acres, all of which was 
in Adam.s county and in addition he had 
si me city property. .Starting out in life 
on his own account he displayed excellent 
business aliility. keen discernment and a 
readiness to solve intricate business prob- 
lems that brought him a very gratifying 
measure of proS])erit\-. He \-oted with the 
democracy and lield membership in the 
Christian church of Augusta. His wife 
was alsf) Ijorn in New A'ork cit\- and died 
aliout three years prior to her husband's 
death. .She, too, held membership in the 
Christian church and her life was in har- 
mony with her professions. In the familv 
were se\-en children, five of 'whom are vet 
li\'ing, although John E. De Groot is the 
onl\' oue now residing in Hancock count\'. 



438 



BIOGRAFinCAL REVIEW 



'J'he famil}' record is as follows: William 
Jl. De (iroot, residing in Ouincy, Illinois, 
is a surve}ur of Adams county. Mary W. 
died, i'huebe E. is the wife of Rev. J. C. 
Stark, a minister of the Christian church 
at Hamilton, Illinois, lulward fl., of 
Downer's Grove, Illinois, is one of the 
oldest conductors in service of the Chi- 
cago, Burlington & Ouincy Railroad, hav- 
ing re]jresented the company for over 
f(irt\' x'ears. Clarissa is the wife of W. R. 
(iordon. a retired farmer living in Red 
Oak. Iowa. John E. is the next of the 
famil}'. Jaciih died at the age of thirteen 
years. 

In the schools of his native county Dr. 
1 )e ( iroot was educated, being reared upon 
the home farm, where he remanied until 
i85(). He was at that time a youth of 
seventeen vears and thinking that he 
would find otlier pursuits nnire congenial 
than farm work he went to Ouincy. where 
he took up the study of dentistry and after 
the completion of this course he entered 
upon the active practice of his chosen pro- 
fession, continuing there until 1875. In 
that year he removed to Augxista. Han- 
cock county, where he opened an ofifice and 
\\as engaged in practice until 1S77. when 
he retired from the active work of his pro- 
fession and took up the management of 
his father's farms, located in Adams coun- 
X\. tie has continued to make his home 
in Augusta, however, and still manages 
the farming interests, being now an ex- 
tensive feeder of cattle and hogs. After 
the death of his father and the estate was 
divided Dr. De Groot continued the man- 
agement of fiis inheritance, also having 
charge of the farms belonging to his 
l^rother and sister. He has now about 



tive hundred acres of very valuable land 
in .Vdams count}- and in Augusta he owns 
some village property. 

Dr. De Groot was married October 7, 
1874. to Miss Josephine Davis, of Abing- 
don, Illinois, a daughter of Asenath and 
Elizabeth (Price) Davis, wdio came from 
the east to Illinois at an early day, prob- 
ahl} in 1 831 1, at which time they located 
in Warren county. The father was a 
lilacksmith liy trade and subsequently took 
u]) his abode in Abingdon, where his chil- 
dren were educated. He died in that 
town in 1S72 and was survived by his 
wife until IQOO, her death occurring at 
the home of her daughter. Mrs. DeGroot, 
in .Vugtista, when she was eighty-four 
}ears of ;ig-e. Jn the family of this worthy 
couple were six children, but only two are 
now li\ing. The two oldest died in in- 
fancy. John W., who became a member 
of Company E. Thirt}-third Illinois In- 
fantr}-, was wtnmded at Vicksburg and 
died ten da}s later on the 6th of June, 
[S63, his remains being interred at Mem- 
phis. James H. was killed at the siege of 
V'icksburg and was buried on the battle- 
field on the 22d of May, 1863. Eugene A. 
is a farmer, residing at Garden City. 
Kansas. 

L'nto ^Ir. and Mrs. De Groot ha\'e been 
born four children and the family circle 
\et remains unbroken by the hand of 
death. Maud, the eldest, is the wife of A. 
T. Laughlin, a confectioner of Macomb, 
Illinois, by whom she has two children, 
Josephine and Raymond. Bertha is the 
wife of Dr. R. B. Roberts, of Augusta, 
and they have two children. Breckway D. 
and Elise. Clarence E. is a physician re- 
>^iding in Muskogee. Indian Territory. 



HANCOCK COUNTV. ILUXO/S. 



4^9 



^ialjel is the wile nf Frank Deiley, an op- 
erator in. tile Western Union Telegraph 
office in Chicago. ,\11 of the children 
were horn in Illinois, whei'e Mr. De Groot 
still resides. He and his wife are promi- 
nent and influential residents of the city, 
occupying' an envialile position in social 
circles and gixing of their aid and influ- 
ence t<.i the \arious measures which tend 
to u])lift liumanity and advance the moral 
welfare. They hold membership in the 
Methodist church of .\ugusta and Mr. De 
("iro(it is a prohiliitionist in his political af- 
filiation, being a warm advocate of the 
cause of temperance. \\'hile connected 
with his profession he was an aljle practi- 
tioner, but the demands made upon his 
time and attention l)v his pr<iperty inter- 
ests led him to concentrate his energies 
upon the management of his farm and 
stock and he is today a leading representa- 
ti\-e of agricultural life in this section of 
the state. He does not take charge of the 
acti\e work of the farm but gives to it 
his personal supervision and his excellent 
luisiness qualificatirms are manifest in the 
desirable results which are attending his 
efforts. 



JOHN SHUTWELL. 

Among the citizens of Hancock county 
who were born across the water and w ho 
through many long years have aided in 
the development of the rich agricultural 
resources of this section of the state, is 
numbered John Shutwell, whose birth 
occurred in Yorkshire, England, August 
5, 1828. His parents, Frances and Eliz- 



alieth ( Xorwood ) Shutwell, were like- 
wise natives of the fatherland, the former 
a son of John Shutwell, and the latter 
a tlaughter of Robert Norw(jod. In-ancis 
Shutwell was a carpenter and joiner by 
trade, and, having heard favorable reports 
concerning" the new world, he. with his 
family crossed the .\tlantic on a sailing 
\essel m the winter of 1828. 1 hey re- 
sided for a short time at Toronto, Canada, 
and Ikiffalo, New York, and Dresden, and 
Cincinnati, Ohio, and Louisville, Ken- 
tucky, later traveling on the Ohio, ^Lissis- 
sippi and Illinois rivers until they reached 
Jacks(_inville, this state, where lived a 
brother-in-law of F^-ancis Shutwell, who 
bore the name of Adam Allison, who had 
located here some }ears prex'ious and was 
engaged in the C(.)nduct of a grist mill. 
He purchased forty acres of land situated 
about si-x miles west of where the city of 
Jacksonville now stands. Fie there worked 
at his trade, and was an acti\e factor in 
the erection of many substantial buildings 
of this portion of the state. In connec- 
tion with others he executed many large 
contracts. In 1852, having decided to 
engage in agricultural pursuits, he came 
with his family to Hancock county, the 
journe)' lieing made with team and 
wagons, where the father purchased two 
hundred and seventy-si.x acres of land ly- 
ing on section 6, La Harpe township. 
The land had been cleared but there were 
few improvements upon the place, it being 
wild prairie, and deer and many other 
wild animals were to be found roaming 
over the prairie and through the forests. 
The father at once undertook the work 
of transforming his land into a cultivable 
tract, broke the land, plowed the fields. 



44° 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



planted his crops, and in due course of 
time gathered abundant harvests as the re- 
sult of his care and laljur bestowed upon 
the fields. He made many improvements 
in the way of fences, outbuildings and a 
large country residence. He worked dili- 
gently and persistently year after year in 
carrying on his farming operations and 
thus made his property one of the rich 
and valuable tracts of this section nf the 
state. His death occurred on the home 
place in 1885, when he had reached the 
very \enerable age of ninety years. His 
widow continued to make her home there 
for a year and a half but at the time of 
her death, in 1898, was residing with her 
son John. She had reached the extreme 
old age of ninety-six years, and thus the 
county lost two of its most venerable 
pioneers. 

John Shutwell is the second in order 
of birth of three children, and the only 
surviving member of his father's family, 
his sisters being Mary, who became the 
wife of Daniel L. Dixon, and died manv 
years ago, and Jane, who wedded James 
Eckles and is also deceased. John Shut- 
well was reared upon the old homestead 
amid the scenes of frontier life, and 
shared with the family in the hardships 
and privations of a pioneer existence. He 
was early trained to the duties of the farm, 
and during the winter months pursued 
his studies in an old log cabin, which was 
used for a school house, the furnishings 
being of the most primitive character. 
He remained under the parental roof until 
the time of his marriage. August 12. 
1S58, when Miss Sarah Jane Bland lie- 
came his wife. She was a native of 
Greene countv. Pennsvlvania. her natal 



day being March 3. 1836. Her parents, 
Thomas and Elizabeth (McCulahy) 
Bland, were natives of England and Ire- 
land respectively, and the father served 
as soldier in the war of 1812. Both 
passed away in the Keystone state, after 
which the daughter, Elizabeth, accompa- 
nied the family of Jonathan W'hitlash to 
Hancock county, where she met and mar- 
ried John Shutwell. 

Following their marriage our suliject 
and his wife began their domestic life 
in a small house located on his father's 
farm, and here he continued to assist his 
father in the operation of the home place. 
In 1876 their primiti\-e home was re- 
placed b}' a more commodious and sub- 
stantial residence, and purchased sevent)- 
acres of the home farm, continuing its 
operation until the death of his father. 
when he purchased the interest of the 
other heirs and came into possession of 
the entire tract, his holdings comprising 
one hundred and eighty-six acres, of wdiich 
sixty acres adjoined the village of Disco, 
and a portion of this has since been platted 
and sold in town lots. He engaged in 
the work of general farming for many 
years, and in addition to his other inter- 
ests was extensively engaged in the rais- 
ing of hogs. Through his careful man- 
agement and unremitting' diligence he ac- 
quired a comfortable competence, so that 
in 1902 he retired from all active busi- 
ness pursuits and now rents his land, from 
which he derives an income sufficient to 
supply himself and family with all the 
comforts and man}- of the luxuries of life. 
He and his wife, however, 'continue to 
reside on the home farm. 

Unto our subject and his wife have 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



441 



been Ijoni three sons antl two daughters, 
as follows : Frank, who wedded Mar- 
g'aret Manifold and resides in Page 
county. Iowa; ]\Iary. now the wife of 
John R. Blythe. of Morris county. Kan- 
sas : Robert, «ho married Catherine 
Bh'the and makes his home near La 
Harpe; John Irwin, who wedded Bessie 
Freeland and is now living near Black- 
well. Oklahoma : and Emma Jane, the 
wife of Dr. Rov Hm'dle. a practicing 
dentist of Mount Sterling. Illinois. Mr. 
and Mrs. Shutwell liave reared a family 
of whom they have every reason U) be 
proud and have li\'ed to see all of them 
married and comfortably situated in life. 
In his political views Mr. Shutwell is 
a stanch republican and aside from hold- 
ing the ofifice of school director for one 
term has taken no active part in public 
affairs. Man\' wonderful changes have 
occurred since he took up his abode in 
this county as the forests have been 
cleared and in their stead are now seen 
^^aluable and productive tracts of land, 
in the midst of which many thriving 
towns and villages have sprung into ex- 
istence, and progress has been made along 
all lines of commercial, industrial and 
agricultural development, ami in this werk 
Mv. Shutwell has taken an active and 
helpful part. He has spent a ^'er^• busy 
and active life and with the assistance of 
his estimable wife they have accumulated 
a competence which now enables them 
to live in honorable retirement, enjoying 
the fruits of their former toil. They 
are excellent people, highly esteemed 
throughout the county, where thev are 
known for their many excellent traits 
of heart and mind. 



\MLLIAM HENRY MOORE. 

\\ illiam Henry Moore, a retired farmer 
living in Carthage, enjoying in well 
earned ease the fruits of his former toil, 
is a native of Delaware, having been 
born in Newcastle county, on the 26th of 
March. 1832, his parents Ijeing Andrew 
and Abigail (Tweed) [Moure. His par- 
ents were likewise nati\'es of that coun- 
ty, the former born Januaiy 13, 1805. 
and the latter on the i6th of July, 1805. 
The father was a tanner by trade, and 
hoping to enjoy better business opportu- 
nities in the new and growing- west where 
competition was not so great, he removed 
to HancDck county, Illinois, wliere he ar- 
rived on the 28th of May, 1837. He 
found himself on the frontier, the work 
(if improvement and prog'ress being 
scarcely begun. ]\Iuch of the land was 
still unclaimed and uncultivated and the 
task of development largely lay in the 
future. He resided upon a farm in Bear 
Creek township, finding a claim upon 
which a log cabin had been built. Soon 
afterward, however, he removed to a 
prairie claim, where he built a log house. 
The homes of the settlers were widely 
scattered and the countryside was cov- 
ered with timber or else by the native 
prairie grasses. The pioneer ccmdition 
of the district is evidenced b^- the fact 
that there were many wild deer, and less- 
er game was to be had in abundance. 
Venison was no unusual dish on the ta- 
ble of the early settlers and turkeys, prai- 
rie chickens and quail furnished many a 
meal for the residents of that period. An- 
drew Moore followed farming in Bear 
Creek township until 1865. when he re- 



44^ 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl lEW 



tired frniii acti\e life, suld his property 
and rcninvetl U> ^Marion county, Illincjis, 
where he spent his remaining days. He 
ihed in February. 1882, at tlie age of 
se\enty-seven years, and was biu'ied in 
Moss Ridge cemetery, at Carthage. His 
wife survi\-e(l until June 22. 1890. and 
was then laid to rest by the side of her 
husband. Mr. Abjure had \-oted with tlie 
Republican part}-, which he joined on its 
organization, and he ser\-ed as township 
clerk and justice of the peace. Both he 
and his wife were members of the Meth- 
odist church, in w'hich Mr. Moore held 
all of the offices and in tlie w'ork of wdiich 
they took an active and helpful part. In 
the famil}' were seven children : William 
Henrw of this review: Mary Elizabetli. 
who is the widow of Wesley C. Williams, 
and lives with her bnither \\'illiam ; Levi 
B., who resides in Denison, Texas; Anna 
Maria, the wife of Calender Rohrbaugh, 
of Kinmundy, Marion count\-, Illinois: 
and Rachel, the wife of John K. Coch- 
ran, of Elderville, Hancock county. One 
son Levi B. Moore, was a soldier of the 
Civil war, enlisting in the One Hundred 
and Eighteenth Regiment of Illinois 
Mounted Cavalry. He remained from 
1862 until 1865 in the service and ^lar- 
ticipated in the siege of Vicksburg un- 
der Grant. 

William Henry Moore, reared amid 
pioneer surroundings, acquired his educa- 
tion in the old-time log schoolhouses of 
Hancock county, where instruction w'as 
given in reading, writing, arithmetic and 
perhaps a few other of the elementary 
branches of learning. In 1849, attracted 
by the discovery of gold in California, he 
made his way to the mining regions. 



spending several }ears upon the I'acilic 
coast. In May, 1855, he returned to 
Hancock county and began farming in 
Prairie township. His experience in 
youth as an assistant in his father's fields 
now came in good play and he carefully 
and s}stematically directed his farm 
wiirk, which he carried on successfully 
until 1890. As the years passed by his 
capital was increased until he became a 
man in affluent circumstances. In 1890 
he retired from further business cares. In 
1883 he remo\ed to Carthage and pur- 
chased a beautiful home on Head street, 
since which time he has lived in this city, 
n<iw enjoying the comforts wdiich have 
Clinic to him as the result of his active 
labur in former years. 

As a companion and helpmate for life's 
journey Air. iMoore chose Miss Helen 
Maria Rag"e, wdi(_)m he wedded on the 
1st of Februar}', i860, and who was born 
in \'ermont, December 16, 1839, her par- 
ents being Ozra and Elmira (Morse) 
I'age, also natives of the Green Mountain 
state. Her father w'as a farmer by occu- 
pation, and in 1848 came to Carthage, but 
was ni>t long permitted to enjoy his new 
hcime, fcir he died July 19, 1851. His 
wife surx'ived him until 1857, antl lies 
buried in the Basco (IlOnois) cemetery, 
while Mr. Page was laid to rest in 
Carthage cemetery. They were both 
earnest Christian people and held 
membership in the Methodist church. 
In their faiuily were fi\e children : 
Helen Alaria, now Mrs. Page: Henry 
W., who is li\-ing near Arbela, Mis- 
sc_)uri : and Cynthia, the wife of George 
Rand, of Nebraska. Henry W. Page 
was a soldier of the Civil war, serv- 



HAXCOCK COUXTV, ILLIXOIS. 



443 



ing- in the One liuiidred antl Eighteentli 
Illinois Regiment. His brother. Zeno D. 
Page, now deceased, was also a defender 
of the Union canse. enlisting in the 
Twelfth Illinois Cavaln'. L'nto Mr. and 
3>irs. Aloore have been born four children, 
all natives of Hancock county, of whom 
three are now living. Frank E. is a 
hardware merchant residing in Sulphur. 
Indian Territory. J^euis A. resides in 
Evanston. and is general adjustei" for 
the Traders Insurance Company, is mar- 
ried and has two sons. Leonard Page and 
W illiam C. aged respectivelv seven and 
two years. .Anna Laura is the wife of 
William Bruce, who was killed in the 
Chicago switchyards in 1899. She now 
lives with her father and has two chil- 
dren: Helen, who was born September 
24, 1895, '111'' \\ illiam Ronald, who was 
born August 9, 1898. Their father. Wil- 
liam Bruce, was a nati\e of Xew \'ork. 

Mr. Aloore owns two impmxed farms 
in Hancock county, which bring to him 
a gcjod financial return. ( )ne comprises 
a quarter section in Prairie townsliip. 
and the other embraces one hundred and 
sixty acres in Bear Creek township and 
both are now rented advantageousK-. In 
his political views Mr. Moore is an 
earnest republican, and in 1880 ser\-ed as 
road supeiwisor. He has also been path 
master and alderman of Carthage for two 
terms, discharging Ins ohicial duties in 
prompt and callable manner. He is an 
Odd Fellow and has ])assed all of the 
chairs in the subordinate lodge. Both he 
and his wife are memljers of the Meth- 
odist church and are activel\- interesteil 
in its work, floing all in their powei" to 
])romote its growth and extend its influ- 



ence. Mr. Moore is a man of good heart, 
honest and kindl}' and of upright prin- 
ciples, and has made it the aim of his 
life to foll(jw the "-(jlden rule. 



JOSEPH US NEWELL. 

Josephus ?\ewell, a farmer and stock- 
raiser living on section 6, W'. ihe town- 
ship, was Ijorn in \'an Buren countv. 
Iowa, July 31, 1839. His parents were 
David and Rebecca (Carson) Newell, the 
former born in Kentucky. May 16, 1803, 
and the latter in Indiana. January 31, 
iScj. They were married in Danville, 
Illinois, at which time Mrs. Newell was 
the widow of Mr. Doubleda\-. By her 
former marriage she had one daughter. 
i^ow .Mrs. ]\lar\- .\nn B\ar<l. The \ea.r 
1833 witnessed the arrival of Mr. and 
Mrs. Newell in Van Buren countw Iowa. 
They cast in their lot with the pioneer set- 
tlers in a region where Indians were still 
numerous and which was infested with 
wild lieasts. The)' li\ed in true pioneer 
style, sharing in the hardships and priva- 
tions that u.sually fall to the lot of those 
who estal)lish homes on the frontier and 
bearing their share in the wr)rk of general 
improvement. On leaving \'an Buren 
county thev removed io Davis countv, 
Iowa, where they resided until 1831. when 
they became residents of \\'vthe town- 
ship. Hancock countv. Illinois. 

Here Mr. Newell rented a farm until 



444 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl lEW 



J 860, when he purchased eighty acres of 
land upon wliich he spent his remaining 
da\s, his death occurring on the 4th of 
June, 1874. Many years before he had 
lost his first wife, who died February 13, 
1848. and subsequently he had married 
Catherine Rose, who passed away about 
1807. 

Josephus Newell was the fourth in or- 
der of birth in a famil}- of fi\e sons and 
two daughters. He lived w'ith his father to 
the age of eighteen years and in a district 
school of Wythe township mastered the 
usual branches of learning therein taught. 
When eighteen years of age he started out 
in life on his own account, working as a 
farm hand until 1862, when he made his 
\\a}- westward tn Denver, Colorado, and 
thence intu the mountains where he en- 
gaged in mining and in herding cattle. 
Also during his sojourn in the west he 
freig'hted across the ])lains from Denver 
to the Missouri river. After four years 
of that somewhat wild and dangerous life, 
during which he experienced many of the 
hard.ships and excitements incident to life 
I in tlie bnrders of civilization, he returned 
to the I lid homestead and assisted his fa- 
ther until the latter's death. He contin- 
ued to reside upon the home farm until 
]88i. when he sold that place, and in con- 
nection wiUi his brother James purchased 
one hundred acres of land on section 6, 
Wythe township. This was partially cov- 
ered with timber. The brothers cultivated 
the farm for a time, but in the spring of 
TO02 James Newell sold his half of the 
farm and went to Oklahoma, where he 
now resides. 

Mr. Newell of this re\-iew is liere carPi'- 
ing on general agricultural pursuits and 



stock-raising, keeping horses, cattle and 
hogs upon his place. Through the rota- 
tion of crops and other advanced methods 
of farming, he has made his land veiy 
productive and everything about the farm 
is indicative of the skill and supervision 
of the owner, who is both practical and 
[irogressive in his methods. 

In September. 1879, Mr. Newell was 
married to Marv Simpson, a native of 
lluffalo. New York, and the widow of 
,\ntlion_\- Uitenauer. By her former mar- 
riage she had two children : Anthony, 
who died in infanc}': and Annie E.. now 
the wife of Alexander Alagness, of Bel- 
f.ast. Iowa. To her marriage to Air. New- 
ell one child was horn. .Adelaide, whose 
birth occurred July 14, 1880. Mrs. New- 
ell passed awa\' Jul\- i<j, 1886, and was 
laid to rest in the Wvthe cemeterv. 

}\lr. Newell is independent in politics 
nor has he ever sought or desired public 
office. He has concentrated his eiTorts 
upon his business interests and has lived a 
life of um'emitting diligence and persever- 
ance, working hard year after year to ac- 
cumulate ;i comfortable ciimpetence. 



WILLIAM HARVEY MARSHALL. 

William Harvey Marshall, a leading 
representative of agricultural interests in 
Hancock county, with his home farm in 
Montebello township and adjoining prop- 
erty in Prairie township, was bom in 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



445 



Richland count)-, Ohio, Xdvember 21. 
1848, his parents being W'iHiani and 
Nancy (Thompson) Marshall, who were 
natives of Pennsylvania. The grandfa- 
ther, James Marshall, was likewise bom 
in the Keystone state and the paternal 
and maternal grandparents of our sub- 
ject removed from the east to Ohio, the 
former settling in Richland and the lat- 
ter in \\'ayne county. At a later date 
James Marshall went to Marion county, 
Iowa, where he secured land and spent 
his remaining days. His grandson and 
namesake, James Marshall, Jr., the eld- 
est brother of our subject, was visiting 
him in Iowa at the time of the breaking 
out of the Civil war and there, his pa- 
triotic spirit aroused, he enlisted in the de- 
fense of the Union as a member of the 
Eighth Iowa Infantry. In the first day 
of the battle of Shiloh he was wounded 
in the leg and was captured by the Con- 
federates, remaining in their hands until 
they were repulsed. He did not receive 
proper medical attention, but was taken 
to an old house, where his leg was ampu- 
tated. He was then placed on board a 
Mississippi river steamboat, which was 
used for hospital purposes and which was 
bound for Keokuk, but he died about four 
miles below that city, and was buried in 
the soldiers' cemetery at Keokuk. His 
father, in Ohio, learning of his son's 
wound, started to look for him in the 
hospitals at Cincinnati, and not finding 
him there went to St. Louis, Missouri, 
where he examined the hospitals. Still 
unsuccessful in his search he proceeded 
up the river to Keokuk, where he learned 
that his son had died and was buried. 
The father then started upon the return 



trip and passed through Hancock coun- 
ty. He was so greatly impressed with 
the country and its possibilities and pros- 
pects that after the war he disposed of 
his property in Ohio and purchased one 
hundred acres of land in Montebello 
township, which was an improved prairie 
fann. He then took up his abode upon 
that place and the following winter 
l^ought one hundred and eighty acres of 
land in Wythe township but never resided 
on the latter tract. Eventually he re- 
tired from active business life and re- 
moved Uj Elvaston, where he died Decem- 
ber 27, 1895, having for several years 
survived his wife, who passed away in 
October, 1889. They were the parents 
of five sons and five daughters : Me- 
lissa, the wife of Captain M. Geddes, of 
Butler county, Kansas; Lula, the wife of 
George Hastings, of the city of Okla- 
homa; Archibald L., of Knox county, 
Missouri ; William Harvey, of this re- 
view ; Willis, who is living in Mon- 
mouth, Illinois; and John W., also a resi- 
dent of Oklahoma. 

\\'illiam Harvey Marshall largely ac- 
quired his education in the district schools 
of Ashland county, Ohio, and spent one 
term as a student in the academy at 
Hayesville, Ohio. He remained with his 
parents until 1875 and assisted in the 
farm work, gaining thorough and prac- 
tical knowledge of the best methods of 
tilling the soil and caring for the crops. 
On starting out in life on his own ac- 
count he rented a farm of eighty acres 
on section 13, Montebello township, and 
a year later he secured a companion and 
helpmate for life's journey by his mar- 
riage on the 20th of January, 1876, to 



446 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAIEW 



Miss Annette Harper, a native of Tennes- 
see, and a daug'hter i)f I-'rank and I^liza- 
l)etli (jolinson) Harper. L'ntn Mr. and 
Mrs. Marshall were burn twn children 
I\ul)\-. wild was l)iirn Xoveniber i. 1876. 
and i>- n(i\\ the wife nf Merbert L. Camp- 
l)ell. nf Mdutehellii tDwnshi]). ami Mabel 
.\.. will! was l)(irn Decemlier 5. 1S77. and 
is now a teacher in the pul)lic scliimls at 
('amp Point. Illinois. The wife and 
mnthei' died Decemljer 14. 1S77. and nn 
the JOtli of October, 1881, Afr. Marshall 
wedded Kttie May Kirkpatrick. who was 
born in Adams county, Illinois. AIa_\" i. 
1837. a daug'hter of Benjamin J. and 
Mary Turner (Orr) Kirkpatrick. natives 
of Tennessee and Kentucky respectively. 
Her paternal i^randparents were John and 
Eliza (Cox) Kirkjiatrick. natives of 
Xorth Carolina, and her maternal orand- 
parents were William and Mary ( Tur- 
ner ) Orr. who were natives of Kentuck}. 
V>\ the second marriage of Mr. Marshall 
there are si.\ children: William F.. born 
hA'bruary 5, T883: Mary Josei)liine. born 
.\pril _'3. 1885; Frederick Lee. April 25. 
1887: Harvey Paul, February 14. i8Sg; 
Geraldine. July 28. 1891 ; and Jeanette. 
March 29. 1892. 

Following- his marriage William H. 
^larshall purchased eighty acres of Land 
froiu his father. There were some l)ui!d- 
ings upon the place but he li;is >et out 
all of the trees and has erected his pres- 
ent residence, a two-story franie dwelling. 
He also built a large barn in 1889 .and 
has since put an addition thereto, making- 
it a commodious structure si.\ty-two by 
thirt^--si.\ feet. He now owns one hun- 
dred and five acres fif land on section 19, 
Prairie town.sliip. which corners with his 



home place, anil in 1802 he set out a fine 
apple orchard and also has fifl\- peach 
trees upon his farm. He raises the ce- 
reals best adapted t(j soil and climate and 
also raises cattle and Poland China liogs. 
His farm is now a splendidly developed 
propert}' and from the sale of his prod- 
ucts he deri\es a good income. He votes 
w ith the Reiniblicai-: ])arty but is without 
as])iration for office and his religious faith 
is indicate<l b\- his membershi]) in the 
Presbxterian church. 



W ILLIAM PERRIX. 

\\ illiam Perrin. who since 1871 ha.s 
been a resident of La Harpe and for n-iany 
\-ears was closelv associated with its com- 
mercial interests as proprietor of a drug- 
store l)ut is now living retired, w-as born 
in Stockbriclge. England, November 30, 
183C1. his parents being William and Eliz- 
abeth (CiuUiver) Perrin. both of whom 
were nati\-es of Stockridge. the former 
born October 20. 1803, and the latter 
Se])tember 20. 1810. The paternal 
grandparents were Richanl and Catherine 
(LIulbert) Perrin, both of whom were 
natives of Hampshire, England, and the 
maternal grandfather. ( ieorge Gulliver, 
w-as also born in England. In his early 
\-outh William I'errin, Sr., worked with 
his father at the shoemaker's trade for 
se\-eral vears and afterward turned his 
attention to comniercial pursuits, being 



RAXCOCK COL'XT]\ ILL/XOIS. 



447 



engaged in the grocen- and dry guods 
business with a brother. In this he con- 
tinued until the spring of 1X47. when, 
crossing the Atlantic ti) the new world 
to enjoy its broader business opportunities, 
he made his way to Monmouth. Illinois, 
where he arrived on the 27th of June. 
Soon afterward he purchased a farm three 
miles niirthwest of that city, tonk up his 
abode therenn and made it liis himie until 
1S56. when he sold the property and re- 
moved to Alonmouth. where he lived for 
a number of years. During the period 
of the Civil war. how exer, he traded some 
town propert\' for a farm four miles 
northwest of the city and removed to that 
place, wdiereon his wife died August 20. 
1S68. He later traded that farm fur real 
estate in Alonmouth and continued to re- 
side there until his death, which occurred 
July 10. 1886. 

William Perrin of this review was the 
second in a family of three sons and six 
daughters. Xo event of special impor- 
tance occurred to vary the routine of farm 
life for him in his youth after coming to 
America with his i^arents when about 
eleven years of age. He continued under 
the parental roof until i860, when he Ije- 
gan farming on his own account by rent- 
ing forty acres of land four miles west 
of ^fonmouth. He afterwards rented 
another farm the next season and his first 
crop was a good one but the second one 
was a failure, for the season was ver)' 
wet. About that time he put aside all 
personal and business considerations in 
order to respond to his ccmntry's call for 
aid to crush out the rebellion in the south 
ruid on the (Sth of August, 1862, he en- 
listed as a member of Company F, 



Eight}"-third Regiment of Illinois Infan- 
tr_\-, under command of Captain John T. 
.Morgan and Colonel A. C. Harding. 
This regiment was assigned to the .\rmy 
of the Cumberland and the troops pro- 
ceeded from Burlington by boat t<i St. 
Louis. ^Missouri, wdiere they were trans- 
ferred to a larger boat and taken to Cairo, 
Illinois. On the y\ of September the_\' 
took a steamer to h^>rt Henr_\- and after- 
ward went to I'^jrt Donelson. Tennessee. 
The}- were in the battle on the y\ of 
Februarx". 1863. the L'nion troops engag- 
ing generals Forrest and Wheeler with 
eight thousand men. ^Iv. Perrin's 
I)rother-in-law was standing by his 
side and was shot. He was then taken 
to the hospital at Paducali, Kentucky, and 
there died from lock-jaw on the 23d of 
February. 1864. 

At the cl<ise of the war he was taken 
to Xashville, Tennessee, where he was 
mustered out June 26, 1865, and \vitli 
his regiment went to Chicago, where the 
men received their i)ay and were dis- 
charged Jul}- 4, 1865. He made a cred- 
itable militar\- record, being alwa}s ;it his 
]iost of dut\- whether on the lonel}- ])icket 
line or on the firing line, .\fter being 
discharged he started for his father's 
home near Monmouth. Xot long after- 
ward he niade arrangements to enter 
l)u>iness life b}- purchasing a stock of 
drugs, which he offered foj- sale in the 
Seminar\- block in Moniuoutli. There he 
carried on business until he sold out to 
Dr. Cuthburt, who afterward sold to Dr. 
A. \'. T. tiilbert. In the summer of 
1871. 'Slv. Perrin caiue to La Harjie, 
where he purchased the drug stock of 
Dr. Sutton and continued in business until 



448 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJ'IEW 



Decemljer 14, iQOo, when he sold out to 
J. X. Canipl:>ell. He was for ahiiost 
thirt}^ years a leading druggist in this 
town and conducted a profitable business, 
having a well appointed store and doing 
everything in his power to meet the wishes 
of his patrons, so that he enjoyed a large 
trade. After selling his stock he con- 
ducted the business, however, for one 
year for Mr. Campbell antl then clerked 
for two years for Mr. Knappenlierger. 
Since that time he has lived retired, en- 
joying a well-earned rest. He owns a 
fine brick residence in La Harpe and also 
the south half of the Masonic block, 
which is two stories in height and 
which contains a store building. This 
brings him a good income. 

On the 4th of October, 1866, Mr. Per- 
rin was united in marriage to Miss Mary 
Todd, wdio was born in Burlington, Towa. 
May 31, 1845. and is a daughter of Miles 
and Eunice (Haig'ht) Todd, natives of 
Ohio. The children of this marriage are 
as follows: Flora Emma, born August 
6, 1867; Mary E., born November 10, 
1870, and now the wife of E. G. Braymen, 
of Monett, Missouri ; William Miles, who 
was born January 30, 1873, and died Feb- 
ruary 17, 1874; Harriet Eunice, wdio was 
born November 27, 1874, and is at home: 
Arthur E., who was born October 5. 
1876, and is living in Monett. Missouri : 
George Gulliver, born October 28. 1878. 
and now a student in the University of 
Chicago; and Fleming Allen, born April 
29. 1884, and is now a student in 
Champaign. 

Mr. Perjin is a member of the Christian 
church, in which he has served as elder 
since 1800 and also as clerk. He takes 



an active interest in church work and does 
all in his power to extend its influence 
and promote its growth. In politics he is 
a republican and served as school director 
in La Harpe township, but otherwise has 
sought nor desired public office. His un- 
divided attention in foriner years was 
given to his business interests, \vhich. be- 
ing carefully managed, brought to him 
a good financial return and now, with a 
comfortable competence gained thrijugh 
his own labors, he is living retired in the 
enjoyment of well-earned ease. 



C. A. ECKLES. 



C. A. Eckles is the owner of a fine farm- 
ing property comprising three hundred 
;ind eighty-seven acres in Durham town- 
ship on section 13. and he also has eighty 
acres on section 7, La Harpe township, to- 
gether with five acres of timber i:i the 
latter township. Starting out in life on 
his own account at the age of fourteen 
\ears. and providing to a considerable ex- 
tent for his mother and sisters, he certain- 
Iv deserves much credit for the success he 
has achieved and his life record should 
ser\c as a source of inspiration to others. 
pro\'ing what may be accomplished 
through perseverance and close adherence 
to the rules which govern unfaltering dili- 
gence and unswerving integrity. 

A native of Adams county. Illinois, 
he was Ixirn in 1853, and is a son of Sam- 
uel and Diana (Hopson) Eckles, the 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



449 



former a native of Virginia and the lat- 
ter of Ohio. Both were married twice. 
The father was a carpenter b}' trade and 
removed to Ihinois in 1851, becoming a 
resident of Durham township, Hancock 
county, in the fall of 1854. He lived the 
life of an honest, upright and enterpris- 
ing farmer, was loyal to the best inter- 
ests of the community and gave his po- 
litical support to the democrac}'. He died 
in 1S76, while the mother of our subject 
passed away in 1872. Both were interred 
in Durham cemetery. After losing her 
first husband the mother became the wife 
of Samuel Eckles. Unto Samuel and 
Diana Eckles were born six children . 
C. A. : Emma C, who died at the age of 
eleven }ears : Xarcissa B., deceased wife 
of Horace Dodd, who has also passed 
away; Johanna, the wife of Lsaac G. Kil- 
gore. of La Harpe; Ella, the wife of John 
Kilgore, of Nebraska; and Mahala, the 
wife of Charles Cambron, living in La- 
Crosse, Illinois. 

C. A. hxkles was only about a year old 
when his jiarents rem(i\ed from Adams 
county to Durham township and here in 
the public schools he was educated. He 
lost his father when fourteen years of age 
and remained w itli his mother, assisting 
iier in the work of the farm, until twenty- 
six years of age, when he went to Colo- 
rado, working in the Leadville mines for 
two years. Following his marriage he set- 
tled on the old homestead in Durham 
township and li\ed in the old house until 
1902, when he erected an elegant country 
home, supplied with all modern improve- 
ments and conveniences. He has also 
Ijuilt fine bams and sheds, has built fences 
and put up windmills and is now the 



owner of one of the model farms of the 
count}-, comprising three hundred and 
eighty-seven acres on section 13, Durham 
township, and eighty acres on section 7, La 
Harpe township, in addition to which he 
owns a five-acre timber tract. He is a gen- 
eral farmer and also raises considerable 
stock, his farming interests being so care- 
fully, systematically and admirably man- 
aged that he seems to have realized the 
utmost possibility for successful ac- 
complishment. 

In 1882 Mr. Eckles was married to 
Aliss Frances B. Nichols, who was born 
in La Harpe township, in 1859, a daugh- 
ter of Joseph and Thirza (Murdock) 
Nichols, both of whom were natives of 
Pennsylvania and came to Hancock coun- 
ty in 1852, the father settling en a farm 
in La Harpe township, where he became 
an extensive dealer in stock. Both he and 
his wife have now passed away. Of their 
se\'en children, only two are living: Mrs. 
Eckies ; and Ida, wife of David R. Sights, 
of La Harpe township. Mr. and Mrs. 
Eckles had four children : Amy, Ada and 
Marion, all at home: and Inez, who died 
at the age of two 3'ears. 

Mr. and Mrs. Eckles are members of 
the Methodist Protestant church and he 
belongs to the Durham Lodge of Wood- 
men and to the La Harpe Lodge of Odd 
Fellows, in which he has passed all the 
chairs. In politics he is a democrat and 
has served for two terms as supervisor 
of Durham township, also as highway 
commissioner and as a member of the 
school board. His fellow townsmen have 
also given other evidences of their confi- 
dence in him and he is in every way 
worthv of their trust. 



450 



BIOGRAPHICAL A'EI 'lEll 



W ILLIAAI JA.MES TOMLIXSON. 

William James Tomlinson, whose life 
lias been nne nt earnest labor characler- 
i/^eil l)_v fidelity to duty and straightfor- 
ward dealing in all relations, makes his 
home in Augusta, where he is n(i\v acting 
as sexton of the Christian church. He 
was horn u' IIum|)hre\s count}-. I'ennes- 
see, .\ugust y. 1837, a son of Daniel and 
h'.milv (Ridings) Tomlinson. tiie f(.)rmer 
a nati\-e of South Carolina and the latter 
of Xorth Carolina. The father remo\ed 
to Tennessee when a schoolboy and the 
mother became a resident of that state 
when only three years of age. Mr. Tom- 
linson engaged in farming throughout 
the ])eriod of his residence there and in 
1832 he came t<i Illinois, making an over- 
land journey with horse teams. He set- 
tled in Jackson county, this state, where 
he purchased eighty acres of land, which 
he cultivated and improved, making a 
good home there for himself and family. 
In 1854, howe\'er, he removed to Augus- 
ta town.ship, Hancock count}', where he 
rented land and continued farming until 
iS3(). when, on the _'oth of Dctolier of 
that ^■ear. his life's labors were ended in 
death. He passed awa}' at the age of fif- 
ty-three }'ears and ten days. He was a 
democrat in politics and was known as a 
man of thorough relial>ilit\'. His wife 
long survixed him and passed awa\- March 
22. 1895, on the old homestead west of 
Augusta at the ad\anced age of eighty-six 
years. She was a member of the Baptist 
church and was laid to rest h}' the side 
of her husband in 1\ilaski cemeter}-. Tn 
the lamilv were nine children, but onl}' 
two are now living. 



William J. Tomlinson acquired his 
earl}- education in a log schoolhouse at 
the place of his nati\-ity and in his \outh 
assisted his lather up(jn the home farm. 
He afterward attended school in Augusta 
for a sh(;rt time and when eighteen years 
of age he began working as a section hand 
on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 
Railroad. There his capabilit\ aufl trust- 
worthiness gained him pron-iotiiMi and for 
tv\ent}--t\\-o }-ears he had charge of sectioi-i 
J3 at .\ugusta, filling the ])osition ci:in- 
tinuiusl}- until iS()8. Since his retirernent 
from the railroad serx'ice he has acted as 
sexton of the Christian church at Augus- 
ta. He has always lived a busy life inter- 
rupted only Ij}' liis service in the Civil war. 
for which he enlisted on the uth of .\u- 
gust, 1862, lieconiing a member of Coni- 
P'an\ \, l'jght\ -ninth Illinois Infantrx'. 
with which he ser\ed until the close of hos- 
tilities. \\-hen he was |-nustered out with his 
regiment at Xaslnille, Tennessee. June 
10. 1865. He particip;Ueil in the battles 
of Stoi-ie River. L'hickamauga. i^.lissionary 
Ridge. I.cokout Ahnuitaii-i and the .\tlanta 
cam]jaign, also the engagements at Frank- 
lin and Nashville and niany others of less- 
er importance. He \vas w-onnded at Pick- 
ett's Mills, Georgia. .\s a soldier he was 
hra\'e and loyal. ahva}-s at his post of dut}' 
whether it called him to the firing line or 
the loneh' picket line. He is now- a mem- 
ber of Cnion Post. Xo. 302. ( irand Ami}- 
of the l\e]niblic. at .\u,gusta and serxed 
for .sonie time as its (|uartermaster. 

Following his retm'n from the ami}- Mr. 
Tomlinson w;is married at Augusta on 
the _'d of Jui;e. 1867. to Miss Anjaliiie 
Booker, a d,-uighter of Samuel J. and 
Sarah W. (Haworth) Booker. Her fa- 



HAX'CUCK COUXTV. JLLIXOIS. 



451 



ther was born in West X'irginia and when 
se\'en \'ears of age became a resident of 
N'ermibon county, IlHnois. Thruughout 
his entire hfe he followed the occupation 
of farming and his last days were spent 
in .\dams county. He, too, was a soldier 
iif the Ci\il war, serving with the bo}S 
in blue of Comijany C, Seventy -eighth 11- 
liniiis Infantry. His wife died in Law- 
rence, Kansas, at the age of sixty-trve 
years. Mrs. T(jmlinson was educated in 
Augusta and has li\ed in the village since 
1864. B\- this marriage there have been 
born nine cbilch'en : Ella G., who ilieil 
at the age of thirteen months; August F.. 
])oHce magistrate at Galesburg, Illinois, 
who married Susie Raymond and has fi\'e 
children — Kenneth C, William Carroll. 
Charles L., deceased, Lois and Jesse L. ; 
Rosette IM., a teacher in tiie public schools 
of El\"aston : Effie. who became the wife 
of Elmer J. Eellew and died lea\ing one 
son, Chellis; Jennie, who tlied at the age 
of three years : Bertha, who is a typesetter 
in the office of the Augusta Eagle; Mary, 
wild died at the age of seven years ; Jessie. 
who (lied at the age of eight years; and 
James Robert, at home. All of the chil- 
dren were born in the residence which the 
parents yet occupy. Mr. Tomlinson having 
built the home in 1868. He and his wife 
are members of the Christian church and 
he belongs to Augusta camp. No. 
^2/, Modern Woodmen of America. 
His political allegiance is given to the 
Republican party, which was the de- 
fense of the LTnion in the Civil war and 
which has always been the party of reform 
and progress. He is today a valued and 
respected citizen of Augusta and in public 
affairs has manifested the same loval and 



])rogressi\e spirit which characterized his 
miHtary service on the l)attlefields of the 
south. 



\\'illia:m c. stidum. 

William C. Stidum. residing on liis 
farm of one hundred and sixty acres on 
section 18, Pilot (irove township, is a 
native of Hancock county, Kentucky, 
born April 17, 1843. His parents were 
Henr\- and Sarah ( Marene ) Stidum, tlie 
former a nati\-e of Tennessee and the lat- 
ter of Indiana. They removed from Ken- 
tucky to Perry county, Indiana, where 
both passed awa\'. 

William C. Stidum resided in his na- 
tive county until he had attained his ma- 
jorit\- and his education was acquired in 
the common schools. His mother died 
in 1854, when he was only eleven years 
of age and he soon afterward started out 
in life on iiis own account, working on 
various farms until after the outbreak of 
the Civil war, when, in 1861, he enlisted 
as a member of Company B, Seventeenth 
Kentucky Regiment, and served until the 
close of hostilities. He was in the bat- 
tle of Fort Donelson, Corinth, Shiloh. 
[Missionary Ridge and other important 
military movements, including the march 
from Atlanta to the sea, and was honor- 
abl}- discharged and mustered out at Lou- 
isville, Kentucky, having made a credit- 
able record as a soldier by his unfalter- 
ing bravery and loyalty. He enlisted as 
a private soldier but in about one month's 
time he was promoted to the duties of 
colorbearer for his regiment. 



452 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IEW 



After the war Mr. Stidum returned 
to Hanoi ick cininty, Kentucky, where he 
engaged in farming for about two years. 
He then came to Illinois, settling at To- 
lono, Champaign county, where he also 
spent about two years, after which he 
came to Hancock county, taking up his 
abode in Durham township, where he fol- 
lowed farming on rented land for five 
3'ears. He next removed to Pilot Grove 
township, where he purchased a farm of 
one hundred and sixty acres of par- 
tially improved land, whereon he made a 
home for himself and family. For thirteen 
3'ears lie lived upon that farm, after 
which he sold the property and bought 
his present place, which at that time was 
only partially improved. He has here 
erected a good residence, barns and other 
outbuildings' and has developed a model 
farm property equipped with all modern 
accessories and conveniences. In addi- 
tion he owns eighty acres adjoining the 
homestead property and throughout his 
entire life he has carried on general farm- 
ing and stock-raising-, meeting with a 
creditable measure of success. 

On the 8th of November, 1876, Mr. 
Stidum was married to ]\Irs. Sarah E. 
Haley, a nati\-e of Durham township, 
Hanccjck county. Illinois, and a daughter 
of Samuel and Jane (Phillips) Shinn. na- 
tives of Ohio and Indiana respectively. 
Her parents came to Illinois about 1854, 
settling in Durham township, where Mr. 
Shinn engaged in farming where he li\'ed 
until his death. He died at about the 
age of eighty-two years and his wife siu'- 
vived him for about three weeks, passing 
awav at the age <if sixty-eight. He was 
one of the prosperous men of hi'^ d'.v. 



Their daughter Sarah was educated in 
the schools of Durham township and 
there reared to womanhood. She first 
married a Mr. Haley, by whom she had 
one daughter, Stella, now the wife of 
James Bassett, a fanner of Dallas town- 
ship, 1)\' whom she has three children. 
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Stidum have been 
born three children. Jesse D. resides on 
his father's farm, which he operates. He 
is now twenty-seven years of age and he 
married Miss Pearl A\'right. a daughter 
of John Wright, of Webster, Illinois, by 
whom he had one child, who died in in- 
fancy. In politics he is a Republican and 
belongs to the Independent Order of Odd 
Fellows. William S. resides upon the 
home farm. Roy E. is a farmer of Pilot 
Grove township, renting forty acres of 
land, and he also aids in the operation of 
the olfl home place. Roy E. is twenty- 
three years of age and recently married 
Miss Inez Towles, daughter of Mr. Ster- 
ling Towles, of Plymouth, Illinois. 

In politics Mr. Stidum is a republican, 
but is without aspiration for office, pre- 
ferring to concentrate his energies upon 
his business affairs and other interests. 



JACOB GROVE. 



Jacob Grove was one of the earliest 
settlers of Hancock county, where he took 
up his abode in April, 1836. From that 
time until his death he was closely as- 
sociated with the early development of 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



453 



the county and although more than sixty 
years have been added to the cycle of the 
centuries since he passed away, he should 
be mentioned and honored as one of those 
who aided in laying the foundation for 
the present development and progress of 
this part of the state. 

A native of Page county, Virginia, he 
was born in October, 1809, a son of 
Christian and ]\Iary (Gochenour) Gro^•e, 
who were likewise natives of the Old 
Dominion. Educated in the subscription 
schools, Jacob drox-e afterwanl learned 
and followed the miller's trade in \'ir- 
ginia, where he owned a grist mill. 
While still residing in that state he was 
married to Miss Rebecca Lionberger. who 
was born in Page county, Virginia, June 
10, 1 816, a daughter of Joseph and 
Esther (Burner) Lionberger. natives of 
the same county, and a granddaughter of 
John and Barbara (Hershberger) Lion- 
berger. who were born in Pennsyl\-ania. 
The maternal grandparents were John 
and Lvthia ( Voting) Burner, natives of 
Virginia. 

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Grove 
was celebrated January 16, 1834. and for 
a year thereafter they remained in their 
native state, after which they sold their 
property there and started with team and 
wagon for Illinois. They left their old 
home in September and in November 
reached Sangamon county, where they 
spent the winter, coming in April, 1836, 
to Hancock coimty where for two Axars 
Mr. Gro\-e operated a rented farm. He 
then, in company with Joseph Lionl)erger, 
bought three hundred and twenty acres 
of land in Pilot Grove township, where 
the^• built the saw and grist mill on 



Crooked creek. About this time they 
owned and operated a dr_\- goods store in 
La Harpe, taking produce of all kinds in 
exchange for goods which they shipped 
on flatboats to New Orleans. 

In 1842 he went to New Orleans 
to sell flour and bacon, making the jour- 
ney down the Mississippi on a flat- 
boat and while there he contracted a 
fever, which terminated his life three days 
after his return home, his death occurring 
July 15, 1842. He was a memljer of the 
Baptist church and a democrat in his polit- 
ical views. ]\Ien wlio knew him respected 
and honored him, for he was always just 
and upright in all life's relations. 
Following his death the mill was con- 
ducted by Joseph Lionberger until the 
time of the Ci\'il war, when it was washed 
away in an overflow of the creek and 
ne\er rebuilt. 

After the death of her husband Mrs. 
Grove lived with her father who also 
came to Hancock county in .\pril, 183C), 
and owned the land where the town nf 
La Crosse now stands. She ci:intinued 
to live with her father until after her 
children were grown and following his 
death, in January, 1868, she bought sixty 
acres of prairie land on section 7, Foun- 
tain Green township and forty acres of 
timber on section i, Pilot Grove township. 
^^'ith the help of her children she con- 
ducted the farm and the business was 
carefully managed. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Grove had 
been born the following named : Benja- 
min F., born in Virginia, November 7. 
1834, is a partner of his brothers, W. 
Scott and Joseph N., in the owner- 
ship of the home place, where they live. 



454 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriEll 



William Harrison, who was horn Sej)- 
tember i, 1837, and was married and re- 
sided in Pilot Grove township, died Ma\- 
31. 1897, leaving five sons and a daughter. 
Mar}- v., born Alay 19, 1839. is the wid- 
ow of Cah'in Phelps and resides in Pilot 
Grove township. Wintield Scutt. born 
August 3, 1 84 1, is a partner of his brother 
Benjamin. In 1872 these brothers 
bought one hundred and eighty-si.x acres 
of the home place and have since con- 
ducted their farming interests in partner- 
ship. In connection with the tilling of 
the soil they have raised Percheron horses 
since 1886. when they imported two stal- 
lions and two mares. 'rhe\- now kee]j 
two full-blooded Perchenni stallions and 
they also keep and raise Durham cattle 
and Poland China hogs. They are well 
known and successful stockmen, with 
large business interests, which they are 
capably conducting. 



FARMER NUDD. 



I'^'u'mer Xndd, who is an extensive land- 
owner and makes his home in La Harpe, 
is numbered among the native sons of 
La Harpe township, where his birth oc- 
curred .m the 1st of November. 1844. His 
parents. Joseph and Sarah ( Wales) 
Xudd, were l)oth nati\'es of New Eng- 
land, the former born in Massachusetts 
and the latter in Xew Hampshire. The 
jiaternal grandfather. Robert Nudd. was 
a native of Scotland and married a Miss 



Pinkham, who was also born in that coun- 
tr\-. The maternal grandfather was Sam- 
uel Wales, a native of the old Granite 
state. 

Joseph Warren Xutld. removing from 
Xew England in 1832, became a resident 
of (juincy. Illinois, where he remained un- 
til 1834. He was married there and aft- 
erward rennned to La Harpe, which then 
contained but two houses and the little 
hamlet was called Franklin. He entered 
three hundred and twenty acres of land 
a half mile south and one mile west of the 
village on section 20, La Harpe town- 
ship, and Ijegan to till the soil, improving 
the place until he had brought the farm 
under a high state of cultivation. He 
li\'ed there until 1855, when he sold the 
[iroperty and t<iok up his abode in La 
Harpe. He was the owner of two hun- 
dred and fort\- acres of wiluable and pro- 
ducti\'e land two miles south of the town 
and he also owned twenty-seven acres in 
La Har])e, extending fmm the square to 
the depot, which has since been divided 
and S(jld off in town lots. He lived in a 
house on the south side of tlie square, 
which is still standing and is one of the 
old landmarks of the town, it Ijeing one oi 
the first dwellings which were erected in 
the village. He was closely associated 
with many of the events of the early days 
which indicate the trend of public prog- 
ress and improvement and he always gave 
his support to any measure or movement 
that was calculated to advance the general 
welfare. He held sev'eral positions of po- 
litical preferment, including that of justice 
of the peace and was also school treasurer 
in his township for many years. His wife 
passed awav December 3, 1R68. and he 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



455 



spent his last years \\itli his daiig-hter. 
ilrs. Sarah C. Gochenour. whci H\-ed two 
and a half miles smith and a half mile east 
of La Harpe. There his death occurred 
in January, 1890, and thus passed away 
one of the prominent and honored pioneers 
of the county, who had resided in this sec- 
tion of the state for fifty-six vears. Their 
cliildren were: Joseph Warren, who died 
in 1865. at the age of twenty-five vear-.; 
Farmer, the suhject of this review : Flam- 
mond W oodman, who died in i8go, at the 
age of forty-five years; Pinkliam Wales, a 
resident of Loudon. Arkansas: and Sarah 
Emma, the wife of David Gochenour. of 
La Harpe township. 

h'armer Xudd. \\-hose name introduces 
this record, pursued his education in the 
l)ublic schools of La Harpe and at the age 
of eighteen years started out in life on 
his own account. He went to the west 
with a company of men including Svdnev 
Tuttle. Lsrael Brundage. fames X. 
Younger. Charles Thompson and se\eral 
others, being one hundred and six davs 
on the way to Virginia City. He started 
to work in the gold mines, receiving at 
different times six, ten and twelve dollars 
per day. He also took up claims and 
worked for himself, remaining a resident 
of Montana until the fall of 1866. \\'itli 
his companions he built a flattoat and they 
thus made their way down the Missouri 
river from Fort Benton to Omaha. Ne- 
braska, in company with twelve others. At 
the last named point they took a steamer 
to St. Joseph. ^Missouri, and thus proceed- 
ed to Keokuk. Iowa, from which point Mr. 
Xudd made his way to his home in Han- 
cock county. Illinois. Here he turned his 
attention to farming and for two vears op- 
29 



erated a rented farm. He then pur- 
chased* fort}' acres (jf land on section ^2. 
La Har])e township, which he afterward 
traded to his father for the home place 
of three hundred and forty acres. He re- 
moved to the latter farm and thereon en- 
gaged in the tilling of the soil and in 
stock-raising. He still owns that place, 
which is now being conducted by his son 
Harry and his son also lives upon the old 
homestead. Since his return from the 
west Mr. X'udd has enjo}ed a \erv suc- 
cessful career. He worked diligentlv and 
energetically to bring his farm under a 
high state of cultivation and as the result 
of the care and lal>or which he bestowed 
upon the fields he reaped bounteous har- 
vests. From time to time he made judi- 
cious investment in property until his land- 
ed possessions now a,g,gregate seven hun- 
dred acres, of which three hundred and 
eighty acres is in La Harpe township and 
the remainder in Fountain Green town- 
ship. He lived upnn the home farm until 
the spring of 1899. when he purchased a 
fine residence in the central part of La 
Har])e. It is one of the most attractive 
and best located homes in the village and 
here he resides with his wife and son Clav. 
On the 8th of March. 1868. Mr. Nudd 
was united in marriage to Miss Rosabelle 
^"^ncent. who was born in La Harpe town- 
ship. April 8. 1847. "pon the site of the 
present fair ground. She was educated in 
the public schools and became a successful 
teacher, being connected with the work of 
the schoolroom from 1864 ""til t868. She 
is a dau.ghter of Samuel C. Vincent, -who 
was born near Buffalo. New York, and 
married Jane Andrews, whose birth oc- 
curred at Great Barrington. Connecticut. 



456 



BIOGRAPHICAL REniUr 



Her ])arents were niarned in tlie lunpire 
state and renio\-ing westward settled in 
l-'lgin. Illindis. where they remained for a 
sliort time. The\- then came to this town- 
sliip and j^urchased land on the west of the 
t<i\\n, where Mr. X'incent li\-ed np to the 
iinie lit his death, which occnrred on the 
15th i)f .\ngust. 1S70. iMir twent)- years 
he was engaged in teaching in the public 
schools of Hancock county through the 
winter seasons. He was a well educated 
man and a successful educator, imparting 
readily and clearlv to others the knowl- 
edge that he had acquired, so that he gave 
excellent satisfaction in his school work. 
His wife passed away in Januan', 1890. 
Tn their family were the following named : 
Alary Adell, who married Cowden Bryan 
and after his death wedded Wesley Cas- 
singham, and resides in La Harpe, Illi- 
nois: Rosabell, now Mrs, Nudd ; Frances 
.\delaide. the wife of Frank James, a resi- 
dent of Galesburg, Illinois; Byron Z., of 
Shenandoah, Iowa : Juie, who became the 
wife of Charles Sanford. and died in No- 
\'ember, 1876: and Elma, who died in La 
Harpe. October 25, IQ03, 

I'nto I\Ir. and Mrs. Nudd have been 
born four children, as follows: Joseph 
Samuel, Harry and Clay, all residing in 
La Harpe township; and May, who was 
born May 17, 1880, and died February 
17, 1006. In his political views Mr. Nudd 
is a stalwart democrat and has served as 
commissioner of highways, as assessor of 
his town,ship and as super\M'.sor since 1902. 
his last term expiring on the 3d of April, 
1906. Tn all of his public service he has 
been found faithful, capable, prompt and 
efRcient. He belongs to the Masonic fra- 
ternity, in which he has attained the 



Royal Arch degree and he is well known 
in La Harpe as a man of many good traits 
of character, whose business success has 
been worthily achie^•ed and honorably won 
and now in possession of splendid prop- 
erty interests which yield him a good in- 
come he is living retired in one of the 
beautiful homes of La Harpe, surrounded 
by all of the comforts and many of the 
luxuries which go to make life worth 
li\-ing. 



ANDRE^^' KIRBY. 

Andrew Kirby. conducting a real es- 
tate and loan agency business at Dallas 
City, was born near Lomax, in Hender- 
son county, Illinois, March 8, 1838, a 
son of Joseph and Jane fSwymer) Kir- 
by. The father was born June 8. 1822, 
on the eastern shore of Maryland, and 
the mother's birth occurred in Downing- 
ton, Chester county. Pennsylvania, on the 
14th of February, 1822. Joseph Kirby 
was a farmer by occupation, and in 1838 
removed to Henderson county, Illinois, 
where he engaged in tilling the soil until 
his death, with the exception of a period 
of fotu' or five years spent in the mining" 
regions of California. He died June 19. 
1879. and is still survived by his wife, 
who lives at the old home. In their fam- 
ily were four children, of whom two are 
living: Minerva, the wife of G. H. Mes- 
sick. who resides near Lomax. Illinois; 
and Andrew. 

Having acquired his preliminary edu- 
cation in the public schools, Andrew Kir- 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



457 



by afterward attended Denmark Academy 
in Iowa and Elliott's Business College, at 
Burlington. Iowa. He afterward re- 
mained upon the home farm until he had 
attained his majority and subsequently 
engaged in fanning on his own accintnt 
in Henderson county until 1896. He was 
afterward engaged in the conduct of a 
meat market and grocer}' store for sev- 
eral years but had been connected to a 
greater or less extent with real estate op- 
erations and has recently opened a real 
estate office and loan agency, in which he 
has met with splendid success. His sales 
of land exceed the business of many an- 
other real estate dealer of the county and 
he is represented in various sections by 
agents selling Texas land. He has thor- 
oughly acquainted himself with property 
values in Dallas City and Hancock conn 
tv. as well as in the southwest, and has a 
large clientage, so that his annual sales 
of real estate are now extensi\e. He is 
also conducting a loan agency and is en- 
gaged in the insurance business, repre- 
senting the following insurance com- 
panies: National of Hartford, the Fire 
Association of Philadelphia, and the Cer- 
man Alliance, of New York, and he now 
writes a large amount of insurance annu- 
ally and has a good business in its various 
departments, his offices being pleasant!}' 
located in the Byers Building on Oak 
street. He has laid out three additions 
to Dallas City, which he now owns. The 
first was laid out in the western part of 
the town in 1903. the second lies west of 
the first and was platted in 1904. and the 
third lies south of the first addition and 
was platted in 1906. This is being ra.p- 



idl)' built up and his real estate operations 
are now extensive and profitable. 

. (_)n the 2T,(\ of December, 1886, Mr. 
Kirby was married to ^Nliss Hattie Helen 
Lowry. who was bom in Lomax, Hender- 
son county, in 1868, a (.laughter of Al- 
bert H. and Jennie Lowry. who still lives 
on a fann near Lomax. Her father was 
a soldier of the war of the rebellion, en- 
listing in an Illinois regiment, with which 
he was connected for a year. Iieing sta- 
tioned on the Rio Grande river. Mr. and 
Mrs. Lowry have three children: Fred, 
living in W'illiamsfield, Illinois: Mrs. 
Blanch ^\'hite. a widow who makes her 
home with her parents; and ]\Irs. Kirby. 
L'nto our subject and his wife have 
been l)orn four children, all natives of 
Henders(]n C(.iunty. Carl Raymond, who 
was born November 13. 1887, and is a 
student in the Dallas City high school : 
Cm\. born August 5. 189 1 ; Hugh, bc^rn 
in 1894; and Helen, in 1896. Mr. Kirlyv 
purchased the old Rallonoson mansion, 
which was later destroyed b)' fire, and he 
then erected a pretty, modern home in the 
western part of the town. In politics he 
is a republican and has twice served as as- 
sessor of his township. He has also been 
a school director and is now secretary of 
the school board of Dallas City. Socially 
he is a Chapter Mason, and his wife is a 
member of the Congregational church. 
In their home is a good library and a fine 
collection of various ores. The home is 
one of culture and refinement and the 
menibers of the liousehold <iccupy an en- 
vial)le position in social circles. Mr. 
Kirby is ambitious, energetic and enter- 
lirising — qualities which are concomi- 



458 



tUOCRArillCAI. REI 'lEW 



tants t(i success ami furin a sjilciulid 
basis u])()n which tn l)uil(l prosperity. 



JAAIES B. LEACH. 

In a histon- of the pioneer residents 
uf Haiicnck count}' it is ci inimensnrate 
that mention he made of James B. l^each, 
who is now H\ing- a retired hfe in the 
\-ilIage of Augusta l)iit wlm in fnrnicr 
years was acti\ely and ])niminently cun- 
nected with business affairs and his hfe 
stands in exemplification of the fact that 
earnest purpose and unfaltering" industry- 
will bring a comfortal^le competence and 
gain simultaneously an honored name. 
He has now passed the se\enty-se\'enth 
milestone on life's j(.)urney and well merits 
the rest which he is enjoying. He was 
born in Mason county, Kentucky, Xo\-em- 
ber 2, 1828, a son of Thomas and Dijcia 
Ann (Da\is) Leach, the former a na- 
ti\-e of \'irginia and the latter of Ken- 
tucky. rhe\- were married in the Blue 
Grass state and throughout the greater 
part of his acti\-e business life the father 
engaged in farming Intt during his last 
three or four years he operated a coal 
bank within a mile and a half of .\ugusta. 
He died at the age of sixty-five years anil 
twenty-twd days, passing away March 
9. r8r)4. in the faith of the Metlio<list 
church, of which he was a devoted and 
loyal member. His earl}- political alle- 
giance was gi\en to the democrac\- but 
later he joined the ranks of the Repub- 
lican party. His wife, long surviving 
him, passed away in 1892, at the advanced 
age of eighty-twc) vears. The remains 



o| both were interred in .\ugusta ceme- 
ter}-. In the family of this \\-orth}- couple 
were ele\en children, four of whom are, 
}'et li\-ing, namely: James T!., of this 
review: Mary, the wife of Thomas E. B. 
Rice, of California: Orange, wIkj is a 
plasterer and brick mason of Augusta: 
and -Mice ].. who makes her home with 
her elder brother. 

James B. Leach remained in Kentuck}- 
until eight years of age, when be canie 
to Illinois with his grandfather. Benja- 
min Davis, who settled in Schuyler 
Count}- near Camden, where Mr. Leach 
remained for fi\-e vears. His father. ha\-- 
ing Come to the west, he then remo\-ed 
with him to .\ugnsta. Illinois, but in the 
meantime had spent four vears with his 
father uiioii the farm in Scbu}-ler count}-, 
at the end of which time their home was 
established in close proximit}- to the \-il- 
lage of .\ugusta. He started out in life 
on his own account when twenty-one 
years (.)f age and for a }-ear was employed 
on a farrn in Sangamon countv this state, 
after which he spent tw-o }-ears at farm 
labor in Ackuns count\-. whence he re- 
mised to Hancock ctiunt}- and worked 
on a farm near the \-illage of .\ugusta 
for some time. Later he began learning 
the trade of a painter and paper-hanger 
under James Cooper and continued his 
acti\-e connection with that department of 
industrial labor until he put aside busi- 
ness cares. 

Mr. Leach was married Octoljer 7, 
i83(). to Miss ]\lar}- M. Rice, who was 
born in Adams count\-. Illinois, and is 
a daughter of Da\-i(l H. and Clarinda 
( Wilson) Rice, who were early settlers 
of that countv. Her father followed 



HANCOCK COUXTV. ILLIXOIS. 



459 



farming during the greater part of his hfe 
but after remo\'ing fruni Adams count}' 
to Augusta he carried on Ijlacksniithing, 
his death occurring in this \'illage when he 
was seventy-two years of age. His wife 
passed away here some years before. One 
of their sons. Henry H. Rice, is a harness- 
maker, residing in Augusta. Mrs. Leach 
was a devoted memljer of the A[ethii(hst 
churcii and took an active and helpful part 
in its work. Her life was at all times 
characterized by an earnest Christian 
spirit and de\-otinn to the right and she 
performed many deeds nf kindness and 
acts of charity for those less fortunate 
than herself. She dietl in Augusta, Feb- 
ruary 9, 1894, and her remains were in- 
terred in the Augusta cemetery. In the 
family were tiiree children, two of whom 
died in infancy ; Carrie May and Lu- 
ther L., who were the youngest and oldest 
respectively. One daughter. Fannie B., 
became the wife of James H. Coffman, 
present postmaster of Augusta and died 
at the age of thirty-five years. The chil- 
dren of this family were all born in Au- 
gusta in the house which Mr. Leach yet 
occupies. 

Li his religious views he is a ]\Iethii- 
dist and his political support is gi\-en to 
the Republican party. He has ne\er 
been active as a politician in the sense 
of office-seeking yet served for five \-ears 
as collector of the village. He has been 
a witness of nearly all of the impro\e- 
ments which ha\'e l^een made in Hancock 
county and has watched its development 
from a wild prairie to a highly cultivated 
farming district with here and there thri\- 
ing towns and cities. He has done his 
full share to bring about this desired re- 



sult and is classed among the worth)" 
pioneer residents who in a long life lias 
ever deserxed and commanded the respect 
and good will of all with whom he has 
come in contact. 



ISAAC FRANKLIX LANDIS. 

Isaac PVanklin Landis. a [irominent and 
influential factor of Hancock county, has 
been engaged in \-arious commercial and 
industrial enteri^rises of this portion of 
the state, and is now engaged in general 
agricultural pursuits in La Harpe town- 
ship, where he conducts a large farm on 
section 26. His birth occurred in this 
township, .August 12. 1844. and with the 
exception of a brief period spent in Mis- 
souri, has always resided in this state. His 
l)aternal grandparents. Joseph and Eliza- 
l)eth (Kline) Landis. were both natives 
of Lancaster count}'. Pennsylvania, and in 
1842 renioved to Hancock comity, thus 
l>ecoming pioneer settlers of this portion 
of the state, where they entered land from 
the government and engaged in farming, 
and here they spent their remaining days. 
The niaternal grandparents. Isaac and 
Hester .Ann Funk, were likewise natives 
of the Ke}'stone state, their births having 
occurred in Bucks count}', that state. Like 
the Landis family, they, too, became num- 
bered among the earlv settlers of Hancock 
comity and here passed awa}'. The par- 
ents of our subject. Jacob and Mary 
(Funk) Landis. accompanied their re- 
spective parents to Hancock county from 
the east, and were here married in 1S43, 
after which they took up their abode on 



460 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



a tract of forty acres which the father 
Inad purchased, tlais being located on sec- 
tion 35. It was covered with timber and 
brusli when he made the purchase but 
witli characteristic energy Jacob Landis 
undertiink the work of development and 
in course of time had cleared his land and 
placed the fields under a high state of cul- 
tivation. After about ten years here 
passed, the family removed to Nauvoo. 
where for three years the father conduct- 
ed a stone quarr}- and lime kiln, and on 
the expiration of that period he again 
resumed farming operations on a tract of 
land of forty-two acres which he had 
purchased, this being in the same neigh- 
borhood where he had formerly lived. 
In addition to his farming operations lie 
also conducted a stone quarry and lime 
kiln until the fall of i860, at which time 
he took up his abode in the city of La 
Harpe. ^^'atching with interest the great 
questions which were then affecting the 
nation, and heeding the call for troops 
at the outbreak of the Civil war, he enlist- 
ed as a member of the Fiftieth Illinois In- 
fantry, and at once went to the front, 
where he lost liis life in the battle of Fort 
Donelson. February 16, 1863, and his re- 
mains were interred at Nashville, Ten- 
nessee. He had also served in the Semi- 
nole war in Florida, and was thus a loyal 
patriot of his country. In the family of 
Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Landis were bom 
eight children, of whom our subject is the 
eldest, the others being in order of l)irtlT ; 
Joseph, who died March 16, 1902, at the 
age of fifty-seven years; Hester A., the 
wife of Martin Ruckman, of Denver. 
Missouri : Catherine, who died at the age 
of two vears ; Amanda, now the wife of 



0. McDonald, a resident of La Harpe; 
Flannah, the wife of Smith Wade, a resi- 
dent of La Harpe; Elizabeth, the widow 
(jf Asbury Evans, and a resident of Nel- 
son, Nebraska : and Dora, the wife of 
]\Iichael Collins, and a resident of La 
Harpe. After the death of the father the 
mother was married a second time, lier 
union being with Louis Long, and her 
death occurred Januaiy 4, 1887. 

Isaac F. Landis pursued his studies in 
tlie Alaynard district school near his fa- 
ther's home and spent his boyhood and 
youth under the parental roof, remaining 
with his mother after his father's death 
until the time of his marriage, August 

1, i86g, when he chose as a companion 
and helpmate on life's journey. Miss 
Frances i*"inett Leavings, a native of 
Warren county, this state, where she ac- 
c|uired her education in the district 
schools of that section and also in Foun- 
tain ("ireen township. Her ' maternal 
grandfather. Benamin Gates, was bom in 
New York, served in the war of 18 12 and 
located in Hancock county about 1832. 
Her paternal grandparents, John D. and 
Abigail (Brown) Leavings, were natives 
of Potsdam. St. Lawrence county. New 
^'ork. and the latter lived to the extreme 
old age of one hundred and two years. 
Her parents, John D. and Minerva E. 
(Gates) Leavings, were born in Chautau- 
qua county, New York, the former Octo- 
ber 12, 181 1, and the latter January 30, 
1822. They accompanied their respective 
parents from the east to Hancock county, 
the former arriving about 1832, and in 
this county they were married, the wed- 
ding ceremony being perfomied on the 
nth of November. 1841. at Carthage. 



HAXCOCK COUXTV. ILLIXOIS. 



461 



The father had learned the caljinel-inak- 
er's trade in the east but never followed 
that business after his arrr\'al in Hancock 
county. He followed general agricul- 
tural pursuits in various sections of this 
count}- until 1888, when he removed to 
La Harpe, where he purchased propert}- 
and lived retired until his death, June 4, 
1891, when he had reached the age of 
eighty years. His wife sundved until 
February 16, 1901. when she, too, was 
called to her final rest, having reached the 
age of seventy-nine years. Thus passed 
awa_\- a highly esteetned couple of this 
section of the state. In their family were 
three sons and five daughters, of whom 
one son and two daughters survive : My- 
ron A., born September 4, 1843, died Sep- 
tember 5, 1897; Harriett C, who was 
born September 6, 1845, and passed awa\- 
February 2, 1847; Lorenzo E., who was 
born October 6, 1849, and died January 8. 
1876; Frances Finett, who was born April 
20, 1850, and is now the wife of our sub- 
ject; Seth Gates, who was born Jamiary 
2, 1852, and resides in Monroe county, 
Missouri; Rosa Bell, who was born Sep- 
tember 22, 1855, and died July 16, i860; 
.Lois Nora, who was born July 8, 1858, 
and died January 22, 1859; and Minnie 
Ella, who was born October 22, i860, and 
is now the wife of T. G. Head, a resident 
of Idaho. 

Following his marriage Mr. Landis lo- 
cated on a farm in La Harpe township, 
but a year later removed to Fountain 
Green township, where he continued in 
the same line of pursuits for ten years and 
then took up his abode in the city of La 
Harpe, where he dealt in grain and stock 
until 1885. meeting with very desirable 



success in this business venture. He once 
more resumed farming operations, living 
on difterent farms which he bought in 
this and in Henderson counties until 1892, 
w hen he once more removed to La Harpe 
and engaged in the butcher business, con- 
ducting a meat market there for four 
}-ears, when he disposed of his business 
there and removed to Lancaster, Missouri, 
where he engaged in the same line of trade 
for a short time, and again returned to this 
count}-, taking up his abode in La Harpe 
where he engagetl in the live stock busi- 
ness, buying and shipping several car- 
loatls of stock annually. In 1900 he dis- 
posed of all his busines interests and real- 
estate and removed to the farm of Wil- 
liam Comstock, the place constituting two 
hundred and thirty acres, and being lo- 
cated on section 26, La Harpe township. 
Here he has since resided and is engaged 
in general farming, his labors bringing 
him very gratif\'ing returns. For the past 
twenty-three \ears he has conducted a 
tb-reshing machine, being the first man to 
own a traction engine in Hancock county. 
He is thoroughly familiar with the du- 
ties of a thresher and in this connection 
is employed by farmers all over the coun- 
t}-. He likewise continues as a dealer in 
live stock, and each year handles a large 
amount of stock, which he ships to the city 
markets. It will thus be seen that he has 
not confined his energies to any one line 
but his abilit}' and sound judgment en- 
able him to carry on successfully his 
varied business interests, thus placing him 
among the foremost and influential fac- 
tors of his community. In his political 
\-iews and affiliations Mr. Landis is a re- 
publican, and his co-operation can always 



462 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJ'IEir 



I)e counted upon to further an}' mmement 
whicli tends to ad\ance tlie general inter- 
ests of liis locality. He has taken an ac- 
ti\e and hencficial interest in puhlic affairs 
and being popular among his fellow 
townsmen has been called U> fill a number 
of offices, ha\-ing served as yom] commis- 
sioner, as assessor for fifteen terms, as 
alderman of La Harpe, and f(ir two terms 
he acted as mayor <if the citv. the duties 
of which he has always discharged with 
capability and lidelit_\- Id e\ery trust re- 
posed in him. In the spring nf igo6 he 
was elected supervisor of his township and 
as the present incumbent is loyal to the 
best interests of the general public. He is 
a member of the Masonic order, belong- 
nig to La Harpe lodge, Xo. 195. 

I'nto our subject and his wife ha\e 
been born two sons and three daughters, 
of whom the eldest is deceased: Vernon 
Denison. who was born ^lay 2^. 1870, 
and died January 3, 1S97: Lottie Helen, 
who was born April _^. 1876, and is now 
the wife of Charles Maynard, a resident 
of Henderson county ; Hattie Ellen, twin 
sister of Lottie H.. wlm is miw the wife 
of Asa Bennington, a cuntractnr and 
builder of buildings and bridges, and a 
resident of La Harpe; Minnie Emma, who 
was born October ly. 1880. and is now 
the wife of Willis Hazelwood, of Hen- 
derson count\' ; and Ouintnn Herbert, who 
was horn May. 14. i88_>. .nnd is at h(imc. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLTX BLACK. 

Benjamin l""ranklin Black, wlmse name 
is on the roll of Hancock countv"s honored 



dead, was considered to have been one of 
the most prominent residents of Dallas 
City, and the extent and importance of his 
business interests were a most prominent 
factor in the commercial development and 
jirnsperitv of the town. Because of this 
and also by reason of man}' <.ither excel- 
lent traits of character, his life was one of 
signal usefulness and benefit to his fellow- 
men, and to his faniil}' he left not only a 
hamlsonie cumpetence, but also an untar- 
nished name. For nianv years his name 
was recognized as a synonym fur liusi- 
ness enterprise and integrity. 

A native of Grand Rapids, Wisconsin, 
Mr. Black was born on the 28th of Octo- 
Ijer. 1834, a si,)n of Henry Farnwaldt and 
Mar}' Xewell (Bliss) Black, who are 
mentioned on another page of this x'olume. 
The father, a prominent Inniber nierchant, 
placed his lumber interests at Carthage 
in care of his son. Dr. Black, when the 
latter was but seventeen years of age, but 
thinking that he would find a professional 
career more congenial, Dr. Black turned 
his attention to the ta.sk of preparing him- 
self for such a career. His education 
was acipiired in the college at Jackson- 
\ille. Illinois, and in Denmark .\cadem}', 
in Iowa, after which he took up the study 
of niedicine in Ouincy, Illin(.)is, in the 
office and under the direction of Dr. 
Curtis. Later he attended niedical 
lectures in Keokuk Medical College, and 
spent two years in the Michigan State 
I'niversity, at Ann Arlior. He after- 
ward matriculated in the Long Island 
College Hospital, at Brooklyn, New York, 
and was there graduated in 1876. Later 
he pin'sued a post-g'raduate course in 
Rush Medical College, in Chicago, in 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



463 



1880. Following his graduation he prac- 
ticed for eight years in Dallas Cit_\" as a 
regular physician and surgeon and was 
accorded a liheral patronage, which at- 
tested his skill and ability, and showed 
him worthy of the public trust reposed 
in his professional prowess. In 1885, 
howe\-er. he gave up the practice of medi- 
cine and took charge of his father's busi- 
ness interests as a jiartner. His father 
was not only the pioneer lumberman (if 
Dallas but also of a wide territory em- 
bracing several cminties on this side of 
the river. In 1888 the father's health 
failed and Dr. Black purchased his inter- 
est in the business. .\s the years passed 
In- he extended the scope of his activities 
and in 1892 became associated with L. M. 
Loomis in the ownership and control of 
a lumber business at Stronghurst. Illi- 
nois. Later they i)urchased the lumber- 
yard at Media and Smitlishire, and in 
1897 these interests were incorporated 
under the name of the Loomis Lumber 
and Coal Com])any. with headquarters at 
Stronghurst. In 1901 the firm st\-!e was 
changed to the Black &• Loomis Com- 
pany, with the principal office in Dallas 
City and they also purchased the Dallas 
City lumberv'ard. The lumber business 
became a large and profitable one under 
the capable direction of Dr. Black and 
his associates, but he did not confine him- 
self entirely to this line of trade, for in 
i8c;i he became a member of the firm of 
Black. Leinbaugh & Burg in the establish- 
ment of a private bank, which after a 
time was conducted under the st\-le of 
Black & Company, and so continued until 
1900, when the First National Bank was 
organized and acipiired the old privrue 



bank by purchase. This financial insti- 
tution was of the greatest iniijortance to 
D.allas Cit}'. which up tn that time was 
deficient in its banking interests. In 
1901. largely thmugh the efforts of Dr. 
Black, the Dallas Printing Company was 
organized and thus was added another 
factor in the dex'clopment and industrial 
activity of the city. 

On the 15th .,f .\pril. 1883. Dr. Black 
was married to Miss Elizabeth Rebhon, 
who was liorn in German}, Julv 22, 1864, 
a daughter of Cieorge and Margaret 
( Motschmann ) Reljlmn, wlii> were also 
natives of German}-, the father liorn 
March 30, 1833, and the mother .\ugust 
2, 1827. Mr. I\el)hon was a miller and 
cabinet-maker 1)}" trade and died in the 
year 1864. His wife afterward came to 
Hancock count}-. Illinois, having in the 
meantime married George Weber, of 
Dallas. Illinois. Thev settled on a farm 
in this County and Mr. Weber died Feb- 
ruarv 23, 1883. His wiilow is still li\ing 
and makes her home with Mrs. Black. 
Mr. Weber was a democrat in his polit- 
ical \-iews although not an office seeker. 
He held membership in ami served as 
one of the elders of the Lutheran church, 
and his remains were interred in Me}'ers 
cemeterv. Mrs. Weber is also a member 
of the Lutheran church. B\' her first 
marriage she had two children, one son 
dying in infanc}', the other being Mrs. 
Black. 

L'nto Dr. and Mrs. Black there were 
bom three sons. Henr}- F., born in 
Dallas City, Septeml)er 14, 1887. is now 
a student in Kemper Military College, at 
Boonville. Missouri. George F.. born 
February 2t,. 1889. is attending the same 



464 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFJ'IFJ] 



college. Arthur H., born March 26, 
1891, is likewise a student in that in- 
stitution. The two elder sons will grad- 
uate in 1906 and the youngest son is in 
the freshman year. 

While Dr. Black controlled inij)ortant 
business enterprises he yet found time to 
devote to the public welfare and was a 
strong and stalwart friend of the cause of 
education. He was one of a few men to 
whose force and enterprise is due the 
erection of the splendid school building, 
in which all citizens of Dallas City take 
just pride. He co-operated in man}' 
progressive movements that have resulted 
beneficially to this city and county and 
his efforts could always be counted upon 
to suppijrt every measure which had for 
its object the public good. He belonged 
to Dallas City lodge. No. 2, to Alamo 
commandery, Knight Templar, of Illi- 
nois, and to Modern Woodmen camp. 
No. T496, at Dallas. He contributed 
generously to the support of churches, es- 
pecially to the Congregational church, of 
which his wife and all of their sons are 
now members. In December, 1905, he 
contracted pneumonia and sank rapidly in 
spite of all that the best medical skill 
could do. He passed away Tuesday 
evening-. December 19, 1905, and the 
funeral sei^vices were conducted by the 
Rev. J. B. King, who also performed the 
sad ta.sk of conducting the funeral sei'vice 
of .\nna Celia Shipman, a niece of Dr. 
Black, who passd away on the same day 
as her uncle, their remains being interred 
in Dallas cemeteiy. The death of Dr. 
Black came as an irreparable loss in his 
liiime and was most deeply felt in busi- 
ness and social circles not onlv in Dallas 



City but throughout the entire surround- 
ing countiy. He was veiy widely known 
and was uniformly regarded as a man 
of unfaltering integrity and of genuine 
personal worth. As a student he was 
quick to perceive and understand and he 
was endowed with a fund of comnioji- 
sense and practical ideas that brought 
him success in all that he undertook. He 
was kindly in manner, charitable in dis- 
position, generous in impulse and per- 
haps no man in the county was more fre- 
quently consulted by others concerning 
important business transactions, for those 
who knew him reposed in him the ut- 
most confidence and knew that he would 
ad\'ise with the same fidelity that he 
would Iku'c conducted his own private 
business affairs. He did much to pro- 
mote the general welfare and his interest 
in his fellowmen was deep and sincere. 
"Of the countless gifts which God be- 
stows upon man the rarest and divinest 
is the one that takes supreme interest in 
human welfare." He was an earnest, 
honest and incorruptible man with a 
frank, genial manner, which won and re- 
tained friendsliip and in consequence his 
death was sincereh- mourned by a large 
number of appreciative friends and ac- 
quaintances with whom his long public 
service and business career had placed 
upon tenns of intimacy. He deseiwes 
most honorable mention at the hands of 
his fellowmen. for his life record shows 
the value and sure rewards of character, 
and he was regarded as one of Hancock 
county's most worthy citizens. ]\Irs. 
Black makes her home in Dallas City. 
Her father owned a great deal of prop- 
ert\- here, including the store known as 



HANCOCK COUXTV. ILLIXOIS. 



465 



Finch's store, and in 1892 she remodeled 
and occupied it. This is now one of the 
most attractive and pleasant modern 
homes in the city situated on Front ave- 
nue and Oak street. Mrs. Black- takes a 
most active and helpful interest in church 
work and she retains her interest in the 
lumber business, which is now being con- 
ducted b}^ Mr. Loomis, and she also owns 
the lots that are now occupied by the 
lumber}'ard. She has three tenant houses 
and half of the property called the En- 
terprise and she is also a large stock- 
holder in the First National Bank. In 
manner while rather reserved she is also 
most kindly and pleasant and is greatly 
beloved and admired Ijy all for her good 
deeds. 

XoTE — On December 17, 1905. a dis- 
astrous fire at Dallas destroyed the bank 
building. A new Milwaukee pressed 
brick, three-story building has been 
erected, and the bank will occupy the 
whole of the first floor. 



CHARLES M. McCOLLO^F 

Charles M. McCollom, a carpenter of 
Carthage, residing at No. 201 Main 
street, is _a son of Henry B. and Nancy 
(Davidson) McCollom, and was born in 
Hancock county, in 185 1. His parents, 
however, were natives of Cumberland 
county, Kentucky, born February 10, 
1813, and November 9, 18 10, respective- 
ly. The father was a farmer by occu- 
pation and in the year 1844 arrived in 
Illinois, while in 1850 he came to Han- 



cock county. Fie engaged in farming in 
Bear Creek township until 1865, when 
he removed to \vesteni Iowa, where lie 
engaged to a greater or less extent in 
farming, his death occurring, however, 
in Mount Pleasant, Henry county, in 
1875. His wife had passed away April 
14. 18^)4, in Illinois, and was buried in 
this state, while the father's grave was 
made in Mount Pleasant. He was a 
republican in his political views, and a 
Cumberland I'resljyterian in his religious 
faith. In the family were eleven chil- 
dren, of whom Umv are now living. 
Man- J. is the widow of John Phelps, and 
resides in Taylor county, Iowa. W'ilbern 
Porter, who was a member of the Seventh 
Kansas Cavalry and served throughout 
the greater part of the Civil war, is now 
living in Adams county, ^^■ashing•ton. 
Charles is the third surviving member. 
In-in Sylvester resides in Gorin, Missouri. 
Charles AI. McCollom was educated in 
the common schools of Hancock county, 
Illinois, and of .\dams county, Iowa, and 
remained upon his father's fann until 
twentv years of age. after which he was 
employed by the month by various farm- 
ers for some time. He began farming 
on his own account on a tract of land 
in Sonora township, Hancock county, 
where he remained for nineteen years, 
and in 1895 he removed to Carthage 
where he has since resided, having in the 
previous year built his present pretty 
home at No. 201 ^lain street. He has 
here engaged in contracting and building 
and has erected many of the substantial 
structures of the city, including the fine 
residence of Joseph Dorsey and a tenant 



466 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAAEW 



house f(ir liiin, tlie residence nf Mrs. At- 
woocl on Main street, Edward Bnoth, two 
houses tor James Ccrhin. mie fi>r Marry 
Corbin and \'arious otlier Inie structures 
of tlie cit}'. He lias met with good suc- 
cess since Ijecomin"- identified witli build- 
ing operations in Cartliaage and a liberal 
patronage has been accorded liim. lie 
has thus ])rospered in his undertakings 
and in additiou to his home jiroperty he 
owns eight}- acres of good farm land in 
Prairie township, while his shop is situ- 
ated on the same lot as his residence. 

On the 14th of December. 1874. Mr. 
McCollom was married to Miss Lucy ]M. 
Tliornber, who was born in this countv 
and is a daughter of Henr\' and Luc\' 
(Ellison) Thornljer. who were natives of 
England, and came to Illinois in 1842, 
the father following the occupation of 
farming here. Both he and his wife are 
now deceased. Mrs. McCollom died De- 
cember 16. 1888, and her remains were 
interred in Sonora township, liy her 
marriage she had become the mother of 
four children: Charles H.. who married 
Alice .Snitz and lixes in Scotland count)-. 
Missouri, has two children, Volande and 
Patrice. James P. of Son(->ra township, 
married .\ugusta Beger, and has one 
child, Xoretta Margaret. Carrie M., a 
graduate of the high school and of Car- 
thage college, is now- a teacher in the 
public schools of the county seat. Daxid 
E. is still a student in school. On the 
27th of May, 1891, Mr, McClIom was 
married to Miss Jennie Baird, who was 
liorn in \\ ars;iw, this count\-, in l'\'b- 
ruary, \k<()(). and is a daughter of Robert 
and Margaret .\. ( Ih-ook) Bainl, both of 
whom were natixes of M:u'\-land, the 



father Ixirn in 1819, and the mother in 
1825. He was a carpenter by trade and 
on leaving- the south came to Hancock- 
county, in 1853, after which he worked 
at his trade in Warsaw- until he retired 
from acti\-e business life. His w-ife died 
in i<)05 but he is still li\-ing at the ven- 
erable age of eighty-seven }-ears. A 
stanch ad\-ocate of the cause of tem])er- 
ance he \-otes with the Prohiljition party 
and he liolds mei-nbership in the Metho- 
dist church, to which his wife also be- 
long'ed, both being very acti\-e in church 
w-ork, Mr. Baird ha\-ing held a number 
of offices therein. In his famil\- were 
eleven cliildren, all of whom are vet lix- 
ing : Hein-y, who resides near Warsaw-; 
David O., of Gilmaa City, Missouri ; 
M;irv E.. a competent nurse who makes 
her home in Warsaw- although her duties 
largely call her to Carthage; Charles E., 
Ii\-ing in ( lilman City, Missouri ; Marga- 
ret A., who was a successful teacher in 
\-arious ])laces for many vears liut is now 
at home with her aged father; Robert J., 
who is engaged in the insurance business 
in Des Moines. Iowa; Phoebe E., the wife 
of Charles Curry, oi Atlanta, Georgia ; 
Richard, of Pasedeiia, California; Mrs. 
Jennie ^McCollom; Erank, a grocer of Des 
Aloines, Iowa; and b-lla II., who is a 
stenographer in Des Moines. 

The second marriage of Mr. McCiillom 
has been blessed with three children, all 
born in Hancock county: I'dorence 1., 
who was born in 181^2 and is attending 
school in Carthage: Winifred, who was 
born in 181)3 and is also in school: and 
Alclo Baird. who was born in ic^oi. 

Mr. McCollom is a strong and earnest 
ail\-ocate of temperance principles and 



If. 'IX COCK COUNT)'. II.I.IXOIS. 



46/ 



votes with the I'roliiliiiidii pafty. Social- 
ly he is connecteil with the ( )(lcl l'"elliiws 
lodge, and both he and ln> wile are <le- 
\()ted members of the Alethodisi chnvch, 
in which he is ser\-ing as a irnstee. lie 
has never recei\'ed any assistance in his 
business career but has had to work lor 
all that he has possessed and enjoyed and 
in his business life has been found a 
thoroughly reliable. conii)etent and honest 
workman and as a contractor has secured 
a good patronage which is indicaii\'e ol 
the trust reposed in him by his fellow 
townsmen. 



JOSEPH D. RITl'.K. 

Joseph D. Riter is ;i residcni of I'on- 
toostic townshi]). Ii\ing n])on ;i taian. al- 
though he has practicalh- retired fi-i im 
business cares. He has had a sumewiiat 
eventful life and his l)r<iad tra\els .and 
\-aried experiences enrich his conversation 
and make him an entertaining com])an- 
ion. IJorn in Derks countw I'ennsyKa- 
nia. on the iSth of .\pril. 1N30. he is a 
son of Benjamin and Elizabeth ( I>eidler) 
Riter, both natives of Chester county, 
Pennsylvania, the father bom July 2f\ 
1801, and the mother January 15. \ />>:,■ 
It was in the last of .\pril. i84f>, thai 
they became residents of Xauxoo, Illinois, 
where they resided until 1835. when they 
removed to tlie [)rairie. .and .Mr. Riter 
engaged in farming in .\ppanoose town- 
ship up to the time of his retirement from 
active business cares. He died .\o\ember 
23, 1884, having long sur\-ived his wife. 



who passed aw.ay h'ebruary 15. 1808. 
lloth were laid to rest in .\auv(.)o ceme- 
tery. Of their family of five children 
onl\- two are li\ing, the )dunger brother 
being William W. Riler, of h'ort ALadi- 
son, Iowa. 

In the schools of his native state Jo- 
seph 1). Riter ac(|uired his education and 
remained with his i)arents until seventeen 
or eighteen years of age. He came with 
them to Hancock county in 1846, and in 
|84,S went to the northern part of Wis- 
consin, spending three and a half }ears 
in connection with the lumber Ijusiness in 
th.-it part of the ciiuiUry. In 185J he 
went lo Califi irnia. and in 1853 made a 
trip to .\nslralia. returning the following 
\ear Iw wa\- of the Society Islands, re- 
maining there one summer. lie then 
again made his way to California, reiriain- 
ing in San hrancisco until 1838, when 
he went to the h'razer river in liritish 
Cipluinbia. In ii'^3<) he was in Portland. 
( )regon, where he purchased cattle, which 
he drove to the l-"razer ri\-er. In the fall 
of the same ye;ir. howe\-er, he returned 
to Illinois and h;is since made his home 
in Pontoosuc township, Hancock county. 
.\ detailed account of his travels would 
make interesting reading. He was on the 
Pacific coast during the early days of 
mining excitement .and is familiar with 
the history of that |)eriod because of the 
ex])eriences which he himself met in the 
middle of the centnr}'. 

On the 1st of May. t86i, .Mr. Riter 
was married to Miss lulith l)a\is, who 
was l)orn in Columbiana county, Ohio, 
fanuarv 8. 1832, a daughter of Isaac and 
Edith (Richards) Davis, both of whom 
were natives of West Virginia. The fa- 



468 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEll 



tlier was born February lo, 1783, and 
the mother on March 16, 1794, and botli 
have now passed away. Mr. Davis first 
went to Ohio from ^Vest Virginia and in 
that state his ten children were born. 
Later he removed to Iowa, where he lo- 
cated in 1840, there devoting his time and 
energies to farming for a considerable 
period. He died in the eastern part of 
Nebraska in 1847. after a residence there 
of about a year, and his wife passed away 
in the western part of Iowa in 1872. Of 
tlieir ten children only two are living, the 
elder being Eli Davis, who resides in 
Vul.Ki City, California. Both Mr. and 
Mrs. Davis were members of the Society 
of Friends, or Quakers, and were most 
worthy people, their lives being in har- 
mony with the teachings of the sect whose 
followers are justl}- celeljrated for their 
kindliness, gentleness and uprightness. 

Following his marriage Mr. Riter pur- 
chased a small farm in Appanoose town- 
ship, where he resided for about a }ear, 
and in 1862 he purchased sixtj'-one acres 
on the northwest quarter of section 31, 
Pontoosuc township. Subsequently he 
bought sixty acres on the southwest quar- 
ter of the same section, and afterward he 
bought his brother's interest in the old 
home place, securing one hundred and 
si.x acres cjn section 3O, Appanotise 
township. He also invested in eighty- 
three acres in Sonora township and his 
holdings are therefore very extensive. In 
igoj he built a comfortable residence 
u]_)on his farm and he has a large barn 
one hundred and thirty-two feet long, to- 
gether with other good and substantial 
outbuildings furnishing ample shelter for 
p'rain, stock and farm macliinerv. He has 



carried on the tilling of the soil and also 
raised high grades of stock, but in 1892 

he practically retired from fann life and 
now rents his land. In politics he is 
rather independent, although he usually 
gives his support to the Prohibition party. 
Mr. and Mrs. Riter have had no chil- 
dren of their own, but reared Sadie Smith, 
who is now the wife of Christopher San- 
ders, and lives in Kansas. She has nine 
children. Receiving very little assistance 
in the way of an inheritance Mr. Riter has 
gained his propert}' through his own 
well directed labors and unremitting 
efforts. He is now \'ery comfortahlx' 
situated in life and has ])\- reason 
of. the competence that he has ac- 
quired the opportunity -to indulge his love 
of travel. He has frequently gone to Cal- 
ifornia, making two trips by way of the 
isthnuis. and his extensive joumeyings 
have made him a man of brop.d general 
culture and wicle experience.. Since his 
retirement from active business cares lie 
and his wife lia\e tra\eled (|uite exten- 
si\eh'. \isiting man\' points of interest in 
this countrw 



THOMAS G. FRENCH. 

Thomas G. French, a general farmer 
and stoclc-raiser living on the southeast 
quarter of section i, \\'ythe township, has 
always resided in the middle west, his 
birth having occurred in Orange county, 
Indiana, May 13, 1839. He is a son of 
Samuel and Julia (Daugherty) French, 
natives of Barron countv, Kentuckv, who 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



469 



removed to Indiana about 1830 when In- 
dians still lived in that locality, the re- 
gion being a pioneer district in which the 
work of civilization had scarcely begun. 
Samuel French secured timber land from 
the government, and in the midst of the 
forest undertook the task of hewing ont 
a fann. There he resided until his death, 
which occurred in 1842, and his wife 
passed away on the old homestead in 

1854- 

Thomas G. French, of a family of nine 
children, five sons and four daughters, 
was but three years of age at the time 
of his father's demise and was left an or- 
phan when a youth of fifteen. He went 
to Knox county, Illinois, with his brother, 
John C. and after living there for five 
years, started out in life on his own ac- 
count, working by the month as a farm 
hand in Mercer county. His education 
was acquired in the common schools of 
Knox ,and Mercer counties, and after 
spending some time in the employ of 
others at farm labor began farming on his 
own account and had followed that pur- 
suit for two years, when, in response ti> 
the country's call for aid he enlisted in 
defense of the Union, on the 13th of Au- 
gust, 1862, as a member of Company .\. 
One Hundred and Second Illinois Vol- 
unteer Infantry. The regiment was as- 
signed to the Army of the Cumberland 
under General Rosecrans, and made a 
forced march from Louisville, Kentucky, 
to Gallatin. Tennessee, during which time 
Mr. French became ill with the measles 
and was confined in the hospital until 
Januan*^ 17, 1863, when he was honor- 
ably discharged at Gallatin on account of 
disability. 



He at once returned to his old home 
in Mercer county and the following spring 
began farming cm rented land, where 
he resided until 1865. He then removed 
to \\'arren county. Illinois, where he en- 
gaged in farming for twn \'ears, after 
which he returned to Knox ccjunty, where 
he purchased a forty-acre farm. There 
he engaged in the tilling of the soil for 
two }-ears. and on the expiration of that 
period he sold the property but bought 
eighty acres adjoining. There he fol- 
lowed farming until 1875. when he went 
to Taylor county. Iowa, where he pur- 
chased one hundred and sixtv acres of 
farm land, which he cultivated for six 
years. He then traded that property for 
a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, 
one-half in ^^'ythe township. Hancock 
county, and the remainder in Bear Creek 
township. He also bought eighty acres 
more in Wythe township, adjoining his 
place on the south. The farm was then 
well improved and in good shape and he 
has since kept eveiwthing up to a high 
standard of agricultural development. 
He lives on the southeast quarter of sec- 
tion T. ^^Vthe township, and here he car- 
ries on general farming and his fields pro- 
duce rich crops, while in the pastures 
are seen good grades of cattle, horses 
and hogs. 

On September 15, 1862, while in 
camp at Knoxville, Illinciis. ]\Tr. French 
was united in marriage to ]\Tiss Jane 
Brown, of Mercer county, Illinois. She 
was born in that connty, Julv 8, 1846. 
and attended school there while spending 
her girlhood days in the home of her par- 
ents, Benjamin and Louvisa fMcMur- 
tv) Brown, natives of Indiana and Ken- 



4/0 BIOCR.U'IIICAL REl'll-.W 

tuckv. respectively. I'nr a nuniljcr cf ly, and whu in liis business career has 
}'ears Mrs. I'rencii was U-(>iil)leil with worked his way steachl}- upward to a po- 
cancer and went to \arious places for sition of al'lluence. now owning altogether 
medical ti-ealnient and for the l)enefit of two hundred ami ten acres of rich land, 
,lier health. .\t length she received .\-ray was born in Indiana, in Deccnnljer, 1845. 
treatment in Chicago and afterward in I lis paternal gran<lt'allier, William Mat- 
(Juinc\ . hut exerytliing was uuaxailing to thews, w;is ;i Welshman, while his wife 
check the I'avages of the disease ;ind she was of (lerm.an birth, ^(jth li\ed to an 
died )anuar\- J3. i^oC), her remains Ije- advanced age and were hale and hearty 
ing interred at Uio, Knox cotnil}-. llli- old i)eople, the wife i)assing aw.ay at the 
nois. I'ulo .\lr. ;ind .Mrs. b'reuch were advanced age of ninety }-ears. lie was 
born four I'liildiTu : 1 li-lcn Matilda, who a I'cpublic.au in politics and a most high- 
died when onl\ a month old; ()tis .\.. ly res])ected luan. lie was a soldier of 
who was born in March, iS()5, and is ;i tliewiirof 1 Ni _', and oui' subject can well 
business man of ( )uiu(w, Illinois: ( )r\il rt'membcr ot bis reLating incidents cif the 
1'.., who was born in l\no\ county, jnlv 4, time wlicn he was stationed at Chicago 
iSjj, and is now in (juincv : and ('a])ele^ which tlien coiUaine<l only ;i few log cab- 
C, who w;is born |aiui;ir\ _V'- 1884. and ins at b'ort I )e;irbo|-n. 11 is son, William 
is conducting the home f.irnr .\lr. b'rencb J.'ickson .M.ilthews, was a captain in the 
is thus relieved of much of the .arduous ('i\il w.ar and also ser\-ed as ;i member of 
Labor connected with f.ann work, although the legisl.alnre in Oregon, 
be slill gives his ])crson;d su]>er\ision to Alfred 1!. Matthews, father of our 
the m.Luagement of bis ]>ro|)ert\-, wdule subject, was born in ()hio in 1817, and 
be h.'is never sougbl oi' <lesircd public o| became ;i birnier of Indi.an.a. lie mar- 
fice he is a stalwart ch.ampion of denio- ried .Miss I )iana \. Kallev, who was born 
cr.atic ])i'inci])les ;md fr.alern.allv Ik- is con- in I'ai'kc inuntv. Indiana, in 1827, and on 
nected with the blue loilge and the b^ast leaving the I loosirr slate they remo\ed 
ern Star I'h.ipler of .M.asomv in bdvaston. to Flaucock count}, Illinois, in 1831. set- 
and belongs to the MelbodisI l'4)isco])al tling in the vicinilv of Warsaw, .\fter- 
churcb tliere, associations which indi- ward tbev touk U]) their abode in Augus- 
cate much of the char.acter of the man t;i townsbi]>, where .Alfred 11. Matthews 
and the ])rincip]es which guide his spent his remaining d.a_\'s. In his early 
Conduct. life lus pohlic.al .allegiance was given to 

the democracy, but when the slavery 
question became a ])<aramount issue before 

the people and the Republican p.arty was 

I'ormed to pi'cvent the further extension 

ROP.l'.RT D. M-AT'I'IIFAVS. of slavery he joined its ranks and coiv 

tinned one of its stalwart advocates, lie 

Robert D. Matthews, who has s])ent the was twice m.arried, his first union being 

greater ]iart of bis life iu llancock cotni with F.milv Dax-is, by whom he had one 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILIJNOJS. 



-17' 



daiigiiter, Mandane, now tlic wife ul Jcjlin 
T. Jones, of Oreg-on. Her uiollier liav- 
ing passed away Mr. .Matthews wedded 
Diana V. Kallcy, and the)- became the 
parents of nine children: Rubert i). ; 
Miles Irby, now living in Oklahoma; 
Fernando Cortez, deceased ; Susan Cath- 
erine, the wife nf John A. Campbell, a 
resident farmer df Augusta township, 
mentioned elsewhere in this work; Wil- 
liam Jackson, of Iowa; Harvey Allen, of 
Chili townshiii; I'aIw.i Emeline, the wife 
of Lincoln S. Smith, now living in Chili 
township; Daniel M., of Augusta town- 
ship; and Cassius, deceased. The f.-itber 
pas.se(l away in 1891 and the mother in 
April, 1892, and their graves were made 
in Irwin cemetery. He lived and died in 
a log house and there he began life on 
his own account with \ery small means 
but at the time of his death he owned one 
hundred and ninety acres of very rich 
and productive land. 

Robert D. Matthews was educated in 
the district schools of Augusta township 
.and displayed special ajniturlc in m;ister- 
ing his studies. He had M|)porluinlies 
when he might have taught, but he did 
not like teaching and so always declined. 
He lived with his parents until he at- 
tained his majority, when he began w(jrk 
as a farm hand for a neighbor, being 
thus employed for a year. On the expira- 
tion of that period he commenced farm- 
ing on his own account and rented land 
until twenty-five years of age or until his 
labor had brought him sufilicient capi- 
tal to enable him to purchase a farm. He 
won, as a companion and helpmate for 
life's journey, Miss'Lucinda Catherine 
Sparks, to whom he was married Janu- 
30 



ary 5, 1871. She was born in Tennessee 
in 1850, a daughter of William Leander 
and Elizabeth (Shook) Sparks, both of 
whom were natives of Tennessee, while 
the latter was of German lineage. Her 
father was a m.an of real genius, it was 
.said that he could "do anything from be- 
ing an e.xpert detective to rumiing a 
blacksmith shop, trying a case at law or 
successfully conducting a store." lie 
came to Illinois in 1853 '""' settled in 
.\danis county. At Quincy after the out- 
break of the Civil war he enlisted for 
service and was for three yeais a mem- 
ber of the Cnion army. He then re- 
Inrneil lo his home and remained in .Ad- 
ams count)- until his death in 1898. His 
wife had died when their daughter. Mrs. 
.Matthews, was only two years of age 
and was buried in Tennessee. They had 
two children, of whom one died in child- 
hood. .'\fter losing his first wife, Mr. 
SjKirks wedded .Miss l'".li/,;il)etli h'.lluoird in 
1855, and they had nine t-hildren. of 
whom five are living: William, a resi- 
dent of Liberty, Illinois; Annie, the wife 
of George Grififitts, of .Migusta; John, of 
Hannibal, Missouri; Belle, the wife of 
Preston Golliher, of Adams county; and 
l'"rank, who is living with his mother in 
.'\dams county. Mrs. Matthews losing her 
mother when veiy young, was reared by 
her paternal grand])arents, who brought 
her to Illinois from Temiessee in an <ild 
wagon borne by o.x teams and she car- 
ried a pet chicken with her all the way. 
Mrs. Sparks was quite an expert in weav- 
ing and spinning and Mrs. Matthews now 
has cards which she used. She also taught 
lier granddaughter tf) weave and spin and 
trained her in the fluties of the household. 



47-' 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



The grandtather, Mr. Sparks, although 
a Southern man, was also a strong repuh- 
Hcan. In tlie early "muster days" in 
Tennessee lie was a drummer, wliile liis 
wife acted as a fifer in the Tennessee mar- 
tial band. 

Following his marriage Mr. Matthews 
rented a tract of land on section 6, Au- 
gusta township, and before the year of 
lease had expired he purchased it. becom- 
ing owner of forty acres, upon which he 
lived until 1874. He then bought eighty 
acres on section 5 of the same township 
and on that place erected his home, to- 
g-ether with three barns and otlier im- 
provements. He likewise has eighty acres 
on section 8 and ten acres on section 6. 
his landed possessions aggregating two 
hundred and ten acres. He follows both 
farming and stock-raising, selling to the 
home market, and is a wide-awake, ener- 
getic business man who placed his depend- 
ence solely on his own efforts and has 
looked iov no outside aid or influence td 
assist him in his business affairs. 

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Matthews 
has been blessed with four children, all 
born in Augusta township : Robert El- 
mer, born in October, 1871, and still at 
liome : Alfred Leander, who was bom in 
1873. and died in 1875: Tina Roberta, 
who was born September 28. 18 — , and 
died November 17. 1902: and Troy Ma- 
rion, l)i:irn in Februar}', iSyi. The par- 
ents are memljers of the Christian church 
at Bowen and their deceased daughter 
was also a member of that church, and 
was laid to rest by her sisters in that or- 
ganization. Mr. Matthews is a stalwart 
republican but an active business career 
has left him little time to seek office even 



had he so desired. Fie and his wife have 
thoroughly realized the deprivations and 
hardships incident to the development of 
a home on the frontier and since their 
marriage they have by tlieir joint energy, 
economy and upright living come into 
possession of a good farm as the reward 
of their labor. 



GEORGE U'ASHINGTOX WEBB. 

George Washington Webb was born on 
section 34, Appanoose township. Jul}- 4. 
1850, and it is in the same township that 
he now follows the occupation of farm- 
ing, being accorded a place among the 
representative agriculturists of the com- 
munity. He is of English lineage, a 
grandson of Giles \\'ebb, a native of Eng- 
land. His father. Willian-i Webli, was 
also bom in that country, and was mar- 
ried there to Harriet Baldwin, a daugh- 
ter of James Baldwin. In 1841 W^illiani 
Webb becari-ie a resident of Hancock 
county, settling in La Harpe. and he after- 
ward opened the first coal mine iti Mc- 
Donough county, at Colchester. His 
time was largely devoted to well digging 
in earlier vears and eventualh- he took 
up his abode in Appano(ise township, 
where he purchased forty acres of land 
on section 34, and forty acres on section 
2,2,- He built a log house on tlie latter 
section, where a portion of his land was 
covered with timber. As the years passed 
he added to his property until he secured 
about two hundred and eighty acres lying 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



473 



in one body, a tract of forty acres, and an- 
otlier of eighty acres. His time and ener- 
gies were given to the cuhivation of tlie 
cereals best adapted to the soil and he 
likewise raised stock. Later he added 
dain'ing to his work and sold his butter 
in Keokuk. Thus he lived a life of in- 
dustry and perseverance and his prosper- 
ity was attributable entirely to his own 
well directed labor. He died October 2. 
1882. while his wife passed away April 
16, 1884. In their family were three 
sons and a daughter: James, William 
and George, all residents of Appanoose 
township; and Sarah, the wife of Emmet 
Horton, of Red Willow county, Ne- 
braska. 

George W. Webb spent his boyhond 
days on the old home place where he con- 
tinued to live until six years after his 
marriage. It was on the 12th of Janu- 
ar}', 1875, that he wedded Ella E. Lewis, 
who was born in Lynnville, Chester coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, and wdio was educated 
in this state. Her natal day was April 
II, 1853. and her parents were Morgan 
R. and Mary Ann (Downing) Lewis, 
natives of Chester county, Pennsylvania. 
Her father was a son of Henry and FJe- 
nore (Evans) Lewis, while her mother 
was a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth 
(Beidler) Downing, natives of Penns^■l- 
vania, and a granddaughter of Thomas 
Lewis and Sarah (Smith) Downing, who 
were natives of England and were Quak- 
ers, or Friends, in religious faith. In Oc- 
tober, 1853, Morgan R. Lewis removed 
with his family to Nauvoo, and purchased 
a farm on section 11, Sonora township, 
where he engaged in the tilling of the 
soil and in raising stock. He also con- 



ducted a dair}- business, selling butter in 
Keokuk. He owned eighty acres of 
prairie land in Sonora township, and six- 
teen acres of huid in Appanoose town- 
ship. He died February 8. 1S94, while 
his wife passed away February 5, 1875. 

After residing with his parents six 
years subsequent to his marriage, Mr. 
Webb purchased eighty acres of land, con- 
stituting the south half of the northeast 
quarter of section 34. Appanoose town- 
ship. There were no trees or buildings 
upiin the place at that time and he soon 
erected a residence and has since built 
two bams, one in 1893 f"rty-eight by 
fift}- feet and the other in 1900, forty- four 
by forty-four feet. He has other build- 
ings upon his place for the shelter of 
farm machinery and stock and altogether 
has a model property. Man}- shade, or- 
namental and fruit trees have been planted 
by him and he now has much fruit upon 
his place, deriving a considerable income 
from its sale as well as from the other 
departments of his farm labor. 

L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Webb have been 
born four sons and a daughter. Alorgan 
Lewis, born December 15, 1876, is pastor 
of the English Lutheran church, now lo- 
cated at Murphysboro, Illinois : Blanche 
Edith, born December 18, 1880, is the 
wife of Frederick Earl Schofield, the 
physical director in the Young Men's 
Christian Association, of Burlington, 
Iowa. W^illiam. born November 24. 18S5, 
is at home. Frank, born Novemlier 12, 
1888. died August 11, 1889. Jasper 
Kent, born December 25. 1893. cumpletes 
the family. 

Politically a democrat, Mr. Webb has 
always refused to accept ])ublic office save 



474 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



that uf scliuul trustee and dircclnr. lie 
has h\ed continuously in tiie county from 
his infancy to the present time and great 
cliang'es ha\'e occurred during this period 
of more than a half century. At the 
same time he has carefully conducted 
business interests- that have resultetl in 
bringing him a substantial competence. 



JOHN HENRY BUCKERI'. 

John Henry Buckert, deceased, was 
born in Firstenberg, Waltbeck, Germany, 
in the year 1831 and ac(|uireil his educa- 
tion in the public .schoi)ls of bis natix'e 
country. He was employed in a hotel 
in Germany until twenty-five years of age. 
when he crossed the Atlantic to America 
and took up his abode in \\ arsaw. Illi- 
nois. He was then employed on ri\-er 
boats and was also in the service ol a 
grain commission C(.)mpan}-. utilizing ev- 
ery opportunity fiu" atlvancement ;ind to 
gain a start in the new world. 

On the 1 6th of October, 1865, Mr. 
Buckert was married to Miss Annie Cath- 
erina .Spitza, who was born in .\da, 
Brinkbausen, Hesse, Germany, December 
16, 1839, and with her parents came to 
the United States in 1847, t^'ie family 
home being established in Warsaw, where 
Mrs. Buckert attended the public schools. 
She is a daughter of John Henry and 
Dora Dell fW'-alker) Spitza. Her father 
was a mason contractor and did much 
business in the line of building in ^^'ar- 
saw and \icinitv. He had learned his 



trade in Germany and after coming to the 
new w orld he built the old distilleries near 
A\"arsaw. In fact he erected nearly all 
of the principal buildings of his locality 
at an early day. Plis death occurred in 
Warsaw, June 19, 1856, while his wife 
passed away about two years later. She 
was the mother of fourteen children, two 
of wdiom were born of her first marriage. 
Mr. and Mrs. Buckert began their tlo- 
mestic life in Warsaw, where he was em- 
ployed in connection with the grain trade. 
He continued to reside there until his 
death, which occurred on the 30th of 
May, 1S75. Mrs. Buckert lived with 
her family in Warsaw for a }'ear there- 
after and then rented a farm near the 
t(.)wn for three years, after which she re- 
mo\ed to a place south of Warsaw, 
where she also lived for three }-ears. She 
next bought ninety-three acres in Wythe 
township, where five years later she sold 
out and bought one hundred and sixty 
acres in Montebello township. There she 
lived for fi\e years, \vhen she again dis- 
])osed of her farm and invested in eighty 
acres of land, formerly the property of 
Dr. Spence, of Liberty, Adams county, 
of which forty acres lay on section 33 
and fort}- acres on section 34, Montebello 
township. Here she has resided contin- 
uously since 1900 and the farm is oper- 
ated by her youngest son, Daniel. Mrs. 
Buckert is a lady of excellent business 
ability and executive force and her capa- 
ble management of her business interests 
has brought her a good return. At the 
same time she has carefully reared her 
family. Eight children were born unto 
Mr. and Mrs. Buckert: John F., who is 
now living in Nauvoo, Ilbnois ; Adam, 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



475 



who resides in Trenton, Missouri; Georg'e 
and Gustav, wIki are also residents of 
Nauvoo; Cliristian, who is emplo3'ed by 
the Molina Plow Company at Kdck 
Island, Illinois: Heniy, of Hamilton: An- 
nie, the wife of George Montg^omery. also 
of Hamilton, Illinois: and Daniel, at 
home, now superintending the farm. 

Mr. Buckert was a member of the 
Lutheran church of ^^'arsaw and he gave 
his political support to the democrac)-. 
but never sought or desired office. He 
was a man of genuine personal worth and 
gained the respect of those who knew him 
and the family have many warm friends 
in this part of the county. 



J. HARVEY XORRIS. 

J. Harvey N(MTis. who owns and ojier- 
ates a well ke])t farm in Chili township, 
was born upon this place June 2y. 1877, 
and is a son of James \\'. and Elizal)eth 
(Sterrett) Norris. His father's birth oc- 
curred in Baltimore county, Marvland. 
February 17, 1840. He became a fanner 
by occupation and was a resident of .\d- 
ams county, Illinois, from 1830 until 
June. 1876. when he removed to Han- 
cock county. He wedded Miss Elizabeth 
Sterrett, whose birtli (jccurred in Hart- 
ford county. Maryland, l">bruar\- 10, 
1856. and they had three children but |. 
Harvey Xorris is the only (jne now liv- 
ing. The father died February 10. k^oC). 
and the mother passed away Septcml)er 
5. T884. Both were faithful members of 



the Methodist church. Mr. Norris was a 
man who possessed in marked degree the 
trust and good will of his fellowmen. Ik- 
is said never to have had an enemv. He 
was always kind and sympathetic and he 
knew no distress within his re;ich that he 
did not try to relieve. He was a friend 
to all the churches and was a believer in 
the Christian religion. In In's family he 
was a devoted husband ;uid father and 
among his neighbors was known as a loval 
friend. His good qualities were many 
and have made his name an honored one. 
In the city .schools of Bowen J. Harvey 
Xorris acquired his education and under 
the parental roof spent the days of his 
boyhood and youth, early becoming fa- 
miliar with the duties and labors that fall 
to the lot of the agricultm-ist. In 1902 
his marriage to Miss Xellie Manlove was 
consummated, and he st;irted out in life 
on his own account. .She was born in 
this couiUy July 31, 1881, a daughter of 
Wilfred and Sarah (Waggoner) Man- 
lo\-e, the former born in Knox county, 
Illinois, in 1841, and the latter in Han- 
cock C(junty in 1849. The Manloves were 
of French and Welsh extraction. William 
M;ndo\'e, an uncle of Mrs. .Xorris. was 
killeil at Missionary Ridge in the Civil 
war while defending the I'nion cause. 
She also had a great-uncle. Henrv Cecil, 
who was a soldier of the Civil war and 
her maternal uncles, Fphraim and C\rus 
Waggoner, were alsfj numbered among 
the boys in blue. In the year [867 Wil- 
fred Manlove. father of Mrs. Norris. ar- 
rived in Hancock county, settling on sec- 
tion 29. Chili township. He, too, was a 
veteran of the war. ha\ing enlisted as a 
member of Comp.any D, Seventv-seventh 



476 



BIOGRAPHICAL RE] lEW 



Illinois Regiment under Captain Black. 
His life was exemplary in many respects, 
lor he was ever faithful and honorable in 
all his relations with his fellowmen, was 
honest, active and industrious in business 
and lived an upright life. He possessed 
the confidence of his fellow citizens to an 
unusual degree. He passed away July 8, 
1905, and was laid to rest in Bowen ceme- 
tery. In tlie famil}- were four children : 
Linn, now living in Chili township; 
George, of Bowen ; Mrs. Norris : and 
Ada. the wife of Curtis Pi)\vell. of 
Bowen. 

Mr. and Mrs. Norris make their home 
on section 29, Chili township. The resi- 
dence here was erected by his father in 
1897. The place comprises two hundred 
and eighty acres of arable land, and thir- 
ty acres of timber, and will come into 
possession of Mr. Norris. as he is his 
mother's only heir. He now gives his 
time and energies to general agricultural 
pursuits and stock-raising, making a spe- 
cialty of the breeding and raising of thor- 
oughhired Duroc hogs. As a business 
man he is reliable and enterprising and 
has already made a creditable place in ag- 
ricultural circles, although he is numbered 
among the younger farmers of the town- 
ship. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Norris has 
been bom one son, Gerald William, whose 
birth occurred May i, 1903, on the same 
farm on which his father's birth 1 iccurred. 
This is also the place on which tlie par- 
ents of Mr. Norris and also the parents 
of Mrs. Norris began housekeeping. In 
his political views Mr. Norris is a stal- 
wart republican but without aspiration for 
office. Socially he is connected with the 
Masons and the Odd Fellows. 



JOHN PARKER EWING. 

Death often removes from our midst 
those whom we can ill afford to lose, ;ni(l 
it was with the feeling of universal re- 
gret that the news of the demise of John 
P. Ewing was received in Hancock coun- 
ty. He had lived and labored here for 
man}- years and was one of the worthy 
pioneer settlers, who as time passed, stood 
for progress and improvement in all lines 
relating to the county's welfare and n]i- 
Ijuilding". At the same time he displayetl 
in his business career those commendable 
traits which lead to success and he became 
one of the extensive landowners of the 
county, while his life work proved that 
prosperit}' and an honorable name may be 
won simultaneousl)-. A native of Brown 
count}', Ohio, he was born on the 8th of 
March, 1824, being one of the sevai chil- 
dren of Jackson and Catherine ( Turner) 
Ewing. The family is of Irish lineage, 
the grandfather having been born on the 
Emerald Isle, whence he came to Amer- 
ica, founding the family in new world. 
His son. Jackson Ewing, was born in 
Prussia and was a fanner by occupation. 
He removed to Hancock county in 1846 
and his home was one of the pioneer log 
cabins of ^\'alker township. He also 
spent some time in Schuyler county, Illi- 
nois, but died in this county in 1876. 
His widow, surviving In'm for se\'eral 
}'ears, passed away at the home of her 
daughter, Mrs. H. Gillham, in "\^'alker 
township in 1883. In his political \'iews 
Mr. Ewing was a democrat. Pi the fam- 
ily were seven children : Margaret .\rni, 
who is the wife of Charles Paughlin and 
li\'es in \A'alker township: Sarah Newton, 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



477 



tlie wife of Samuel (juyinan. (.)f Missouri : 
INIary Jane, the wife oi Henry Gillhani, 
of ^^'alker townsiiip: and four who lia\-e 
passed away. The parents were l^nlh 
members of the Metliothst Episcopal 
clnu'ch, in which they took an active 
and helpful interest, Mr. Ewing serxiui^' 
for some time as classleader. 

John Parker Ewing, educated in the 
public schools of Xew York, was reared 
to farm life and ha\-ing removed to the 
west engaged in general agricttlttn-al pur- 
suits in Walker township. He was fa- 
miliar with all of the experiences of pio- 
neer life, with its hardships and its priva- 
tions, its pleasures and its opportunities. 
In his business he prospered as the years 
went by, and by his energy and economy 
he was enabled to add to his possessions 
from time to time, and, making judicious 
investments in real-estate eventually be- 
came the owner of fifteen hundred acres 
of rich farm land that has made Illinois 
one of the greatest agricultural states of 
the union. He also gave to each of his 
children a good farm, and in addition 
left a goodly sum of money to the family. 
He was known as one of the wealthy men 
of the county but moreover, he was 
known, too, as one of its most honorable 
men, being ever straightforward and re- 
liable in his business transactions. 

Mr. Ew'ing was united in marriage to 
Miss Elizabeth Fuller, and they became 
the parents of five children : John, now 
living near Basco, Illinois ; William, 
whose home is near Sutter, Hancock 
county, Illinois; Sarah E., the wife of 
John \\'allace, living near Bowen, Illi- 
nois: Margaret Ella, the wife of Tohn 
Battles; and Perry, deceased. The wife 



and mother passed awav in .Septemljer, 
1865, and Mr. Ewing was again married, 
his second union being with Margaret 
Jane Stucker, who was born near Car- 
thage, March 5, 185S,, a daughter of 
David and Nancy (Ewing) Stucker. By 
the death of her parents she was left an 
orphan when only nine }-ears of age. Pier 
father was a farmer by occupation and 
lived at difi:"erent times in Iowa, in Kan- 
sas, and in Schuyler count}-, Illinois, 
while e\entually he removed to Hancock 
c<_iunty. Politically he was a stalwart re- 
publican, and both he and his wife were 
devoted and faithful memliers of the 
Methodist church, living lives in harmony 
with their professions and doing many 
good deeds which endeared them to all 
who knew them. When called to their 
final rest their remains were interred near 
Keokuk in Lee county, Iowa. In their 
family were five children: John W., who 
is living in Warsaw; Samuel S., who re- 
sides in Higgins, Texas; Sarah A., the 
wife of Thomas McLain, of Exira, Iowa ; 
Lydia A., the deceased wife of Abraham 
Wells, who lives in Miami county, Kan- 
sas : and Mrs. Ewing. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ewing were born 
eight children : Rosetta. the wife of 
John Kiser, of Warsaw, Illinois, by 
whom she has four children, Ethel, Irma, 
Anna L. and Claude; Robert S., who 
married Rhoda Whittaker, a resident of 
Hamilton, Illinois; Charles \\"., living in 
Sutter, who married Fannie McCracken, 
and has two sons. Lorren and Carroll ; 
Viola A., the wife of Charles Rampley, 
of Warsaw: Lemuel M., who lives in 
\\'arsaw and married Anna Schlenk, by 
whom he has one son, Cecil ; Maude Belle, 



4/8 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAAFAl' 



who died at tlie aqe nf four \ears and 
was laid to rest in the ceineterv 1)\- her 
father's side; ("iro\er t'.. wlm li\es in 
Sutter and married Ly(Ha llinerhoff. l)y 
whom he has one son, .Mar\in ; and Vic- 
toria, wlio is at home witii her mother. 
It was on tiie ist of July, 1903. that Mr. 
lowing was cahed from this hfe. passing 
awa_\' on the home farm near Sutter, his 
remains being interred in Walker ceme- 
ter\'. Mrs. Ewing's youngest daughter 
still owns a part of the home place, and 
one Son the other ]Kirt. ller husband built 
the residence tliereon and niaile all of the 
im])ro\ements. In April. 1904, Mrs. 
Ewing purchased a pretty residence on 
Eighth and W'elister streets in AX'arsaw. 
where she is now comfortably situated 
and she has man\- friends in the commu- 
nit\' — friends who know her as a most 
kind-hearted woman and a good neigh- 
bor. Mr. E.wiiig lived to attain the age 
of se\ent\'-nine years and his was a use- 
ful, active and upright life, standing in 
e-\em[)lilication of what may l)e accom- 
plisheil by unfaltering industry and unre- 
mitting diligence. His wealth was 
worthily won so that the most envious 
ciiuld not grudge him his success and his 
record is one which reflects credit upon 
the County in which he so long made his 
home. 



JL'DGE GEORGE W^ JONES. 

Judge George W. Jones represents one 
of the old and prominent pioneer fami- 
lies of Hancock county, his ])arents l)eing 



Emmanuel and Mary Ann (Rees) Jones, 
who are mentioned elsewhere in this work 
and in connection with their life Ihstorv is 
gi\en an account of the ancestral history 
of the family. He left Ohio in 1856 with 
his father's famih' and proceeded by boat 
down the ()hio and up the Mississippi 
river to St. Louis, the famih- remaining 
for three weeks at Canton. There were 
about eighty families aboard the steain- 
b(jat. named "Ben Bolt." lunmanuel 
Jones left his wife and children with his 
brother-in-law, Llo\'d Rees, while he 
came to Carthage and investigated the 
land, which he had ]5re\'iousIy purchased. 
He then in company with his son, George 
\\'., and an uncle of the latter made a 
trip with a yoke of oxen and a mule to 
Alexandria, ciossing to \\'arsaw on the 
ferry boat. There they waited for the 
family, wdio caine up on the packet, and 
at the same time they accidentally came 
across a cousin of Mr. Jones' mother, who 
lixed about twelve miles from that place. 
The famih' traveled across the [irairie 
with ox teams to Carthage and on the 
entire trip did not pass a single home un- 
til they came to the old Comer place, 
which is still standing. They remained 
all night at the Wells ta\'ern. which was 
torn down aljout two years ago. The 
hrst house they came to in Carthage stood 
where the James Black residence is now 
seen and was a little one-story structure 
weatherboarded with cla])boards. Going 
from Carthage to the tract they did not 
pass another house for two miles, when 
they saw a little log cabin, .\bout two 
miles northeast of this stood the little 
house of Xed Russell and these were the 
only houses between Carthage and the 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



479 



old liomestead farm, upon whicli the 
Jones family located. Emmanuel Jones 
built his house, requiring about four 
months to complete the work. The tract 
was wild and unimproved. Wild tur- 
keys and geese could be had in abundance 
and deer were also plentiful. Judge 
Jones of this review has a very retentive 
memory and relates in most interesting 
style events of pioneer times and the wav 
in which the}" lived. He well remembers 
the conversatiiin that occurred on that 
overland trip fifty years ago. Soon after 
reaching their new home five out of the 
family of six were ill with malaria and 
it was almost impossible to get any one 
to wait on them. An ijld neighbor wo- 
man came to them to render assistance. 
She lived four miles away and she said 
she would undertake their care if they 
would turn ofl:' their physician and get 
hers. Air. Jones did this and the new 
physician. Dr. Booz, greatly assisted 
them and remained the family physician 
until his death. Judge Jones has in his 
possession a medal which he picked up 
in the dust when a barefoot boy. It rep- 
resents the campaign when William H. 
Harrison was presidential nominee. He 
also has many coins over seventv-fi\'e 
years old and other interesting curins. 
His education was largely acquired in the 
district schools, such as were common at 
an early da}' in Illinriis. He learned his 
lessons while seated on a sycamore slal). 
the seat being formed by placing such a 
slab upon wooden pins which were in- 
.serted into the slab. The writing desk 
was formed much after the same manner, 
a long board being hung upon hinges fas- 
tened to the window sills. an<l when writ- 



ing was to be done the}' just raised one 
side of the board and through an auger 
hole they placed a stick to hold it up. In 
the summer months he worked in the 
fields, taking his place behind the plow as 
soon as his age ;ui(l strength permitted. 
Later he carried on farming on his own 
account through the summer months and 
in the winter seasons for fi\-e vears en- 
gaged in teaching. 

On the 25th of September. 1864, Mr. 
Jones was married to Miss Emeline Dale, 
who was l>orn on section 30. Hancock 
township. March '4, 1846. her parents be- 
ing George \\'. and Martha (Booz) Dale. 
who were natives of Kentucky, in which 
state Air. Dale carried on farming. The\' 
came to Illinois at an earlv dav and Mr. 
Dale died in 1862 from the eitects of in- 
juries received in a runawa^■. He was an 
industrious, enterprising man. kindlv and 
consiilerate of others. His wife. wh<i 
made her home with Mr. and Airs. Jones 
for seven years, passed away Februaiw 
12. i88i. at the age of seventy-five years. 
She was a member of the Christian 
church and was a most estimable lady. 
Air. Dale filled several ti>\vnship oiifices. 
In their family were seven children, four 
of whom are now li\ing. nanielv : James, 
who resides in Carthage: Alargaret. the 
wife of Phil D. Williams, of La Harpc, 
Illinois: Emeline, now Airs. Jones; and 
John, who is li\-ing on section 31, Han- 
cock township. 

Five years after his marriage Judge 
Jones of this review abandoned farming 
and devoted five years thereafter to teach- 
ing, with the exception of one winter, 
that of 1868-69. which he spent as a stu- 
dent in Abingdon College. In the sum- 



48o 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFA'IEIV 



mer oi i86<) and the winter ni 1870 he 
taught at Oak (irii\e and thnnigli the 
following summer and winter was a 
teacher in the Independence school. In 
1871 he purchased a lot in Carthage on 
Main street and built his home, which he 
has since rebuilt and greatl_\' enlarged. 
He then returned to Middle creek, where 
he taught through the winter of 1871-72.. 
which ended his career as an educator. 
He bad, however, pro\ed a ver_\- capable 
instructor and the schools of which he 
had charge made substantial progress un- 
der his direction but his amliititms lay 
in other directions. While teaching he 
had sensed for two terms as town clerk 
in Hancock township, in 1855 and 1856; 
In his political views he is a democrat 
and has long been recognized as one of 
the leaders of the party in his county. 
On the 31st of March, 1874, he became 
deputy sheriff and served to the end of the 
term mider John D. Stevens and also was 
deputy sheriff for two terms, or four 
years, under C. T. Cannon, filling the po- 
sition until December, 1882. In the 
meantime he was also constable of Car- 
thage township for eight years, acting in 
that capacity until 1883, when he was 
elected magistrate of the city and resigned 
the former position. He acted as mag- 
istrate for four terms, or si.xteen years, 
being chosen to the office on the anti- 
license ticket, .and it was this pijsition 
which won him the title by which he is 
uniformly known — Judge Jones. While 
acting as police magistrate he married one 
hundred and sixty-six couples and since 
taking the office of justice of the peace in 
April, 1905. he has performed sixteen 
marriage ceremonies. He has also seiwed 



as a member of the city school board 
and the cause of education has found in 
him a warm and stalwart friend. He 
maintains his justice court on Main 
street .and in addition to his (ither duties 
he has for the past thirty years worked 
at the court house extending taxes on the 
tax books. He has many times been dep- 
uty county clerk and has also been em- 
l)loyed in the office of county superintend- 
ent and that of city treasurer. Since 1883 
he has been the efficient and trusted school 
treasurer of Carthage township, being ap- 
pointed by a b(iard of two republicans and 
one pr(jhibitionist. while he is a stanch 
democrat. The appointment came to him 
on the 7th of March, 1883, and he still 
continues in the office. In 1892 he was 
chosen superintendent of the fair grounds 
for a term of one year and was assistant 
secretary of the Fair Association prior to 
this time. He has assisted for three years 
in distributing the poor fund of the city 
and thus he has filled many places of pub- 
lic trust and responsibility, being always 
found thoroughly reliable and enterpris- 
ing-. He has moreover frequently been 
called to assist in the bank when e.xtra 
help has been needed. Like his father he 
has always been an earnest and stalwart 
democrat. He is undoubtedly one of the 
most methodical men of the county and 
state, having kept an account of all his 
doings ever since he entered business life. 
He is a fine writer and splendid account- 
ant and has been well qualified for the 
discharge of the various duties that have 
devolved upon him. Upon the organiza- 
tion of Plum Brothers Brick and Tile 
Company of Carthage, Mr. Jones became 
treasurer and has served in this position 



HAXCOCK COCXTV. ILLIXOIS. 



481 



continuously since, ur for three years. 
He was administrator of his father's es- 
tate, has also acted as administrator, 
guardian, trustee and conservator of 
many estates for many years and in this 
connection lias settled many intricate 
business problems. 

Unto Mr. and j\Irs. Jones has been 
born a son, Emmanuel W'., whose birth 
occurred in Hancock county. March 31. 
1 87 1. He pursued his education here, 
passing through successive grades until 
he had completed the high school w<;)rk. 
and he also attended a year and a half 
at Carthage College. He afterward at- 
tended Eureka College at Eureka. IIH- 
nois, for nearly two }ears. when his 
health failed and he returned home. He 
is a carpenter and contractor and is an 
expert mechanic. He spent six years 
working at his trade in Omaha, Nebraska, 
with a prominent builder, going there in 
1899 or 1900. During the winter of 
1905-06 he worked on the tax books at 
Carthage. He wedded Miss Mar}- Chris- 
tensen, at Council Bluffs, Iowa, in 1903, 
and they make their home in Carthage. 
Like his father he is a stalwart democrat 
and is a man of good education. 

Both Judge Jones and his wife are con- 
sistent members of the Christian church. 
He became identified therewith October 
26, 1862. and beginning in 1873 he served 
for two years as an elder in Oak Grove 
church and was also assistant superin- 
tendent of the Sunday-school for one year 
and superintendent for one year of that 
school. He served as deacon in the church 
at Carthage from 1877 until 1879 and 
since that time has been elder, being again 
and again re-elected. He was assistant su- 



perintendent of the .Sunda\'-school in Car- 
thage for three years and a half and for 
many years has been superintendent and 
continuously has served as a teacher when 
not in the former position. He has also 
been church treasurer, and in fact has la- 
bored untiringly for the benefit of the 
church whether in office or out of it and 
has contributed in direct measure to its 
improvement. His wife is also deeply in- 
terested in the church, sharing with him 
in all of his work in its behalf. Mr. Jones 
is an honored member of the Odd Fellows 
societv, belonging to Bentley lodge, Xo. 
412. of which he served as secretary for 
two years. He belongs to the Knights of 
Pythias lodge. No. 388. and for five temis 
has serv^ed as keeper of the records and 
has been both chancellor commander and 
vice chancellor. 

Judge Jones has spent nearly his entire 
life in this county and few men are more 
widely known and none are held in higher 
esteem because of a life of uprightness, 
honor, integrity and kindly purpose. His 
life has been filled with many good deeds 
and benevolent actions. He is pleasant 
and genial and the number of his friends 
is almost co-extensive with the number 
of his acquaintances. 



EMMANUEL JONES. 

Emmanuel Jones, deceased, was born 
in Reiley township, Butler county, Ohio, 
December 25, 1813, and was a son of 
Nicholas and Marv CFarnsworth) Jones, 



482 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



who remrned from Xorthum1)erIaiul 
County, IVnnsyKania. to Ohio after the 
war of 181J, ill which Xicholas Jones 
had participated. He iiad tJTree brothers 
wdio served in that war, nnder (ieneral 
Anthon)' \\ a\'ne. On remo\int^- west- 
ward to Oliio Xicholas Jones arri\ed at 
Cincinnati, Ohio, which was a \-illag'e of 
log cabins on the bottom then called Lo- 
santville. He did not like it there. He 
then went back thirty miles and settled 
in the midst of a timbered tract in Butler 
county, three miles south of where Ox- 
ford now stands, tlie trees j^'rowing' so 
thick that it was necessary to remove 
them l)efore he could build a log' cabin. 
The family there li\ed in true ]>ioneer 
style. There was no glass for windows 
and instead greased paper was used. In 
the cabin were large, broad chimneys and 
they hung their candles in the chimneys 
so the Indians could not see the lights, 
for the red men were still numerous in 
the neighborhoocl and were a constant 
menace to life and propert\'. The first 
ta.x which Nicholas Jones paid was fifty 
cents on his t|uarter secti(}n of land. }Ie 
won the half dollar bv ilri\ing" a heifer 
which a neighlior had sold to a man at 
the county-seat, a distance oi ten miles, 
but while walking back home he lost the 
money. There were many privations and 
hardships incident to pioneer life which 
were borne by the family but as the )'ears 
passed they succeeded in con\-erting the 
l^lace into ,'i good and well im|)ro\ed 
faiMU. 

I'jnmanuel Jones spent his bo\hood 
daA's upon the old homestead farm in 
Butler count}' ;uid in his }'outh learned 
the trade of a carpenter and millwright. 



He afterward spent ten years in Venice, 
Ohio, and in May, 1856, removed west- 
ward to Carthage, Illinois, where he re- 
sided continuousl}' until his death, which 
occurred in 1900. He was a fife major 
in the second regiment of the Third 
I'.attalion of the Ohio Militia. This com- 
mission was dated September 14, 1831. 
He ])laved the fife throughout his entire 
life, his services in that direction being 
much in demand at dififerent celebrations. 
He did duty as a fifer under Colonel 
Griffin Halstead, the father of ]\Iurat 
Halstead, of Cincinnati, Ohi<i, the otficial 
historian of the war de])artment. Mr. 
Jones received his appointment as fifer 
from L. D. Kennard, lieutenant colonel, 
attested by L. D. Campljell, adjutant and 
the comnnssion papers are now in posses- 
sion of his son. Judge George \V. Jones, 
of Carthage. ( This commission was 
dated Hamilton, Ohio. October 17, 1835), 
In the )'ear 1857, Enimanuel Jones served 
as collector in Hancock township, Han- 
cock count\'. and he was in nian\' ways 
identified with the public life of the com- 
munit}' and the de\'elopnient and prog- 
ress of this portion of the state. He was 
also one of the school trustees of said 
townshi]!. 

In early nia"nhood Enimanuel Jones 
was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ann 
Rees, a daughter of John Rees. who came 
from ^^'ales to America in compau}' with 
a brother in the latter part of the eight- 
eenth centurx'. rhe\' l.'uided in New 
Ynvk and John l\ees at once associated 
himself with the English people of the 
new world, so as to become familiar with 
the language spoken. He w'< irked for a 
man who was a whiy. One ila\' his land- 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



483 



lurd asked him liuw he was going tu vote, 
telhng him the whigs were in favor of 
the hmdlords. Rees replied "If that is 
the case I will not investigate farther but 
will vote against them" and so voted the 
democratic ticket all his life. He was 
married in New York to Miss Sarah 
Lloyd and together with his brother they 
removed to Kentuck_\-. where Mrs. Rees 
died. John Rees afterward wedded Miss 
Ann- Laing anil remoxed to Rossville, 
Ohio, which is now a part of \\'est Hamil- 
ton, Ohio. There he worked at his trade 
of lilacksmithing, which he had perfected 
in a seven years' apprenticeship in Wales. 
After a residence of several years in 
Hamilton, Butler county, he took up his 
abode upon a farm in Butler township, 
that county, where he conducted a black- 
smith shop and also carried on general 
farming until he retired from active busi- 
ness life. He was influential in commu- 
nity affairs and ser\'ed as assessor for 
manv years in Ohio. He was also cap- 
tain in one of the old militia companies 
and was always know n by that title. He 
came to America in order to escape com- 
pulsory military service in the English 
army but was so well pleased with the 
country that he never returned. The 
last letter he ever received from home 
was written by his mother, who was then 
one hundred. and five years of age. He 
died in 1853, at the age of seventy-six 
years. George W. Jones has in his pos- 
session the Bible in the Welsh language 
that was given to John Rees by his mother 
wdien he left Wales. It was his daugh- 
ter, Mary Ann, who became the wife of 
Emmanuel Jones. Her grandmother, 
Sarah Chamberlain, who married John 



Laing, at one time kept the Americans 
and British from meeting at her home in 
Xew Jersew being at that time a little 
girl. \\ hen the British marauders went 
around o\'er the country demanding 
everything that they cared to use. they 
saw her one day out in the yard and told 
her they wanted licme}-. She advised 
them to go to the hou.se for it but instead 
of that they knocked the hives to pieces 
and took the honey. Mrs. (Chamberlain) 
Laing also rememliered of seeing General 
Washington. She died in L'nion county, 
Indiana, when between ninet}--seven and 
ninety-eight years nf age. Mrs. Laing"s 
mother's maiden name was Hannah 
Lawrence. Her ancestors had settled on 
Long Island at a very early day, one of 
them being John Lawrence, an English- 
man. 

Hilary Ann Rees, wife of Emmanuel 
Ji;)nes, was born in Ross\'ille, now West 
Llamilton, Ohio, April 7, 181 8, and on the 
1 2th of March, 1835, gave her hand in 
marriage to Mr Jones, with whom she 
lived hapiiil}- iw fifty-six years. She, 
with her husband. Ijecame members of 
the Christian church in 1857, being bap- 
tized by Elder Thomas S. Brockman, in 
Crooked creek near their home. She was 
a kind-hearted woman, was never known 
to do an unkindly act in her life and she 
was greatly beloved by all. Her funeral 
sermon as well as that of her husband was 
preached by Elder Charles Scofield. Mr. 
and Mrs. Jones became the parents of nine 
children, of whom four are now living: 
George \\'., mentioned elsewhere in this 
work: Jerome B., who is living in Car- 
thage township: Anna M., the wife of 
Alfred Adams, who resides upon the old 



484 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAlEir 



homestead farm in llanciick township; 
and Tylee R. Jones, \vh(j is living with 
his sister on the old homestead. The 
parents were devoted members of the 
Christian church, in which Mr. Jones 
served as an elder for thirty years. In 
the work of the church they took a very 
active and helpful part and their influ- 
ence proN'ed a potent element for gocxl. 
Air. Jones was a quiet un(.)Stentatii:)US man 
and good citizen, who was well respected 
b}' all wh(j knew him. .V de\'oted chris- 
tian gentleman, he did much to promote 
the cause of the church at (.)ak (irove and 
largely aided in the erection of the sub- 
stantial frame building there. He fur- 
nished every piece of timber for the frame 
w'ork and heavy sills and hauled them to 
the place of building over a miserably 
poor road for a distance of four or tl\e 
miles, in which he had to cross two creeks. 
The timber was hewed liy George \\\ 
Jones and his brother and was framed 
for the church Ijy tlie father. He also 
worked by the da}- as a carpenter on the 
building, likewise gave money for its con- 
struction and was ne\'er known to refuse 
a call for aid in worthy christian work 
or benevolent purpose. He was one of 
the first converts under the teaching of 
General T. S. Brockman in 1857 and 
throughout his entire life his actions were 
guided by high purpose and worthy mo- 
tives. His Christianity was not in reser\'e 
for Sunday use but permeated his e\ery- 
da\- life ;uid work and found exemplifi- 
cation in his business. He was a \ery 
industrious man and could never be in- 
duced to execute a poor jiib. He was 
always at work, rain or shine, and did 
all of the work for Xorman Hobart. who 



had the best mill ever erected in the 
county. He also built other mills and 
he wove thousands of yards of carpet, 
operating looms in an early day. A man 
of domestic tastes he had great love for 
his home and in his family di.splayed the 
most kindly, generous spirit. All who 
knew him respected him for his genuine 
worth and his history well deserves men- 
tion in this volume, as he was one of the 
early settlers of the county and did much 
to promote its upbuilding and develop- 
ment. 

He and his wife li\ed upon the farm 
until their children prevailed upon them 
to leave it and take up their abode in Car- 
thage, where they remained until called 
to their final rest. They e.xperienced 
manv privations and hardships during 
their early life as pioneers in Illinois. He 
first built his house on the hill at the 
advice of friends but had to move it down, 
so that the neighbors hitched twenty 
yoke of oxen to it and in this way took 
it to its present site, hauling the building 
with very strong chains. The number 
of their friends was almost co-extensive 
with the number of their acquaintances 
and they were classed among the most 
respected and worthy pioneer residents of 
the countv. 



HENRY C. \MLLIAMS. 

Henry C. A\'illiams, one of the promi- 
nent residents of Walker township, wlm 
has attained a goodly measure of suc- 
cess in his fanning operations, was born 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



48: 



in Kentucky on September 20, 1829. Iiis 
parents being Levi and Mary (Reid) 
^^'ilIiams. who were likewise natives of 
Kentucky. Both were born in Madison 
county, the father in 1794 and the mother 
in 1796. His life was given to the work 
of the farm, and thinking to more readily 
achieve success by establishing a home 
on the frontier he came to Hancock 
county in 1832. settling in Walker town- 
ship. The land was largely unbroken prai- 
rie or uncut forests, and he li\ed in a little 
log cabin for some years in true j^ioneer 
stAde, sharing in the hardships and pri- 
vations, the pleasures and the opportuni- 
ties which come to those who establish 
homes on the fnjntier. He had previous- 
I3' served his country as a soldier in the 
war of 1812, and again his military spirit 
w-as manifest in the attempt which was 
made by the settlers to drive the Mor- 
mons from the county in 1844. resulting 
in the expulsion of the sect whose polyg- 
amous practices were obnoxious to the 
law-abiding citizens. He was also a 
member of the Illinois militia and sen-ed 
with the rank of colonel, commanding a 
regiment. His political allegiance was 
given to the whig- party and his last pres- 
idential vote was cast for Abraham Lin- 
coln. He died in the year i860, while 
his wife passed away in 1872, and they 
were laid to rest in Walker township. 
People of the highest respectability, they 
won the hearty esteem and confidence of 
all with wdiom they were associated. In 
their family were tr\'e children, of whom 
three are now living: John R., of \\'ar- 
saw ; Rice C. of Peoria, Illinois; and 
Henry C. of this review. 

\\'hen onlv three \-ears of agfe Henrv C. 



Williams was brought l)y his parents to 
Hancock county, and in the primitive 
schools of W^alker township he acquired 
a knowledge of the common branches of 
English learning. His training at fann 
labor was not meager, for he early as- 
sisted in the arduous task of developing 
new land and remained upon the old 
homestead with his parents until long 
after he had attained his majority. At 
the time of the early gold excitement in 
California he made a trip to the Pacific 
coast, spending three }ears in the mines 
and in traveling- over that part of the 
country. Following his return to Han- 
cock count\' he engaged in farming in 
\\"alker township and throughout the 
greater part of his life has continuous!}- 
fi_)llowed general agricultural inu-suits. 
He completed his arrangements for ha\- 
ing a home of his own, by his marriage in 
1858, to Miss Martha J. Quick, who was 
born in P)UlIet county, Kentucky, in 1840, 
a daughter of Alfred and Susan E. Quick. 
Ijoth of whom were liorn about twentx'- 
five miles fron-i Louisville. Kentucky, 
whence the\- came to Hancock county in 
1847, settling in Rocky Run township. 
Her father was a stalwart republican but 
not an' office seeker. In his family were 
seven children: Preston X. Quick, now 
living in Rocky Run township: Samuel, 
of the same township; James A., a resi- 
dent of Missouri ; Susan, the wife of 
James Shipe. of \\' arsaw ; and three who 
ha\e passed away. The mother's death 
occurred in Juh', 1892, and the father died 
in 1895, 'lis remains being then interred 
bv her side in a cemetery in Rocky Run 
township. 

Prior to his marriage INIr. Williams 



486 



BIOGRAPHICAL RPAIEW 



purchased one liundred and thirteen acres 
of land in Walker township and upon 
this farm he has made all of the improve- 
ments, erecting a pretty home in 1879, 
and at different times iither suhstantial 
structures in the way of barns and sheds 
for the shelter of grain aiid stock. He 
was quite successful in the work of tilling 
the soil and has also raised some stock. 
At the same time he has not been neglect- 
ful of public duties and interests and has 
served as school trustee and director. 
His political allegiance is given to the 
Republican party. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. W illiams were Ijorn 
fi\e children, the birthplace of all being 
the present Imme farm. These are: 
Rosa A., the \vife of J. C. Perry, of 
Bowen, Illinois, by whom she has three 
children, Russell, Stella and Grace: Rob- 
ert M., who wedded Anna Denton, l)y 
whom he has three children. Earl; Lo- 
vetta, and Dolores, their home being in 
the state of Missouri: ^^'illiam P.. who 
resides in Wythe township, and married 
Etta Lane, b_\- whom he has two sons, 
Ralph and Lloyd: lona J., who is acting 
as her father's housekeeper: and Luella 
M., the wife of John T. Gabel. of W^-the 
township, by whom she has two chil- 
dren, Harold and Edna. The wife and 
mother died April 22, 1895, and was laid 
to rest in Wilcox cemetery. She passed 
away in the faith of the Christian church, 
of which she was a devoted and faithful 
member. In her life she exemplified 
many sterling traits of character and thus 
left behind her many warm friends who 
yet cherish her memory. I\Ir. Williams 
is also a devoted member of the Christian 
church, in which he has served as deacon 



and treasurer for some time. He began 
life with limited resources but through 
economy, upright life and business ability, 
and the aid of his wife, who was indeed 
a faithful companion and helpmate to him 
on life's journey, he has accumulated a 
comfortable competence and is now en- 
abled ti_) enjoy many of the comforts of 
life, while in the community he stands 
high in public regard as one who is 
worthy of the ties of home and friendship 
and to the duties of citizenship as well 
as to the obligations of the business 
world. 



JOSEPH E. HELFRICH. 

Joseph E. Helfrich, postmaster of Car- 
thage, was burn in this city November 
15. i860, a st)n of John and Josephine 
( Loring) Helfrich. The father was born 
and reared in Tlermanv and in 1857 came 
t<j the I'nited States to avoid compulsory 
militar\' service in his country, settling 
first in Ohio, but soon afterward remo\'- 
ing to Carthage. Here he met and mar- 
ried Miss Loring. a daughter oi Fred- 
erick Loring. who came to Illinois from 
Vermont. Mr. Helfrich's desire tn avoid 
militarv ser\-ice was not from any lack 
of courage on his part as was soon dem- 
onstrated by the patriotism and loyalty 
he (lispla_\'ed to his natixe cnuntry when 
the L'nited States became in\'ol\'ed in the 
Ci\-il war. With firm belief in the right- 
eousness of the L'niun cause, he enlisted 
in t86i as a member (if Company B. One 
Plundred and Eighteenth Illinois \"olun- 




JOSEPH E. HELFRICH 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



487 



teer Infantr)- and served until the close 
of the hostilities without hospital record. 
He was always at his post of dut)- and 
participated in many important engage- 
ments. Returning to the north when the 
war was o\'er he opened a meat market 
in Carthage in 1865 and continuetl in that 
business sucecssfuUy until his death in 
1887. He was a very active and earnest 
worker in suppijrt of the Republican party 
but not an aspirant for office. That he 
gave his aid willingly anil freely to the 
country in the dark days of the Civil war 
is not only indicated by his valorous ser- 
vice on the field of battle but also by his 
refusal to apply for a pension. He was 
nominated on the republican ticket for 
the office of sheriff when the count)-, had 
a normal democratic majorit}- of one 
thousand and his personal dut}' and the 
confidence reposed in him by his fellow 
townsmen is indicated by the fact that 
he was defeated by only sixty-two votes. 
He was reared in the faith of the Catho- 
lic church, while his wife w^as a member of 
the Christian church. She is still living 
and is a most active, effective and earnest 
worker in the Christian church and its at- 
tendant societies. She is greatly re- 
spected and admired among the older 
residents of the city, where she has many 
friends. In the family were seven sons 
and two daughters, all of whom are now 
living in Carthage: Joseph E.. of this re- 
view ; Mary C, the wife of J. L. Wolfe; 
Estella, the wife of L. G. Gerard ; Charles 
N. ; George V., state's attorney for Han- 
cock county; John F. ; Albert H. ; Leo L. : 
and Oliver C. Helfrich. 

Joseph E. Helfrich. the eldest of the 
family, was educated in the public schools 
31 



and afterward became his father's assist- 
ant in the meat market and subsequent to 
the father's death purchased the business, 
which has been conducted in the same 
building for forty years. It is situated 
on the south side of the square and is now 
the property of Mr. Helfrich of this re- 
view, the enterprise being the uldest busi- 
ness conducted under the same name in 
the city. Mr. Helfrich enjoys an unas- 
sailable reputation in business circles for 
his reliabilit}' and enterprise. He is ever 
straightforward in his dealings and well 
merits the sitccess which has come to 
him, for it has resulted from close ap- 
plication and unfaltering energy. 

Mr. Helfrich was married September 
I, 1881, to Miss Ida May Cudney, of Car- 
thage, a daughter of Peter Cudne_\', one 
of the earlier residents of the county, who 
came here from Michigan. They now 
have three children : Mabel .\., the wife 
of Alva M. Williams, a resident of Breck- 
enridge, this county; and Edith Lyle and 
Otis Lloyd, both at home. All have re- 
ceived good educational privileges. The 
family residence is at the corner of Main 
and College avenue and the parents and 
children attend and support the Christian 
church. 

Mr. Helfrich is a member of Hancock 
lodge. No. 20, Ancient Free and Accepted 
Masons, of which he has been worshipful 
master for two terms and also representa- 
tive to the grand lodge. He belongs to 
Carthage chapter. Royal Arch Masons, 
to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 
the Knights of Pythias fraternity, the 
Modern Woodmen camp. Ancient Order 
of United Workmen and Court of Honor 
and is a worthy exemplar of these va- 



488 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW ' 



ridiis (irganizatimis which ha\e their basic 
element in mutual lieli)fulness and hrcitli- 
erly kinihiess. In jxjhtics Mr. Melfrich 
has al\\a\s lieeu an acti\e and earnest 
repubh'cau fnim the time he attained his 
maj(.)rit}- and has l)een a member (it the 
district central committee and fur a num- 
ber I if years, chairman nf the township 
central cdmmittee. The first office to 
which he was elected was that of town- 
ship clerk, while later he was super\isor 
of Carthage township for two terms. He 
has attended as a delegate the \arious 
countv and congressional conventions but 
has ne\er been active as a politician in 
the usually accepted sense of the term. 
He is, howe\'er, now filling the position 
of postmaster, to wdiich he was ajipointed 
by President Roosevelt in 1902. During 
his incuml)enc\' the postoffice has been 
a<lvanced from a third t<i a second class 
and four new i"ura1 free (leli\ery routes 
have been established, while there has 
been a large increase in the amount of 
business done, the re\-enue being increased 
twenty-fi\e per cent. There are three 
assistants emploved in the office and Air. 
Helfrich was re-apixiinted. May, \()oU. 
which is entireh' satisfactory to the citi- 
zens at large, for his administration has 
lieen acceptable to all, owing to his 
promptness and reliability in the discharge 
of hi^ duties. His residence in the city 
cox'ers the entire ])eriod of his life and he 
is one of its most respected and worthy 
business men and officers. 

( )n the President's call for \dlunteers 
for the Spanish-American war in 1898, 
Mr. Helfrich organized a company of 
one hundred and thirty men, known as 
the Hancock Countv \'olunteers, and the 



whole company was \-er\- much disap- 
pointed on linding that the (piota for the 
state had been filled when their regiment 
was enlisted. Mr. Helfrich ser\ed ifine 
years in the state militia, resigning the 
captaincy of his company, owing to lack 
of time. 



JOHN B. JOHNSON. 

John B. Johnson, who since iQOi has 
resided in Carthage, prior to which date 
he was engaged in farming and stock- 
raising in Hancock count\\ was bom in 
St. Mary's township. March 4, 1867. his 
parents being M. M. and Mary (Bacon) 
Johnson. The father's l)irth also occurred 
in St. Mary's township, Hancock county, 
while the mother was bom in Tennessee 
township, AIcDonough county. The fa- 
ther died April 7, iyo6, and the mother 
lives at Carthage, Further mention is 
made of the family in connection with 
the sketch of the father on another pag'e 
of this work. 

John B. Johnson was educated in the 
district schools of St. Mary's township, 
in Carthage College and in Bloomington 
Ci^llege in this state. During the jieriods 
of \acation he assisted in the labors of 
the farm and remained with his [larents 
upon the old homestead until he had at- 
tained his majority, giving' his attention 
to farming and stock-raising. In Octo- 
ber, 1894, he was united in marriage to 
Miss Stella Walker, a daughter of Thom- 
as I. and Mary ( Atchinson ) Walker, and 
a native of St. Alarv's. Hancock countv. 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



489 



where she was linrn Oct(il)er 3, 1870. and 
made her home until she came to Hve in 
Carthage. Her father is also a resident 
of Carthage hut her mother passed awa\' 
February i, 1905. Mrs. Johnson contin- 
ued her education in the high schools and 
in the college of Carthage and is a well 
informed lady of innate culture and re- 
finement, who presides with gracious hos- 
pitality over their pleasant home. For 
seven years after their marriage Mr. and 
Mrs. Johnson lived upon a farm in St. 
Mar}''s township, hut in njoi remo\'ed 
to the city, purchasing a new house at 
the corner of Adams and Buchanan 
streets. Air. Jnhnson is still engaged .in 
farming and stock-raising, hut superin- 
tends his business interests while lix'ing in 
Carthage. He feeds about three hundred 
head of cattle a year and also a large 
number of hogs and deals cjuite exten- 
sively in horses. He also owns some lots 
in Carthage in addition to his residence 
property and he has his office at the Stock 
Exchange in the McMahon building on 
Adams street. He likewise li;is an im- 
pnwed farm of two hundred and forty 
acres of land in Carthage township and 
one hundred and sixty acres of laml in 
St. Mary's township. He is yet a young- 
man but has attained considerable suc- 
cess in business affairs and has accumu- 
lated a very desirable competence. 

In his political views Mr. Johnson is 
a democrat and has ser\-e(l as super\isor 
and school director. He belongs to the 
Woodmen camp and he and his wife ;ire 
devoted, active and faithful members nf 
the Methodist church, in which he is ser\-- 
ing as steward. Both are eligible to 
membership with the Sons and Daugh- 



ters of the American Revolution, being 
descended from ancestors who fought for 
the independence of the nation. They 
have an attractive home, tastefully fur- 
nished, and books and music indicate the 
interests of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. She 
has greatly aided her husband in all of 
his undertakings and both enjoy in large 
measure the esteem and good will of 
many friends. He has already attained a 
creditable place in business circles and yet 
is hardl}' in the jninie of life, so that the 
future probabl}' liohN in store for him 
greater successes. 



CHARLES F. SPENCE. 

Charles F. Si)ence, engaged in general 
farming and stock-raising in Montebello 
township, is one of Illinois' nati\-e sons, 
and from his \'outh has resided largely 
in Hancock count\'. His birth, however, 
occurred in Adams count}' ou the Jbtb. 
of July, 1 86 1, his parents being Abram 
an<l Angeline (Hulse) Spence, both na- 
ti\'es of Ohio. The maternal grandpar- 
ents, Thomas and Elizabeth Hulse, were 
likewise nati\-es of the Buckeye state. 
Abram Spence, in his earh' manhood re- 
mo\-e(l from Ohio to Adams county. Bli- 
nois, where he was married and there his 
death occurred in 1862. Following his 
demise his widow made her home near 
Be\erl_\'. Illinois, where she engaged in 
teaching school, and in i896, she gave 
her hand in marri.-ige to Peter Williams, 
a farmer of that localitv. Bv this union 



490 



BIOGRAPHICAL RIAIEW 



there were Iiorn Umv cliildrcn. twn suns 
and two daugliters, <if whom three are 
now livins^", Ah'ir\- I'.tla, William (i. and 
Frank E., all of win mi are residents nf 
Camp i'oinl. Illinois, while Melissa, who 
was the sccnnd in urtler of l)irth, died at 
the age of two years. By the mother's 
first marriage there were two sons, the 
elder being Dr. John T. Spence. who is a 
practicing physician at Camp I'oint. Uli- 
iTois. The death of Airs. Spence nccnrred 
April 28. 1899. 

Charles F. Spence li\ed with his 
mother to the age of seventeen years, 
when he began earning his own li\ing liy 
work'ing by the month as a farm hand in 
Adams and Hancock connties. Fie was 
thus emplo_\ed nntil a \ear prior to his 
marriage, when he purchased sevent\'-nine 
acres of land on section 2O, \\ alker tiiwn- 
ship, Hancock county, whereon he re- 
sided for four years. He then purchased 
one hundred acres on section 35, Monte- 
bello township and the year following his 
removal to his new purchase he sold his 
property in Walker township. The ime- 
hundred-acre tract was quite well im- 
proved when he took possession. It was 
a stock farm and Air. Spence has here en- 
gaged e.xtensively in raising stock. He 
has an eight-ton stock .scale upon his place, 
and from time to time he has made sub- 
stantial improvements. He also built 
two corn-cribs, nne a double cril). Later 
he built t\v<i more cribs anil afterward 
a bay barn twenty-si.x by thirty-six feet 
with a nine foot shed <_)n three sides. In 
1896 he had a well drilled to the depth 
of one hundred and twenty-six feet. He 
farms \ery little upon bis place, having 
eighteen acres onlv in corn, while the 



remainder nf his land is used for ]iastur- 
age or for the raising of hav. Il()wc\-er, 
he gives his personal supervision to the 
conduct of a farm of seventy-se\-en acres 
on section 34, Montebello township, culti- 
\ating the fields for the purpose uf rais- 
ing the cereals best adapted to soil and 
climate. He is, however, best known as 
;i stockman and raises horses, hogs and 
cattle. He also buys and deals in cattle, 
feeding and shipping about eighty or one 
hundred head annually. He also deals 
(juite extensi\ely in hogs, feeding about 
three hundred head per year. 

On the 17th of February, 1886, Air. 
S])ence was married tn Aliss Dora Har- 
rison, who was born in Walker town- 
ship. Hancock county, September 16, 
1864. She is a granddaughter of John 
and Alartha ( Ainsworth) Harrison, na- 
tives of Lancashire, England, and came 
to America about 1842, and. settled in 
Walker township in 1842. It was in that 
township that their son, William Har- 
rison, who was eighteen years of age 
when he came to America, the year before 
bis parents, was united in marriage to 
Aliss Alaria Kirkendall, October 19, 1851. 
She was born in Penns^dvania, and a 
daughter of David Kirkendall, who was 
born in Scotland. The death of Airs. 
Maria Harrison occurred August 23, 
1S65, and the father afterward married 
again. His death occurred Januaiy 8, 
1901. By his first marriage he had four 
sons and four daughters, of whom ]\Irs. 
Spence is the youngest. Bv her marriage 
she became the mother of three chiltlren. 
of whom twii died in infancv. while Car! 
H., the eldest, was l)orn N^ovember 8, 
1S94, and died February 16, 1895. The 



T^^XCOC. 



Die:; Tmf i ^ '^^•T- 



--ilk. Hr- 



fr SBSIE Hi 



IvlEsirrnr in 




iii»-rr=. Sfi "na^ i'j: 



•i^ Monajtelk' xcnnsmo. 









"PT TT.i ]A M DICkSOX BitAI>SHAW. 






nr. Trnene 

s^a'i^sK Had TS also engBged giEDe ssxsr^ 
STTehr 2D die xaisiig' oi raTrV He tt^s 
QQfm in Tarfeonirilk- Mcc^^n ccrnnij. 
this srste. Iferci 30. 1837. His iarber. 
Jce! Bradsha-ir. was barn in Sp^r::^ 
T\"l-rTf ccinnrr, Tennssee. in iSiJi. -?~>n 
"srbsn a Stde lad oi s^ven —-^^sr- "-£5 
■farc'ng-'hT zrani liie satnii -•:■ F 
parenis. Jciim and Marr 
Bradsha-w. laiiT-es oi Tennessee and Ken- 
TnrVr respectrraih-. xhe iassihr b.ame lieins' 

in MoT^jan caanrr. sear Ja£k- Mardi 14. 1S55 



engaged gTTTf eE-g-isrre-j r: mt ' - 
C'i ijCJTses. carr'te and bc^s. ireqiir^ 
lie Dec grrades of siicici i^Kin Iss iar: 
He "sras a Terr igt-fffn ■ tfart azid inirr""^"- 
TTy-^ ia Ins dzT asd -was a ieader 

cnrred XL<vemher ^ 

tT-nine. In dbe i. 

neer CiXapJe "irerc >►.-:. r^::. 

cinbr TWO nrccbe:? and ;ae - 
sab3en are i3;"sr Irring- Tb-. 
rrrd is as ic>I!c"w"s; ':l''£ ^ 



492 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJIEW 



William 1)., nl tliis review; '\l;w\ Jane, 
whii was Imrn January 3. 1839, and be- 
eanie the wife nf Frank liine, of Jack- 
scjnville, illindis, Imt is now deceased: 
George W .. who was bom January i, 
1S41, and is a resident of La Harpe; Su- 
sanna E.. who was born December 18, 
1842. and died at the age of six years; 
Sarah L., who was born January 14, 
1845, and became the wife of WiUiam C. 
Bainter, but is now deceased; Emma E., 
wdio was born February 8. 1847, and the 
widtiw of James Davis, now making iier 
home in La Harpe: Elvina (i., who was 
born Ma}' 20. 1849, and passed away at 
the age of six years: Joel G.. who was 
l)orn October 2. 1852, and passed aw:iy 
in 1894; and James M., who was born 
Decemijer 20, 1855, and* now occupies the 
old homestead farm. The mother died 
in 1859. 

William D. Bradshaw pursued his edu- 
cation in the common scIkjoIs of Morgan 
county, but his educational privileges 
were very limited owing to the unsettled 
condition of the country and the lack of 
a good school system. He has, howe\'er, 
through reading and observation added 
to his fund of knowledge until he has be- 
come a well informed man. He was early 
trained to the duties of fami labor, as- 
sisting his father in the arduous work of 
breaking and cultivating wild land, and 
sharing with the family in all (jf the 
hardships and privations, as well as the 
pleasures of a frontier existence. When 
he came to this county deer and other 
wild beasts were to be seen roaming 
through the forest, and there was much 
wild game of all kinds to be had. so th;it 
the early settlers could indulge in hunt- 



ing in those days, and thus the family 
board was frecjuently supplied with wild 
meat of various kinds. Fie remained with 
his parents until the time of his marriage, 
when on the 22d of December, 1867, he 
was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. 
Bainter, a daughter of Daniel and Sarah 
(Huston) Bainter, who, after their mar- 
riage in Ohio, made an overland trip to 
this state, the year of their arrival being 
1835. Thus, like the Bradshaws, they 
were numbered among the early pioneer 
settlers of this portion of the state. 

Following his marriage Mr. Bradshaw 
purchased a farm of one hundred and 
si.xty acres, on which he has placed many 
improvements in the way of fences, sub- 
stantial outbuildings and a fine country 
residence, and here he has continued to 
make his home to the present time. He 
has added a tract of one hundred and fifty 
acres, located on section 31, so that he 
has here extensive holdings, on which he 
is engaged in general farming and has 
raised cattle to quite an extent, this 
branch of his business proving a gratify- 
ing source of income. His place is well 
tiled and the land is placed under a high 
state of cultivation, so that he annually 
gathers ainindant crops as the result of 
the care and labor he bestows upon the 
fields. He follows only the best methods 
of farming and uses the latest improved 
farm implements to facilitate his work. 
Unto our subject and his wife was liorn 
one daughter, Sarah Margaret, who was 
bom November 4, 1868. Her death oc- 
curred in June. 1894, she having been a 
great sufferer from rheumatism for many 
years prior to her death. 

Mr. Bradshaw's study of the current 



HANCOCK COUNT]\ I LUX CIS. 



493 



e\'ents of the nation has led him to give 
liearty support to tlie Democratic party. 
For twenty years he sen-ed as school 
treasurer of La Harpe township, and in 
many ways has given active and helpful 
support to local advancement and prog- 
ress. He has now almost reached the 
seventieth milestone on life's journey and 
during the long years of his residence 
here has seen marvelous changes as the 
wild land has been converted into rich 
farming property, towns and villages 
have sprung into existence and the work 
of development and improvement along 
commercial, industrial and agricultural 
lines has been carried forward, and he 
has not only been a witness of all this 
but has been an active participant and a 
leader in many movements whereby the 
general public has benefited. He and his 
wife are wijrthy pioneer people, highly 
esteemed througlu)Ut the county where 
they have so long lived antl labored and 
where they enjoy the good will and con- 
fidence of a host of friends, to whom 
the}" have become endeared by reason of 
the many excellent traits of character 
which they possess. 



GEORGE CLERE. 

George Clere, who is engaged in gen- 
eral farming in Bear Creek township, has 
a place that is well kept, denoting his 
great neatness, thrift and enterprise. He 
was born upon this farm April 30, 1872, 
and is a son of Theodore and Catherine 



(Miller) Clere. His father was born 
in France and crossed the ocean when 
ten years of age with his parents. Soon, 
however, they became residents of Cler- 
mont county, Ohio. At a later date 
Theodore Clere went to California, where 
he remained for ten years, and in 1869, 
he was married and c;une to Illinois. His 
\\ife was liorn and reared in Highland 
county. Ohio, ;uid both A[r. and ]Mrs. 
Clere are now living in P>asco. Although 
a blacksmith by trade Mr. Clere has fol- 
lowed farming fur nian\- vears and is 
now associated with his son George in 
the conduct of agricultural interests. 
INIrs. Clere had one Ijrother. Henry Miller, 
who was a soldier in the Civil war for 
three years, enlisting frcmi Ohio. He lost 
his e}'esight in the ser\'ice. He was not 
in any battles l)ut was an ex]iert bridge- 
builder, who with other workmen of this 
character went ahea<l nf the armv and 
L)uilt bridges and other such work, so that 
the armies could continue their progress. 
While thus engaged he was shot at many 
times. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Clere 
have been born four children: George, 
of this review ; Emma, the wife of Charles 
Hays, who is living near Carthage: Eliza- 
beth, the wife of Albert Hartman, resid- 
ing in Bear Creek township : and Cath- 
erine, the wife of Dr. William Rankin, 
of Basco, Illinois. 

George Clere pursued his education in 
the schools of Basco and during the fall 
and winter of 1890-91 was a student in 
the Gem City Business College, at Ouincy, 
Illinois. He then returned to the old 
home farm and assisted his father in its 
operation, continuing thereon after his 



494 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



marriage. He is now a partner of his 
father and they deal very extensively in 
stock, feeding' and shipping large qnanti- 
ties of cattle. 

On the iSth of Octoher, 1898, Mr. 
Clere was united in marriage to Miss 
Birdie Rohrbaugh. who was born near 
Basco, October 3, 1876, and is a daughter 
of Solomon and Mary (Tanner) Rohr- 
baugh. Her maternal grandfather w.as a 
soldier of the war of 1812. Her father 
was born in \'irginia. wdiile the mother's 
birth occurred near Plymouth, Hancock 
county, Illinois. Mr. Rohrbaugh came 
to this state when quite young and is 
now living in Oquawka, in Henderson 
county, Illinois. His wife died, how- 
ever, wdien their daughter. Mrs. Clere, 
was a little maitlen. They had three chiU 
dren : Birdie : Clarence, who is living in 
Lea\-enworth. Kansas; and Alliert, who 
died at the age of fourteen }-ears. 

Mr. and Mrs. Clere began their do- 
mestic life upon the old homestead farm, 
comprising three hundred and seventy 
acres of valuable land situated on sections 
22 and 2T), Bear Creek township. It is 
very \-aluable and the fields are prcjductive 
becau!?e of the care and cultivatiijn that 
has been bestowed upon them. There 
are also good Iniildings upon the place 
and everything is indicative of the super- 
vision of the owner. In his political 
views George Clere is a stalwart demo- 
crat. }'et has never been an aspirant for 
office. He is an Odd Fellow and has 
passed all of the chairs in the local lodge 
and has twice been representative to the 
grand lodge. He also holds membership 
relations with the Modern \\'oodmen of 
America, and he and his wife are devoted 



members of the Baptist church. The 
marriage of this worthy couple has been 
blessed with one son, Leslie, who was 
born Januar}' 17, 1900, on the same farm 
where the father's birth occurred and 
wdiere the family are still residing. 

Mr. Clere has led a life of acti\ity and 
usefulness and much that he possesses has 
been acquired through his own labor. 
He has worked diligentl}- and persistently 
as the years have gone b_\' and his farm 
bears every evidence of his care and 
supervision. 



JOHX J. BODDEKER. 

The man whose name introduces this 
review is one of the prosperous farmers 
of Appanoose township that Germany has 
furnished to this state. Born in Prussia. 
Germany, his natal day was March 6, 
1848, his parents being Joseph and Jo- 
sephine (Lengenman) Buddeker. He 
acquired his education in the fatherland, 
and at the age of twenty-three years en- 
listed for service in the German army, in 
which he served for six months, at the end 
of which time, having heard favorable 
reports concerning the advantages and 
opportunities to be enjoyed in the new 
world, he decided to leave his native land, 
and accordingly in 1871, emigrated to 
America, making his way at once to Han- 
cock county, where he spent the succeed- 
ing three }ears as a farm hand, working 
by the month for various farmers of this 
localit^'. Possessing the energetic, in- 



HA.\'COCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



495 



dustrious and economical spirit so char- 
acteristic of the German element, at the 
end of three }-ears he was enaliled tn en- 
gage in farming on his nun accnunt and 
then removed to Knox county, [Missouri, 
where he hved on a rented farm for eight 
years. Here lie carried on general agri- 
cultural pursuits and met with such good 
success that on the expiration of that 
period he had capital sufficient to 'justify 
the purchase of land, and then returned 
again to Appanoose township, where he 
bought eighty-eight acres, situated ini sec- 
tion 14. This was luit partially impnned 
but he at once set to work to further im- 
prove the land, placing his fields under 
cultivation, from which he annually gath- 
ered good crops. He has erected all i>f 
the buildings which are today found upon 
his farm, and from time to time has 
added to his landed possessions, having 
in 1888 added forty acres to his original 
purchase, and also twenty-four acres of 
timber land, and in 1899 he bought an 
additional eighty-acre tract, so that he 
now has two hundred and thirty-two acres 
in all, of which one hundred acres is un- 
der a high state of cultivation. The re- 
mainder is covered with timber or used 
as pasture land, on wdiich are found high 
grades of horses, shorthorn cattle and 
Chester White hogs. He engages cjuite 
extensivel}' in the raising of live stock, 
and this branch of his business is like- 
wise proving a good source of revenue to 
him. In 1898 he built a fine country 
residence, containing nine rooms, and 
supplied with all modern conveniences for 
the comfort and convenience of the in- 
mates. In 1903 he built a large barn 
seventv by fiftv feet, which furnishes 



ample room for horses, cattle and hay. 
and he also has many other outlniiklings 
for the shelter of grain and stock, and 
which add to the attractive appearance 
of his place. 

As a companion and helpmate on life's 
journey ^Ir. Boddeker chose ?^Iiss iMary, 
Ponnaburg, to whom he was marrietl on 
the 1st of January, 1875. She is a nati\e 
of this township, and a daughter of Henry 
and Mary Ann Catherine (Moss) Ponna- 
burg, natives of Prussia. ^Ir. and Mrs. 
Boddeker have become the ])arents of six 
sons and five daughters, namely : Annie, 
who was born April 7, 1876, and is now 
the wife of Henry Schneider, of Appa- 
noose township; Joseph, born ^larch 6. 
1878, likewise a resident of this township ; 
Henry, born March 25, 1881. and a resi- 
dent of Pontoosuc township ; John, born 
March 3, 1884. at home; Jennetta, 1.)orn 
March 18, 1886, and now the wife of 
George Hisler, residing near Dallas, Illi- 
nois; Antony, born June n, 1888, Jo- 
sephine, December 3, 1890, Ferdinaml. 
July 31, 1892, Florence, ]\Iarch 15, 1896, 
Isabella, November 13. 1899, and Albert, 
born March 7, 1903, all at home with 
their parents. 

Coming to America thirty-five years 
ago. possessing little capital, and with()Ut 
knowdedge of the language or customs of 
the new world, John J. Boddeker, soon 
acquired the English tongue and was 
C|uick to note and improve any opportu- 
nity that presented itself for ailvancement 
and as the }'ears have passed he has grad- 
ually worked his way up until he is now 
in possession of a comfortable propert}'. 
He gives his political support to the 
Democratic part\' and is a communicant 



496 



BIOGRAPHICAL UFA IFAl' 



of tlie Catliiilic church. Aside from liold- 
ing tlie office of scliool director he has 
ser\-e(l in no other dificial capacity, pre- 
ferring tn give his iin(h\'ided attentiim 
to his farming interests, in whicli he is 
meeting witli unljounded success and is 
today numl)ered among the prosperous 
and progress\e agriculturists of Appa- 
noose township. 



WILLIAM G. MILBORN. Jr. 

William G. Milborn. Jr., figures prom- 
inently in political circles in Carthage, 
where he is now sei"ving as city treasurer 
and also occupies an enviable position in 
business circles as one of the proprietors 
of the Rand-Mill)orn Cigar Manufactur- 
ers. He dates his residence in Carthage 
from 1873, the year of his ])irth, his par- 
ents being William G. and Barbara 
(Workman) Milbom. The father, a na- 
tive of Gemiany. came to America when 
a young man about twenty-one years of 
age, landing at New York. He is a cab- 
inetmaker by trade and at the present 
writing is employed in J. Nace's furni- 
ture factory in Carthage, having made 
his home in this city since 1870. He is 
now sixty-two years of age and his wife 
is also living. They have six children 
who still li\e, fixe ha\ing iHed in child- 
hood, the record of tlie suns and daugh- 
ters still lix'ing being as fullows; \\'il- 
liam G., Jr. ; Charles, who is living with 
his parents : Caroline, who is emplo}-ed in 
a store in Peoria, Illinois: Emma. An- 
tone and Esther, all at home. 



At the usual age William G. Alilborn, 
Jr.. entered the public schools and there-, 
in pursued his studies tmtil he entered 
business life, being first employed in a 
restaurant for a period of four years. 
He afterward learned the trade of a cigar- 
maker in Carthage and on the 3d of Feb- 
ruary, T906. embarked in business on his 
own account in a building in which he 
had been employed for twelve years. The 
firm is now known as the Rand-Millji>rn 
Cigar Company, and they manufacture 
cigars, having- the largest factoiT of the 
kind in the city, employing ten assistants 
in Carthage, while they have upon the 
road a traveling salesman. They sell to 
both the wholesale and retail trade and 
the business has reached extensive pro- 
portions, making it a profitable enterprise. 
]Mr. Milborn has closely applied himself 
to his trade, wliich he has mastered in 
principle and detail, and is thus compe- 
tent t<i ably direct the labors of those 
\vhiim he now em])loys. 

In t8()4 Mr. Milborn was married to 
;\Iiss Sarah M. ]\Iarvel, who was Ijorn 
in Chili township, September 25. 1871. a 
daughter of William B. and Mary (Pow- 
ell) Mar\-el, who were of Scotch descent. 
Her father is a retired farmer now living 
in Carthage and in the family are five 
daughters: Eva: Mollie. the wife of 
Cleophus O'Harra. of Rapid City, South 
Dakota : J\Irs. Sarah Mill)orn : .Mice : and 
Phillena, the wife of John Rand, Jr., a 
nephew of the partner of our subject. 

Air. and Mrs. Milborn have one son, 
^^'illiam Marvel Milborn, who was bom 
in Carthage, April 2(1. 1905. Mr. Mil- 
born has recently completed a handsome 
residence on North Adams street and he 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



497 



and his wife occupy an enviable position 
in social circles, while the gracious ln)S- 
pitality of their own home has made it 
a favorite resort with their many friends. 
Mr. Milborn is a Knight of Pythias and 
has served as chancellor in the Court of 
Honor, which position he still holds. In 
politics he has alwaws been a stanch dem- 
ocrat and in 1905 was elected city treas- 
urer of Carthage, in which position he 
has discharged his duties in prompt and 
faithful manner. He is deeply interested 
in the success of his party and does all 
in his power to insure its growth. Both 
he and his wife are faithful members of 
the Presbyterian church. His success in 
business is largely due to his energy, abil- 
ity and genuine uprightness. 



ALEXANDER PHILLIPPI. 

Alexander Phillippi is a retired farmer 
living in Colusa. He dates his residence 
in this county since 1868, during which 
time he has formed a wide and favorable 
acquaintance among the residents of this 
part of the state. He was born in \\'est- 
moreland county, Pennsylvania, Decem- 
ber 26, 1833, his parents being George 
and Mary (McMillan) Phillippi. Both 
were natives of the Keystone state and 
the father, who was born in October, 
1802. followed the occupation of farming 
as a life work. He always lived in the 
vicinity of his birthplace and both he 
and his wife have now passed away. Of 



their four children two are living; Eliza- 
beth, the widow of Lewis 1". Ambrose 
and a resident of Indiana : and Alexander, 
of this review. 

To the district .school system of his na- 
tive state Alexander Phillippi is indebted 
for the educational privileges he enjoyed. 
He remained under the parental roof until 
he had attained his majority and in 1856 
came to Illinois, working for four years 
by the month as a farm hand in Fulton 
ci:nintv. He afterward engaged in farm- 
ing on the shares in that county until 
]\Iarch. 1868. when he came to Hancock 
county, Illinois, settling on a farm of 
eighty acres in Pilot Grove township, 
which he had purchased the year before 
and where he lived until 1886. He then 
exchanged his original property for a 
cjuarter section of land also on section 5, 
Pilot Grove township, which he still owns. 
His time and energies were devoted to its 
further cultivation and improvement until 
1897, when he retired from farming and 
removed to Colusa, Ijuilding there a pretty 
cottage which he now occupies. 

In early manhood Mr. I'hillippi was 
married to Aliss Martha Burnett, who 
\\as born October 2, 1841, and was reared 
in Fulton county, Illinois. Her death 
occurred in 1865 and of the two children 
born of that marriage only one is now 
living: George M., who was born in 
1863 and resides in Xebra.ska. Mrs. 
Phillippi was a member of the United 
Brethren church and was an estimable 
lady who had many friends. In October, 
1868, Mr. Phillippi was again married, 
his second union being with Mrs. Mary 
Fry, widow of Isaac Fry, whiD was a sol- 
dier of the Civil war. ]\Irs. Phillippi was 



498 



BIOGRAPHICAL KIA'IEir 



born ill Westniorelaml cuimty. rennsyl- 
vania. a daughter of Henry and ^Marga- 
ret Swartz. Slie had two children by 
her first marriage: lunnia. tlie wife ^f 
Edward Weiratlier. of St. Louis: and 
Ahna, the wife of Wilhani Robertson, of 
Kansas. B\' the second marriage there 
are two cliildren : Ahiry E.. who is the 
wife of L'. S. Swigert, of CoUisa, and is 
postmistress: and Francis M.. of Nash- 
ville, Tennessee. 

Air. Phillippi e.xercises his right of 
franchise in support of the men and meas- 
ures I if the democracy and has held a 
number of lownship nfhces. incUuling 
that of road su[)er\isor. He has also 
been a mcmljer of the school l)oard and 
is interested in all that pertains to ma- 
terial, intellectual and moral progress in 
his communitw ThrdUghinit his entire 
hfe he has commanded and enjoyed the 
respect of his fellowmen and is one wdiose 
word is as good as his Imnd. A life of 
energy and activit}' has been crowned 
with well-earned rest and he is now spend- 
ing the evening of his days in a pleasant 
home in Colusa surrounded by many of 
hfe's comforts. 



ANDREW ^^'. BYERS. 

Andrew W. Byers. the late owner and 
|)roprietor of Riverside Hotel in Dallas 
City, displayed many progTessi^'e meth- 
ods in the conduct of his hostelry-, which 
he kept thorougliK' modern in its equip- 
ments, while putting forth efYecti\'e and 



earnest eftVirt for the comfort and wel- 
fare t)f his patrons. His business quali- 
fications and his genial manner made him 
a favorite with many travelers and he was 
popular with all who found entertain- 
ment at the Riverside Hotel. His Hfe 
record began in h'ayette count}'. Renn- 
sylvania, in 1849, and ended in Dallas 
City, Se])tember 17, 1906, his parents be- 
ing William and Esther (Cochran) By- 
ers, the former a native of \\'estmore- 
land county, and the latter of Fayette 
count\', Pennsylvania. William layers 
was a farmer by occupation and in the 
year 1858 came to Hancock county, Illi- 
nois, settling upon a fann, his remaining 
days being devoted to general agricul- 
tural pursuits in this part of the state. 
His political support was given to the 
democrac)-. He died in May, 1878, and 
when in December, 1894, his wife also 
passed away, she was laid to rest by his 
side in L'nion cemetery. Their family 
numbered seven children and four have 
departed this life, while those now living 
are as follows : Nancy, the wufe of Al- 
fred Nelson, a resident of Oklahoma ; 
Samuel, who is living in Hancock county : 
and Margaret, the wife of Charles Hull, 
of La Harpe. 

Andrew W. Byers was educated in the 
district schools of Hancock count}- and 
reniained upon the old home fami until 
his father's death, after which he engaged 
in the cultivation and management of the 
propert}-. In t888, however, he left the 
fami and came to Dallas City, where for 
a year and a half he conducted a hotel 
and liverv barn. He then removed to 
Fort Madison, Iowa, where he was pro- 
prietor of a livery stable for nine years, 



llrlXCOCK COi'XrV. ILLIXOIS. 



499 



and on the expiration of that period lie 
conducted a hotel and Hvery business in 
La Harpe, Illinois, for a year and a half. 
In 1902 he returned to Dallas City and 
with wide experience in the hotel busi- 
ness took charge of the Riverside Hotel 
on Oak and Frnnt streets. This is a 
modern hostelry, first class in every re- 
spect, and both Air. and Mrs. Byers did 
eveiything in their power for the wel- 
fare and comfort of their patmns during 
his life, and since his death Mrs, Byers 
with her son Lester have continued the 
business, which has increased rapidly of 
late, thev much of the time having more 
than they can accommodate. The present 
manager Ijeing a natural hotel man, cour- 
teous, accommodating and genial in ways, 
giving his patrons better than is often 
found in much larger towns, it is a nat- 
ural result that the business is increasing. 
In August, 1874, Air, Byers was mar- 
ried to Miss Maiy Ramsey, who was born 
in Marshall county, Illinois, in 1851, a 
daughter of Samuel and Louisa ( Terry ) 
Ramse3^ the former a nati\-e 'jf Alaryland 
and the latter of the state of Xew York. 
The father was a farmer by occupation 
and in 1851 came to Illinois, settling on 
a fami in Hancock county. His days 
were devoted to tilling the soil and he 
placed his land under a high state of cul- 
tivation so that rich crops were annually 
gathered therefrom. His political sup- 
port was given to the democracy. His 
\\\\e died in the year 1875 and he passed 
away in 1883, his remains being laid to 
rest in the Harris cemetery in Dallas 
township. In their family were eight 
children, of whom seven are living, 
namely: Caroline, the wife of Oscar 



l-lich, of Hancock county ; William, a res- 
ident of Dallas City; Mrs. Byers; Addi- 
son, living in Kansas; Elizabeth, the wife 
of John Leighton, of Stroughurst, Illi- 
nois; Stephen, whose home is in thi.> 
county; and Andrew, a carpenter of- St. 
Louis, Missouri. 

Air. and Airs. Byers were the parents 
of seven children, all bom on the fanii 
ill Hancock county with the exception 
of the youngest. The family record is as 
follows : Roy married Grace McKee- 
han, lives in Seattle, Washington, and has 
two children, John and Dorothy. Wil- 
liam died at the age of twenty-one years 
and was buried at Fort Madison, Josie 
is the wife of Harn,- Bradshaw and re- 
sides in La Harpe, Illinois, Samuel went 
to Chicago at the age of eighteen and 
died at the age of twenty-three. Lester, 
who married Aliss Grace Hart and has 
one daughter. Alary, is now manager of 
the hotel. Nell is at home with her 
mother, and Frank, twelve years of age, 
is attending school in Dallas City. The 
death of their son Samuel, who at the 
age of twenty-three years went to Chi- 
cago, and at the time of his demise was 
occupying a fine position with a live stock 
company in that city, having worked his 
way steadily upward to a very responsi- 
ble place, was a great blow to the fam- 
il\-. About Thanksgiving in 1905 he con- 
tracted a severe cold, which developed 
into consumption. His brother Lester 
took him to EI Paso, Texas, but he found 
no relief in that sunny clime and passed 
away March 6, 1906, at the age of 
twenty-three years, six months and eight- 
een davs, his remains being interred in 
Dallas City cemetery. He was a dutiful 



BIOGRAPHICAL Rill IFAV 



and loving son, a trusted employe and a 
general favorite among his associates. 
The compan)- hy which he was employed 
felt the deepest stirrow at his death and 
spoke most feelingly of his good qualities 
not only because of his business capacity 
but also because of his honorable dealings 
and trustworthy character. These quali- 
ties as well as the social side of his na- 
ture were manifest in all life's relations 
and he was genuinely esteemed l)y all 
who knew him. His personality was 
such as to make him popular with all who 
knew him. He was a young man of fine 
personal appearance, of high principles, 
generous and kindly si)irit, and his death 
came as a great loss to his many friends 
as well as his immediate family. 

Mr. Byers voted with the democracy. 
His widow is a devoted member of the 
Christian church and stands high in pub- 
lic regard thnxighout the communit}- in 
which she resides. Mr. Byers depended 
largelv upon his own resources for the 
success that he achieved, having inherited 
nothing from relati\es nor did he place 
his dependence upon fortunate circum- 
stances, l)ut relied upon diligence and en- 
terprise to win him the success which is 
the eoal of all business endeavor. 



BEXJAMIN F. BENNER. 

Benjamin F. Benner, who ga\e his life 
as a sacrifice to his country in the Ci\il 
war, was born in Stark couiUy, (_)liio. 
Ma\- 27, 1836, a son of Elias and Chris- 



tina (Cramer) Benner. In the year 
1839. his parents came to Illinois but 
afterward returned to Ohio and in that 
state the mother died. Benjamin F. 
Benner spent his boyhood and }-outh 
there, remaining a resident of Ohio until 
about 1855, when he removed to Sonora, 
Illinois, where he conducted a blacksmith 
shop, lia\-ing previously learned the trade 
in the Buckeye state. He was a good 
workman and soon secured a liberal pat- 
ronage, leading a busy and industrious 
life. He was also appointed to the posi- 
tion of postmaster of Sonora, in which 
capacity he served for two years, when 
he resigned in August, iSoj. and enlisted 
for service in the Ci\il war, l)eing as- 
signed to duty with the 1jo\s in blue of 
Company C, One Huntlred and Eight- 
eenth Illinois Infantry. He served with 
that command until his death, which oc- 
ciu'red at Baton Rouge, L(juisiana. on 
the 5th of T'ebruary, 1865. 

On the 9th of .Vovember. 1861. Mr. 
Benner was united in marriage to Miss 
Mar}- A. h^irney. who was born at 
Sonora, flancock county, on the J3d of 
September; 1843. and jjursued her educa- 
tion in the district schools. Her father, 
Jacob Forney, was born in Stark county, 
( )hio, April \y. i8if>, and was a son of 
John and Mary (Smith) Forney, both 
of whom were nati\'es of Ohio. With 
his parents he remmed from Ohio to Ray 
count\'. Missouri, in 1835. making the 
journe}' westward with o.\ teams and it 
was in Missouri that he was marrie<l on 
the 13th of .\pril. 1838, to Miss Margaret 
Smith, whose birth occurred in Stark 
count}'. <)hi(j, December 22. 1821, her 
parents being John and Betsey (Clapper) 



HAXCOCK COl'XTY. ILLIXOIS. 



S^^ 



Smith, who were natives of Pennsylvania. 
She, too, had accompanied her parents 
from Ohio to Alissouri, traveling after 
the primitive manner of the times. At 
their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Jacob For- 
ney settled upon a farm nf eighty acres 
in Missouri, but in 1839 sold that prop- 
erty and in the spring of that \td.\- re- 
moved to Adams county. Illinois. In the 
succeeding autumn they remo\-ed to So- 
nora, becoming pioneer residents of this 
part of the state. They found an unim- 
proved district, the land being raw and 
uncultivated, while every evidence of pio- 
neer life was to be found here. ^Ir. For- 
ney saw many deer and much wild game, 
whereb}- many a jiioneer talile was sup- 
plied with meat. There were a number 
of wild animals and the Indians were also 
frecpently seen, having not yet left this 
district for their reservations farther 
west. Mr. Forne}' purchased a ta.x title 
to one hundred and sixty acres of land 
which was wild and unimproved. He 
located on the prairie and also bought 
eighty acres more. Subsequently he 
purchased eleven and a half acres of 
timber land and afterward in\ested in fi\e 
acres more of timljer. He also bought 
two more eighty-acre tracts which he sub- 
sequently sold to his sons. Me improved 
his first farm and carried on general agri- 
cultural pursuits and stock-raising, bring- 
ing the fields under a high state of culti- 
vation and adding the equipments and 
accessories which are found upon a model 
farm. He continued to reside there until 
he came to Hamilton, where he now re- 
sides, making his home with his daughter, 
^Irs. Brenner. His wife, however, passed 
away on the 8th of June, 1887. Mr. 



Forney still owns two hundred and forty 
acres of prairie land in Sonora township, 
which lie now rents antl from which he 
derives a good income. L'nto ]\Ir. and 
Mrs. Forney were born four daughters 
and three sons. Elizabeth Sarah became 
the wife of Franklin Bradley, who died 
in Hancock county, after which she re- 
mo\-ed to Osborne count\', Kansas, where 
she now resides. Aaron H. died in Os- 
borne county, Kansas, in 1903. Marv .\. 
is now ]Mrs. Benner. Emerilla is the 
widow of George C. W'aggonner. of 
Hamilton, who flied ]March 8, 1904. 
Bianca L. is tlie wife of Wilson J. Powers, 
who is living in Osborne county, Kan- 
.sas. Chauncey S. is a practicing physi- 
cian of Dallas City, Illinois, and Ervin 
L. is living in Roger Mills county, 
Oklahoma. 

Mr. and Airs. Benner had but one child, 
Austin F.. who was born November 3, 
1862, and died of typhoid fever Novem- 
ber 19. 1879. They had been to Kan- 
sas and taken a claim of one hundred 
and si.xty acres in Mitchell countv, there 
living for a short time, after which they 
returned to Hancock count)-. In April, 
1879, they again went to Kansas, where 
they remained until November, when thev 
again came to Hancock county and with- 
in a few days the son passed away. Airs. 
Benner still owns five acres of land in the 
^•illage of Sonora, where she has two 
houses which she rents. She boug'ht two 
lots in Hamilton and in the fall of 190J 
built a residence, to which she removed 
in 1903 and she and her father are now 
living together. She is a representative 
of one of the old pioneer families of this 
section of the state and has a wide ac- 



502 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI'IEIV 



(juaiiitance here. She has witnessed much 
of the development and progress of Han- 
cock count}' from pioneer times down to 
the present and can rehite many' interest- 
ing incidents of the earl}" days. 



JAMES A. I^AUL. 

James A. Paul, who dates his residence 
in this county from 1885. at which time 
he took up his abode upon his present 
farm in Pontoosuc township, is a native 
of Ohio, having been born in Ross county, 
in 1849, ^ son of Hugh H. and Margery 
(Nichols) Paul. The father was born 
in Virginia, on September 2, tSji, and 
the mother's birth occurred in Oliio, Jan- 
uary I, 1823. For some years after their 
marriage they remained in the Buckeye 
state and in 1861 became residents of 
Henderson county, Illinois, where the 
father died April i, 1866. His wife long 
survived him and passed away December 
17, 1 88 1, when her grave was made Ijy 
his side in a cemetery at Burlington, Iowa. 
Three of their five children survi\-e, our 
subject and the daughters being Eliza 
Ann, the wife of Benjamin Long, of 
Burlington, and Victoria, the wife of 
Merton Gah-in, of Burlington. Two 
uncles of our subject, James F. and 
Thomas Paul, were soldiers of the Civil 
war. 

James A. Paul was educated in the 
public schools of Henderson county, Illi- 
nois, and of Burlington, Iowa, and re- 
mained with his mother as long as she 



lived. He was married January 4, 1883. 
to Aliss Junie Haworth. whose Inrth oc- 
curred in Pontoosuc, this county, Alarch 
12, 1865, a daughter of Reese and Eliza- 
beth (Kidson) Haworth. Her father 
was born in Iowa, wdiere he still lives, 
but her mother, a native of Ohio, is 
deceased. He ser\-ed for a year or mure 
as a soldier of an Indiana regiment dur- 
ing the Ci\^il war and in 1863 came to 
this county, settling in Pontoosuc town- 
ship. In his family were two children 
but one has passed away. After their 
marriage Air. and Mrs. Paul lived for two 
years on a farm near Burlington, Iowa, 
and in 1885 settled on a farm on section 
2 1 , Pontoosuc township. Mr. Paul pur- 
chasing eighty acres of land, on which 
he built a good h(_)use. barn and fences, 
and wdiich he owned until October i, 
1906, when he sold at good advantage 
and will bu}- a larger farm where land is 
not so costly. He actively carries on the 
farm work oi the fields and also raises 
good stock, both branches of his business 
proving profitable. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Paul have been 
born eight children, of wdiom seven are 
living: Jennie M., the wife of Otto 
Englehard, of Pontoosuc township, by 
whom she has one daughter, Clara : Jessie 
E., the wife of Albert Krause. a resident 
farmer of Dallas township, by whom she 
has one child, Paul : Reese M., Ruth Ann, 
Hugh F., Bertha Grove and Junie Mae, 
all at home. The parents are devoted 
members of the iMethodist Episcopal 
church at Shiloh, in which he is serving 
as trustee : and upon the republican ticket, 
which he always votes, he has been elected 
to various township offices, including 



H.4\-C0CK COrXT)-. ILLIXOJS. 



those of assessor, commissioner and road 
overseer. He finds in tlie faitlifnl per- 
formance of eacli da}''s dnties. whether nf 
a public or private nature, inspiration and 
encouragement for the laljors of the suc- 
ceeding day and while rather retiring in 
disposition both Mr. and >rrs. Paul are 
recognized as possessing many sterling 
traits of character. 



G. M, HUMPHREY. 

G. AI. Humphrey was widely known 
as the proprietor of the Shoreham Hotel 
in Carthage. He was born in IJurton. 
Adams county, this state. March 30. 
1S50. his parents being William and 
Frances (Richards) Humjjhrey. His 
paternal great-grandfather was a soldier 
of the war of 1812. while his uncle, .\bner 
Humphrey, was a soldier of the Ci\il war. 
William Humphrey, the father, was l)orn 
in Loudoun county. Virginia, and the 
mother's birth also occurred in the Old 
Dominion. He devoted his time and en- 
ergies to farming an<l was only about 
eleven years of age when he came to Illi- 
nois. His political support was given to 
the democracy and during and after the 
war he served as sheriff of Adams county. 
He was drafted for ser\'ice with the 
Union ami}- but hired a substitute, to 
whom he paid one thousand dollars. He 
acted as constable and was also a member 
of the school board in his home locality 
and in local affairs took an active and 
helpful interest. His first wife died when 



about fifty-one years of age and three 
years later Mr. Humphrey married Cy- 
drilla Childers. By the first union there 
were two children: . ]M. Iv. now the 
widow of Tom Spense. of Chicago: and 
(/. M.. deceased, of this review. l'i\e 
children were born of the second marriage 
and are yet li\-ing, namely: Thomas, 
who resides in Macomb. Illinois: Alice, 
the wife of George Muhl. of Indiana: 
James, who is li\ing in the Black Hills: 
Charles, who resides in Missouri: and 
Blanche, the wife of William Laramore. 
of Adams countv, Illinois. 

G, M. Humphrey was indebted to the 
public school system of .\danis county 
for the early educational privileges he 
enjoyed. Later he attended the high 
school at Ouincy and after putting aside 
his te.xt books remained with his father 
and grandfather, dexoting his time to 
farming until he had attained the age of 
eighteen }ears. He then rented land and 
followed farming until the last four years, 
in .\dams. McDonough and Hancock 
counties, becoming a well known agri- 
culturist and meeting with success in his 
cultivation of the rich land of Illinois. 

In 1876. \Ir. Humphrey was married 
to Miss Belle Hungate. who was liorn in 
McDonough count)-, this state. Their 
only child died at the age of two years 
and Mrs. Humphrey died in 187S, her 
remains being interred in her native coun- 
ty. On the 23d of January, 1881, ^^Ir. 
Humphrey wedded Miss Maggie E. Tet- 
ter, who was born in Fountain Green 
township, Hancock county, in 1863, a 
daughter of Lewis and Martha E. 
(\\'right') Yetter. Her mother was born 
in Tennessee and was brought to Illinois 



504 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



when three )e;ir,s of age. Her fatlier, a na- 
tive of Penns}'lvania, became a resident of 
Hancock county at the age of seven years 
and in manhood followed farming and 
stock-raising. Both he and his wife died 
and were buried in this county. He was 
a Mason and also connected witli the 
Modern \\'oodmen of America and 1:ioth 
he and his wife were devoted Methochsts. 
For fortj'-two years Mr. Yetter served as 
class-leader and was alsij superintendent 
of the Sunday-school for a long period. 
He. too, was drafted for service in the 
war but sent a substitute to the front. 
His political allegiance was given to the 
democracy but he never aspired to office. 
In the family were eight children, seven 
of whom are yet living, namely: C. A. 
Yetter. a resident farmer of Fountain 
Green township; T. B., a merchant of the 
same township: J- B,, a wholesale grocer 
of Galesburg. Illinois: Mrs. Humphrey: 
Ella F., the wife of William Day, of 
Fountain Green: Morris H., a resident 
farmer of Fountain Green : and Susie, 
the wife of William Fortney. of Mis- 
souri. To Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey were 
born two children, both born in Hancock 
county : Arda L., who was born January 
8, 1882, and is a clerk in the Hotel Shore- 
ham : and Martha F., a student in the 
Carthage schools. 

Mr. Humphrey was always a democrat 
but without political aspiration. He be- 
lon.ged to the AVoodmen and was a 
worthy representative of the order. In 
December. 1902, he removed from Foun- 
tain Green to Carthage, where he and 
his wife conducted the Shoreham Hotel 
on the American plan, having entertain- 
ment for sixty guests. Mr. Humphrey 



was a wide-awake business man, upright 
citizen and genial and pleasant gentleman, 
popular with his guests and the commu- 
nity at large. That he had the support of 
the public is shown by the fact that evei'y 
week he was forced to turn away people 
for lack of room. His wife ably assisted 
him, doing much of the office work and 
both put forth every effort in their power 
to promote the comfort of their guests. 
Mr. Humphrey died IMay g, 1906. at 
1:15 A. M., and his remains were laid 
to rest in the home cemetery, at Mayor- 
\-ilIe, Illinois. He is greatly moiunied 
and missed, not only by his immediate 
family, but also by his many friends and 
acquaintances who were accustomed to 
his genial face and hospitable manner, 
w'hen guests at the Shoreham Hotel. 
Mrs. Humphre}- and her daughter are 
still managing the business in a \-ery 
efficient manner. 



SILVANUS E. SIMPSON. 

When ambition is satisfied and every 
ultimate aim accomplished then will labor 
cease and inactivity become the common 
law of man, when ambition holds frirth 
its promises industr\' seeks its reward. 
Numbered among the energetic, wide- 
awake agriculturists of Montebello town- 
ship is Silvanus E. Simpson, who was 
born upon the farm where he now re- 
sides, constituting the southeast cjuarter 
of section 8, June 30. 1862. This fact 
indicates that his parents were early set- 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



505 



tiers of the county and the name has long- 
been known here. The father, Silvanus 
E. Simpson, was born in Seneca county, 
Ohio, January 5, 1S23, and accompanied 
his parents on their rem(.i\-al from the 
Buckeye state to New Yijrk. After a few 
years, however, they returned to Ohio, 
where they carried on general agricul- 
tural pursuits. There are two sundving 
sons of the family and a daughter, name- 
ly : Elmer, who is living at Applegate 
Station in California; Volney A., of Los 
Angeles, California: and Mary, whose 
home is in San Erancisco, California. 
Silvanus E. Simpsun, Sr., howe\'er, again 
leaving his native state went to Galena, 
Jo Daviess county. Illinnis, and from that 
place engaged in teaming tn Shullsburg, 
Wisconsin, At the latter |)lace he -read 
law and also taught school, Init after a 
few years returned again to Ohio. In 
1853 he started from Cincinnati, Ohio, 
with provisions and other equipments 
and boarded a river steamer, thence pro- 
ceeding down the Ohio and u() the Mis- 
sissippi and Missouri rivers to St. Jiiseph, 
Missouri, where he bought an outfit of 
cattle and with his brother Elmer and his 
wife started for California, attracted In' 
the discovery of gold on the Pacific slope. 
They joined a wagon train and were six 
months upon the way, at the end of which 
time they located in Placer county, Cali- 
fornia, Mr. Simpson engaged in mining 
during the winter months and also 
worked in the redwood forests. He was 
also employed in harvest fields, using cra- 
dles, as the more modern machinery had 
not yet come into use. I'rior to 1857 'i*^ 
started for ^Mexico, where he was cap- 
tured by some Mexicans and held a ])ris- 



oner for sixt\- days, together with sixty 
other American citizens. At length the)' 
were put on bo.ard a United States ship 
and sent b;ick to San Francisco. In 1857 
Mr. Simpson ag;iin started for his old 
home, crossing the isthmus of Panama 
and then proceeded by steamer to New 
York, whence he returned across the 
country to Ohio, continuing a resident 
of that state until i860. Once more he 
started for California, stopping on his 
way to visit his mother, who lived in 
Hamilton. He had with him the sum 
of two thousand dollars and this he in- 
vested in the farm upon which his son 
Silvanus now resides. Giving up the idea 
ijf gluing to California he married and 
built a house upon his farm and there he 
lived until the 12th of December, 1871, 
when his home was destroyed by fire. He 
afterward built a portion of the present 
residence and subsequently made other 
additions. There were few improvements 
on the farm when it came into his pos- 
session, but he worked earnestly and en- 
ergetically to reclaim the wild land and 
transform it into richly cultivated fields. 
There he carried on general farming for 
many years, living upon the old home- 
stead until his demise, which occurred on 
the 19th of Januaiy, 1904. His wife had 
departed this life many years previously, 
her death having occurred September 24, 
1886. They had three sons: Silvanus 
E. ; Cassius A., living in Montebello 
township; and Empire, who lives with the 
subject of this review. 

Silvanus E. Simpson, whose name in- 
troduces this record, has always li\'ed 
upon the home place and before his fa- 
ther's death the land was divided and Mr. 



;o6 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI'IEIV 



Simpson came into possession of eighty 
acres of the homestead, while Empire 
Simpson sccureil the other eighty acres. 
Aljout 1888 Silvanus E. Simpson went to 
South Dakota on a prospecting trip rmd 
in (October, 1893. lie and his father tndk 
a trip to Houston. Galveston and other 
pi lints in Texas. He owns twu town Ints 
in Laporte. Texas, and thirty acres of 
land there. With the exception of these 
Ijrief periods, howe\er, he has always re- 
mained in Montebello township and the 
old homestead farm has continually Ijeen 
his place of residence. As the years have 
])assed liy he lias carried on general ag- 
ricultural ijursnits in successful manner 
and now has a well equipped farm prop- 
erty, from which he annualh' derives a 
good income. 

On the J3tli of October, 1882, oc- 
curred the marriage of Mr. Simpson and 
Miss Martha Frances Self, who was born 
in Callaway county. Missouri, September 
24, 1865, and was educated in the schools 
of her natix'e state. Her parents were 
John G. and Mattie J. (Davis) Self, the 
fonner a nati\-e of Boone count\', Mis- 
souri, and the latter of Callawa}' county. 
Her paternal grandparents were Jenkin 
and Martha (Black) Self, of Kentucky, 
and her maternal grandparents were 
James and Frances (Davis) Davis, who 
were own cousins and were also nati\-es 
of Kentucky. The marriage of Mr. and 
?klrs. Simpson has been blessed with six 
children: Ressie E., born June 7, 1885: 
Elmer B., born January 14, i88g; Ever- 
ett Ray, born Alay 12, 1892: Ora L. ;uid 
Mora B.. twins, born March 4, i8()5: 
and William Donald, Ijorn December 16, 
1 904. 



Mr. Simpson exercises his right of 
franchise in support of the men and 
measures of the democracy. He belongs 
to the Odd Fellows lodge at Hamilton 
and is interested in fraternity and in va- 
rious matters relating to public progress 
and general improvement. He has a wide 
accjuaintance in the county where his en- 
tire life has been passed and the fact that 
many of the acfjuaintances of his }'outh 
are still numljered among his warmest 
friends is an indication that his life has 
been worthy of all respect. 



\Y. O. SHARP. 



W. O. Sharp, editor and owner of the 
Carthage Gazette, was Ijorn Xo\'eniber 
2, 1854, in Warsaw, Hancock county, 
Illinois, a son of Thomas C. and Hannah 
( Hardy) Sharp. He comes of a family 
to which belonged Governor .Sharp of 
^Maryland, and whose old residence, called 
Sharp's h'oll}-, is still standing near Rich- 
mond, Virginia. It was so termed be- 
cause of the fact that he imported the 
brick used in its construction from Eu- 
rope. It is one of the attractix'e old 
colonial homes of the south and a noted 
lantlmark in the district in which it is lo- 
cated. 

W. O. Sharp, following the removal of 
his parents to Carthage, was educated in 
the public schools there and in Carthage 
College and on putting aside his text- 
books entered the printing office with his 
father, where he rem.ained until after his 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



507 



marriage, completely mastering the print- 
er's trade. In April, 1878, he was joined 
in wedliick to Aliss (jeorgiana S. Cannon, 
\vh(j was born near Carthage, a daughter 
of Cornehus and Xancy A. Cannon, wlicj 
were natives of lUinois and Iowa respect- 
i\'el\'. Her father, a farmer h\ <_iccupa- 
ti(_)n, removed to. Cartilage, where he 
served at different times as deputy sheriff 
and sheriff, being elected to the latter posi- 
tion on the democratic ticket. He was 
also identified with commercial interests 
in Carthage, being associated with \\"il- 
liam Dale in the dr_\--goo(ls business. 
Later he bought a ranch in 'i'exas with 
his Ijrother and acted as its manager until 
his death. His wife has also passed 
awa}-. In his fraternal relations he was 
connected with the OM hallows and the 
Ancient Order of United Workmen and 
both he and his wife were members of the 
Christian church. In their family were 
nine children, of whom si.x are lixing: 
Alwilda, the wife of ]. \\ . Dale, a resi- 
dent of Indianapolis, Indiana: Georgiana 
S., now Mrs. Sharp: Rolla, of California: 
Lena, the wife of W. C. Xewton, of Car- 
thage: Robert, who is lixing with his sis- 
ter, Mrs. Sharp: and Richar<l. wlio re- 
sides in Decatiu', Illinois. 

.\fter liis marriage Air. Sharp was en- 
gaged in the conduct of ;i photograph 
galler}' for ten }'ears, spending six vears 
of that time in Washington, Illinois, 
while for four years he conducted a studio 
in Carthage. In 1888 lie re-entered the 
])rinting business in connection with his 
father and by the terms <if the father's 
will inherited the Gazette office at his 
deatli and has since published the pa])er. 
The (iazette was established in 186^ and 



is the largest paper in the count\'. It is 
issued each Friday and is an enterprising 
journal, dev(jted to the dissemination of 
.general and local news. In connection 
therewith Mr. Sharp alsi? owns and con- 
ducts a good job printing office and is 
making his business a commercial success. 
L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Shar]) have been 
born two children: litliel K., who is a 
graduate of the public schools of Car- 
thage and is at home: and Maud S., the 
wife of William Helfricli, of New ^'ork 
cit}', who has charge of the ty])ewriting 
and stenographic department of a large 
business college there. Mrs. Helfrich is 
a graduate in typewriting and ste- 
nography of the Gem Citv Rusiness Col- 
lege of (Juincy. The Sharp faniih- resi- 
dence is situated in the northern part of 
Carthage on Washington street, where 
Mr. Sharp has erected a handsome home. 
In politics he is a republican but witli<iut 
aspiration f<ir office. He and his wife are 
members of the American l'rotecti\e 
League and Mrs. Sharp Ijelongs to the 
Christian church. Hv reason of his ac- 
commodating disposition and kinill\- man- 
ner he is popular in the city in which al- 
m(]St his entire life has been passed. 



LOREXZO YOUXG. 

Lorenzo Young, a prominent and ])ro- 
gressive farmer of Hancock countx", own- 
ing- two hundred and fifteen acres of land 
in Rock Creek township and a tract of 
eighty-five acres in Montebello townslh]>, 
is one of the wortln- citizens that Ger- 
manv has furnished to this section of the 



5oS 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI'/Eir 



state. He is a native of Baden, his na- 
tal day being- August 26, 1832, and a son 
of Jacoij and Alagdalena (Bartz) Young, 
who carried on general agricultural pur- 
suits on a large scale in Germany. 

To avoid service in the German army 
Lorenzo Young emigrated to America at 
the age of nineteen years, having acquired 
his education in the schools of his native 
country during his boyhood and youth. 
On his arrival in this country he landed 
in New Yurk and went at once to Buf- 
falo, and fmin there made his way to Mil- 
waukee, \\'isconsin, and on to Chicago, 
Illinois, where he spent one month in the 
emplo)- uf a railroad company. From 
that cit}' he made his way to Cairo, Illi- 
nr)is. and spent a \'ear .and a half in the 
employ of the Illinois Central Railroad 
Company. He was then taken sick with 
typhoid fe\'er antl was taken to a hos- 
pital in St. Louis, where he was forced to 
remain for three months, and on his recov- 
ery he made his way again to Chicago in 
the hope of recuperating his health. After 
a time he secured employment in a lum- 
ber yard at that place, where he spent a 
time and then made his way to McLean 
ci.uuity. where he was employed as a fann 
hand for three years. During this time 
he had saved some money which he in- 
vested in land, having at different times 
purchased three eighty-acre tracts. In 
that county he fed cattle and received an 
eig-hty-acre tract in payment for his serv- 
ices. However, he had watched with 
keen interest the condition of afifairs in 
his adopted country and when the Civil 
war broke out. his patriotic spirit being- 
aroused, he offered his services to the 
Sfovernment, enlisting- at Lincoln, Illi- 



nois, in the summer of 1862, joining 
Company C, One Hundred and Six of the 
Illinois Volunteer Infantiy, and served 
until the close of the war. At the battle 
of Yazoo river, Arkansas, he was wound- 
ed by a shell in the forehead which in- 
capacitated him for a few days, but aside 
fnim this he was always on active duty, 
returning home with a most creditable 
n-iilitan' record. 

\\ hen his services were no longer 
needed In" the go\-ernment he at once made 
his way to Logan C(-)unty. Illinois, and 
disp(_«ed of his land, and made his way 
to Kansas, where he spent si.x months 
traveling- over the state recuperating from 
his army service. He then made his way 
to Ferris, this state, where he rented a 
farm. He later bought a tract of wild 
prairie cm section 36. Sonora townshi].), 
which comprised one hundred and sixt_\- 
acres. He at once set tu wnrk to develop 
and cultivate his land and also built there- 
i.m a house, which in that day was consid- 
ered a ven' good one. From time to 
time as his financial resources increased 
he added to his landed possessions, be- 
coming the possessor of land in Rock 
Creek township, so that he has altogether 
two hundred and fifteen acres of land 
there besides a tract of eighty-five acres 
in Montebello township. He has im- 
pnn-ed his home place, erecting the build- 
ings which are here found, and has set 
out an orchard containing apple, peach 
and plum trees, and he also raises grapes 
and small fruits of various kinds. He 
is engaged in general farming- and stock- 
raising", fine grades of horses, cattle and 
hogs being seen in his pastures. 

On the i8th of June. 1868. Mr. Young 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILfJXOIS. 



509 



was united in marriage to Miss Catherine 
Yung, the wedding ceremony being per- 
foiTned at Carthage. Slie was born in 
Bavaria, Germany, Jul}- 16. 1846, a 
daughter of Jacob and EHjabeth ( Ree- 
fer ) Yung, likewise natives of the father- 
land. Her paternal grandfather bore the 
name of Jacob Yung, while the maternal 
grandfather was Peter Keefer. Mrs. 
Young's father died in Germany in the 
summer of 1870. The daughter had 
come to America in 1866 in company 
with her brother Jacob. After landing 
in New York they at once made their 
way by rail to Keokuk. Iowa, where Mrs. 
Young had a sister, Eva, the wife of 
Adam Trautvetter, with whom she lived 
until the time of her' marriage. After 
the father's death the mother likewise 
came to America, bringing with her a 
daughter, Charlotte, the year of their 
arrival being 1881. They also went to 
live with I\Irs. Trautvetter. and Mrs. 
Yung there passed away in June, 1892. 

Unto our subject and his wife have 
been bom four daughters and two sons : 
EHzabeth, born January 28. 1870; Louis, 
born April 19, 1872; and Carrie, born 
November i, 1874, all are at home. 
Mary, who was born February 28, 1876, 
is now the wife of B. M. Bolton, and re- 
sides in Sonora township. Lena, bom 
October 12, 1877, is the wife of Millard 
Shenk, also living in Sonora township. 
George, bom November 2/, 1879, re- 
sides in Rock Creek township. 

Mr. Young is a republican in his po- 
litical allegiance but has never been ac- 
tive in the local ranks of his party, for 
he finds. that his private interests demand 
his entire attention. He has worked 



eamestly and persistently and as the 
years have gone by has accumulated a 
comfortable competence so that he is to- 
day numbered among the well-to-do farm- 
ers of this section of the state. 



GEORGE LEVI RICHARDSON. 

George Levi Richardson, who has been 
called from this life, was burn in Mary- 
land, January 29, 181 5, and during his 
infancy was taken l)y his parents, Jere- 
miah and Susan Richardson, to ^^'est 
Virginia, where he attended the subscrip- 
tion schools. He lost his father during 
his early youth, but continued to work 
with his mother on the home farm until 
he had attained his tnajority. Starting 
out in life on his own .account, he chose 
the occupation to which he had been 
reared as a source of livelihood and 
Ijought a farm in West Virginia, which 
he contiiuied to cultivate and improve 
until the spring of 1869. He then .sold 
out and came to Hancock county. Here 
he made investment in a farm two miles 
north of Elvaston in Lrairie township, 
comprising eighty acres. It came into 
his possession in 1873 and was somewhat 
improved at the time. He resided there- 
on for about six years, when he sold that 
place and for two years thereafter 
operated a rented farm and also gave his 
attention to teaming and other business 
interests. In 1881 he bought twenty-one 
acres of land in the Oakwood addition to 
Hamilton, upon which a house was stand- 
ing. There he afterward engaged in the 
cultivation of fruit and vegetables and 



5IO BIOGRAPHICAL REIIEIV 

alsci folhiweil teaniin,^ to s. mie extent and was for almost a third uf a centurv a resi- 

his business interests lirouglit U> liini a dent of Hancock county and liad ))ecome 
K""<I li\inM'. widely known as an active and enter])ris- 

In the year 1X40 Mr. Richardson was in.y; business man and one wiio was thor- 

niarried to a hidy who had l)een born in ou.-ilily relial)le in all of his deahngs. 
\\ est Virg-inia, and they became the par- 
ents of eight chi!(h-en. live daughters and 
three sons. Two of the sons are now in 
Kansas and one in Ferris. Illinois, while 

one daughter is in Oklahoma and another CHARLES I'ORTH. 

in [(.wva. The wife and mother passed 

away in Hancock county in the fall of A well developed farm property, 
I Sfxj and on the -'Xth of December. 1871. ecpiipped with all modern conveniences 
Air. Richardson was again married, his and accessories, is the property of Charles 
second union being with Miss .Susan Torth. and lies on section 22. Appanoose 
Knapp. who was born in Chautau(|ua township. The owner was born in St. 
count}-, Xew \ ork, Januar_\ 14. 1S33. L'lair count}-, Illinois. March 23, 1851, 
a daughter of .\liises and Susan (Morse) and ac(|uired a district school education 
Knapp. l)oth of whom were natives (jf the while spending his Ijovhood days in the 
Knipire state, where also ii\'ed her mater- home of his parents, kred and Dorothv 
nal grandfather. Charles Morse. Mr. (Herman) I'orth. the former a native of 
and Mrs. Richardson became the parents Hesse Darmstadt, and the latter of Xas- 
of two daughters. L;un-a lielle. l)orn sau, (rermau}-. The parents, n-iade their 
jinie 28, 1873, died .\ugust 18, 1874. wav to St. Lf)uis, Missouri. \'ia Xew Or- 
Martha Alice, born Se])tember 10, 187(1. leans, becon-iing ac(|uainted on board the 
is the wife of William .Smith, a mer- shii) on which the}- sailed to the new- 
chant and postmaster at Middle Creek. \\i)rl(l. The}- were married in St. Clair 
this count}-. The}- ha\-e three children, count}-. Missouri, where the}- engaged in 
Lowell, Rubv, and an ii-ifant daughter. farn-iing ui-itil 1854, when they came to 
Mr. Richardson carried on his Inisiness Sonora township, living upon a rei-ited 
interests in Han-iilton uj) to the time of his farn-i for son-ie time. The father after- 
death, which occurreil I'ebruarv 8, ic)OJ, ward purchased sixty acres on section 
when he was about eight\--se\ en \cars of j8, .\i)panoose townshi]), and a few years 
age. He was buried in Oakwood ceme- later he sold and bought eight}- acres on 
ter}- and thus was Laid to rest a man whom section 34, which was in-iproved land, 
to know had been to res|)ect and honor In 1876 he erected a two-story frame res- 
because of his hdelit\- to the principles idence, which he occupied until i8()3, 
which guided his life. His ])olitical alle- when he .sold that proi)erty and i-nade his 
giance was given to the den-|ocracy until home with his sons, Charles and Fred, 
the period of the Civil war. after which He died at the home of the latter De- 
he becan-ie a stalwart republican. He cember 3. i8()4. His widow- still sur- 



HAXCOCK cor XT]-. ILLIXOIS. 



5" 



vives and is iiuw living with her ilaugh- 
ter. Mrs. Mary Clng. in St. Lcaiis. Mis- 
souri. In the family were eleven chil- 
dren; Elizabeth, the wife of Julius Gru- 
now, of Dallas. Oregon ; George, of Ham- 
ilton, Illinois: Louisa, who Ijecame the 
wife of John Schroeder. and died in June. 
1898; Alargaret. who was the wife nf 
John Rertschi, and died in February. 
1902: ]\Iary. the wife of Jnhn Clug. of 
St. Louis; Helen, who was the wife of 
William Rohkar, and died September 26, 
1904; Fred, of Appanoose township: 
Mrs. Armina Simmons, of Los Angeles. 
California; Carrie, the wife of Humljolt 
Hcjft'meister. of Los Angeles: and Wil- 
liam, of Kansas Citw ?iIissouri. 

Charles Forth made his home witli his 
parents until his marriage on the 28th 
of Februar}-, 1878. to Miss .Vnna Desney. 
a daughter of William and Barbara ( Wy- 
man) Desney, wln' were natives of Ger- 
many, and the latter was a daughter nf 
Peter ^\'yman. William Desney came 
with his parents to Nauvoo, Illinois, 
when the IMormons were there and his 
wife accompanied her parents on their 
removal to Hancock cinintv. Thev were 
married in Xauvoo and tonk up their 
abode there. Mr. Desney carrving nn 
business as a brick 'and stone mason ;nid 
well digger. He died in Xauvoo and liis 
wife still lives there, being now tlie wife 
of Philip Weisner. Mr. Weisner's first 
wife was Catherine (iittelman, a second 
cottsin of Mrs. Forth, and llieii' children 
were Fred, Mar\- and .\nnie. L'nto the 
parents of Mrs. Forth were l)orn the fol- 
lowing named: Flerman. a resitlent of 
Lee county. Iowa; .\nnie. the wife of our 
subject: Christina, the wife of .Vndrew 



Cooper, of Strout. Oklahoma; William. 
of Wah(.>o. Nebraska ; Peter, who died at 
the age of three and a half years: John, 
a resident farmer of Sonora township; 
Louisa, who was the wife of John Snider, 
of Wahoo. Nebraska, and <lie(l there in 
1891. lea\'ing a baby boy; and Katie, the 
wife of John Bernhardt, of Nauvoo. 

After his marriage Charles Forth re- 
movetl to a farm of forty acres, which he 
owned on section 34, .\])pan(.)ose town- 
ship. He had purchased this from John 
Cheese and after occupying it for seven 
years he sold to .\rnold Soland. He then 
bought one hundred acres on section 22 
of the same township, all under cultiva- 
tion, while upon the ])]ace ^\as an old 
frame house which had been Imilt b}" the 
Mormons. lie occu|)ied it for fi\e },'ears. 
and in the spring of i8()i built a two- 
st(jrv frame residence, to which he has 
since made an addition. He also built a 
gv)od bam in 1891 and made an addition 
thereto in 1898. He likewise has a tool 
Ikjusc and corn crib upon the place with a 
large platform scale of eight tons capac- 
\\.\. Ample shelter is ])ro\ided for grain 
and stock, and the farm is one <if the best 
located in the township. Mr. Forth cul- 
ti\ates the cereals best ailapted to the cli- 
matic conditions which are here found 
and he also raises Chester White hogs, 
keeping about fort\' head per }-e:ir. 

L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Forth has been 
born one son, William Fred, Ijorn Janu- 
arv d. 1879. He married Ida Radel on Oc- 
tober 23, iip6. She was born in Sonora 
township, Hancock count}'. In his reli- 
gious faith Mr. Forth is a Presbyterian and 
in the work of the church takes an active 
anil helpful part, sen'ing as trustee since 



51- 



BIOGRAPIIICAL REllEW 



the spring- of 1906. He was reared, how- 
c'vfr, in the faith of the Lutheran churcli. 
His p(jHtical support is given to the de- 
mocracy. His life has been a busy, ac- 
tive and useful one and his efforts have 
largely been concentrated upon his busi- 
ness interests. In 1905, however, he had 
the pleasure of an extended trip to the 
Pacific coast, visiting on the way Denver 
and many points of scenic interest in the 
Rock}' mountains. They stopped at 
Rifle, Colorado, and traveled by stage to 
Meacher. that state, passed through Salt 
Lake City and Ogden, Utah, and on to 
the Dalles on the Columbia ri\er in Ore- 
gon. They passed tln-ough the fine pine 
woods of ^^'ashington and afterward at- 
tended the exposition at Portland, like- 
wise visited Tacoma, Washington, and 
from Seattle went to San Francisco. Cali- 
fornia, and on to Los Angeles. The re- 
turn trip embraced a visit to the Grand 
Canon of the Colorado. All this was well 
described by Mr. Forth in a letter to his 
home paper, and many years will have 
come and gone before the scenes which 
he saw will haxe faded from the mem- 
orv of i\Ir. Porth. 



JOSEPH DORSEY. 

Joseph Dorsey. a merchant li\-ing in 
Carthage, llliudis, was born in Muskin- 
gum county, (Miiii. j;niuar\- 31. jSj8, his 
parents being William and Rel)ecca ( Gor- 
such) Dorsey. The father was born in 
A'irginia in 1803 and the mother in Mary- 



lantl in 1805. Removing from tlie south 
to Ohio they there resided until 1857, 
when they became residents of Adams 
county, Illinois, settling on a farm. Wil- 
liam Dorse}' spent the last few }'ears iif 
his life in the home of his son, Joseph, 
who was then a resident of Denver, Han- 
cock count}', Illinois, and there the father 
dietl in Januar}', 1876. In politics he was 
a democrat and he was one of the early 
Masons of Ohio. His first wife had died 
in Ohio and was buried in Shannon, that 
state. The father married again and his 
second wife, who was an estimable 
woman, held membership in the Baptist 
church. ]\Irs. Rebecca Dorsey had passed 
away October 30, 1831, leaving two chil- 
dren, but our subject is the only one now 
living. The father afterward married 
Eliza Cooksey. of Ohio, and she died at 
the home of our subject in October, 1875. 
By this marriage there were six children, 
of whom two are now living: Orin. a 
resident of Minnesota; and Celesta E., the 
wife of Green Fisher, who is li\'ing in 
Basco, Illinois. 

Joseph Dorse}' acquired his early edu- 
cation in the district schools of Ohio and 
in an academy of that state. He re- 
mained with his father until after he had 
attained his majoritv and in his earl}' 
manhood he assisted in the labors of the 
home farm during the summer months, 
while in the winter seasons he engaged 
in teaching. His time was thus occupied 
for four years in Ohio and afterward for 
seven }'ears in Illinois. In 1864 he 
openetl a dry-goods store in W'oodville. 
this state, and in 1869 removed to Denver, 
Illinois, where he continued in tiie sanie 
line of business, also serving as post- 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



513 



master there for four years. He was 
justice of the peace in W Hodville, Illimiis, 
for eight years and for t\\(j years in 
Denver, Illinois, and was also notary pub- 
lic for eight years, thus being closely iden- 
tified with the public interests of the 
towns as well as with the commercial ac- 

.13AU3Q ip[ 3l[ '(■)/§! '.lacioPQ UJ ■AJIAIJ 

and removed to Augusta, Hancock coun- 
ty, where he opened a store which he 
successfully conducted for about tweh'e 
}-ears or more, when he sold out and came 
to Carthage. Here he has since lived 
retired in the enjoyment of a rest which 
has been well earned and is richly 
deserved. 

In September, i860, Mr. Dorsey was 
married to Miss Eveline Loxitt. who was 
born in Aluskingum count}', Ohio. April 
19, 1838, a daughter of Daniel and 
Deborah ( Burch) Lo\-itt. who were na- 
tives of the Buckeye state. Her father was 
a farmer and came to Illinois in 1869, set- 
tling in Hancock county. Both he and 
his wife died in Augusta and their re- 
mains were interred in the cemetery there. 
They were people of the highest respec- 
tability and held membership in the Chris- 
tian church, l^nto Mr. and Mrs. Loxitt 
were born se\'en children. Elizabeth is 
the widow of David Waters and resides 
in Kansas. Eveline became ^Mrs. Dorsey. 
Rezin Lovitt is living in California. 
Maria J. is the widow of John Beal and 
resides in Beatrice, Nebraska. Andrew 
is living in Crab Orchard, Nebraska and 
the others have passed away. Unto Mr. 
and Mrs. Dorsey were born six children, 
of whom two are now living, three hav- 
ing been born in Adams county and three 
in Hancock county. These are : Jennie, 



Ella. Fiertha and Myrta. twins, all of 
whom are now deceased; Cora, the wife 
of John A. McGuire, of Hiawatha, Kan- 
sas, by whom she has two children, J. D. 
and Evelyn McCuire: and Pearl, the wife 
of Edward Hotch, proprietor of a book 
store in Carthage. They live with her 
father and ha\e one child, Helen Hotch. 
now four years of age. In 1904, Mr. 
Dorsey was called upon to mourn the loss 
of his wife, who died on the 30th oi 
April of that }'ear at the age of sixty-six 
and was laid to rest in Carthage ceme- 
ter_\-. She was a faithful and devoted 
member of the Christian church, doing all 
in her power to advance the church work 
and was a most kind-hearted woman, 
a good neighbor and a loving wife and 
devoted mother. Fcjr some years prior 
to her demise, however, she suffered from 
nervous prostration but died after a very 
brief complicated illness. She was a 
lady of fine personality, of gi;)od intellect- 
ual force and kindly spirit and her death 
was deeply regretted by all who knew her. 
Mr. Dorsey is a devoted meml^er of the 
Christian church, in which he has been an 
elder for twenty-five years and also a 
teacher in the Sunday-school. He is now 
the senior elder of the church and he 
makes his religion a part of his every day 
life, not a garment to be assumed on 
Sunday alone. 'His entire career has 
l)een actuated b}- high and honorable 
principles and by close adherence to the 
Ccjlden Rule. In 1904 he built his hand- 
some residence on \\'abash avenue, which 
was planned by Mrs. Dorsey. In his po- 
litical afiiliation Mr. Dorsey is a prohi- 
bitionist and the cause of temperance finds 
in him a warm friend and at all times he 



514 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'lEir 



is reach' ti> assist in every min-ement rjr 
measure that tends to uplift huniaiiity or 
ameliorate the hard conditions of life. 
He started out on his own account, wdrk- 
ing at eleven dollars per month and may 
well be termed a self-made man. his suc- 
cess being due in large measure to his 
earnest labors. For years he was an en- 
ter]irising merchant of the countx' and 
now he IS li\-ing retired in the enio\nient 
of a well earned rest. ha\'ing passed the 
se\'entv-eightli milestone on life's journe\-. 



W ITJJ.KM LTXXIUS HEBERER. 

W illiam Linnius Heberer is the own- 
er of a s])len(lidh' improved farm pro])- 
erty whereon he has resided since the 
spring of 1903. Xone of the accessories 
of a model farm are there lacking and its 
neat and thrifty appearance indicates his 
careful supervision and g(„)(l manage- 
nicnt. Horn in Sonora township, on the 
2Xth of July. kSjS, Mr. Meberer comes 
of ( iernian lineage, his ])atenial grand- 
father being John Andrew lleberer. a na- 
ti\-e of rierman\-. His son, Charles V. 
Heberer. was horn in Hesse Darmstadt, 
and when onh- nine \ears of age lost his 
mother. h"o]Inwing her death the father. 
.\dam lleberer. was married to EKir.a 
Bennett, and t]ie\' resided in .Sonora 
township until his demise, which occurred 
in the early part of March, iS()2. 

Charles F. Heberer was reared under 
the paternal roof, remaining at home un- 
til his marriau'e, which was celebi';itcd in 



May, 1875. Miss Margaretta Bucher be- 
coming his wife. She was born in Penn- 
sylvania, and was a daughter of Da\'i(l 
and Catherine (Bennett) Bucher. Fol- 
lowing his marriage he purchased a farm 
in Sonora township, coni])rising" a little 
more than one hundred and eight acres, 
and there he carried on general agricul- 
tural pursuits until the s])ring of igoi, 
when he sold that propert)' and removed 
to Lee count\", b>wa, becoming the owner 
of a farm of three hundred .and ninety 
acres. There he has successfullv en- 
gaged in business as a stockman, feed- 
ing hogs and cattle. In his family were 
fi\'e Sons: bihn .Vlbert, also li\'ing in T,ee 
count)- ; William, of this resiew ; Thomas 
Charles, W'alt'^r .Martin and Clarence 
Howard, all residents of Lee count}'. 

William L. Heberer when a youth of 
si.x Ncars began attending the Pleas;uit 
Hill district school and he remained un- 
der the parental roof until his niarriage. 
The work of the fields early became fa- 
miliar to him, as he assisted in the task 
of plowing, ])lanting and harvesting. On 
the 1st of January, igoo, he took a com- 
panion and helpmate foi- life's journey, 
being married to iMiss llattie Belle liri- 
le}', who was liorn in .\ppanoose town- 
ship. June 24, 187c;, a daug'hter of Wil- 
liam and Matilda l'.rile_\'. Her father w.'is 
born in Maryland in i8_'*i, and was a son 
of Peter and ALary (Rollins) llrilc). The 
moth.er, also a native of Maryland, was 
born in 18,^4. and was a daughter of Da- 
vid L'hler. Both Mr. and Mr.s. Briley 
are now deceased, the fornier having 
passed away in December. i8i)<j. and the 
latter in Alay. 1902. He was one of the 
earliest settlers of this localit\' to take 



H.AXCOCK COIWT)'. ILLIXO/S. 



515 



part in tlie IMunnon war whercl)}- that 
religious sect was expelled from the 
count}', and participated in other events 
which have hecome of historic impor- 
tance ;nid mark the growth and dexelop- 
ment of the county. He had twi.) sisters : 
:Mrs. Elizaheth R. Tnll. who after the 
death of her first husband became the 
wife of Bayard Layton. of Dallas. Illi- 
nois; and Mary, who was the wife of 
George Yetter, a farmer living tw-o miles 
east of Carthage. Her death occurred in 
February, 1905. In the family of Mr. 
and Mrs. William Briley were thirteen 
children : James ; Margaret, the wife of 
Daniel Jordan: Henry, who died at the 
age of forty-three years: (leogc \\'., Wil- 
liam F. ; Peter R., who died in infancy: 
David Filler: Albert Alden : Bessie M., 
the wife of .-Vlbert Bertschi : Mary M., 
the wife (}f Talcott Howard: Louis R. ; 
Hattie B.. nciw Mrs. Hel)erer : and F;i- 
\-eta A., who is a nurse in Marietta 
Phelps Hospital at ^Nlacoml), Illinois. 

Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
Heberer li\-ed for a year upon his father's 
farm in Sonora township, after which he 
operated his father-in-law's farm in Ap- 
panoose township from the i st of March 
until July. He then removed to Iowa, 
where he continued with his father until 
the following spring, and subse(|uently 
he operated rented land in Iowa for a 
year. In the spring of 1903 he bought 
the home place from his wife's parents, 
comprising eighty acres on the southeast 
cjuarter of section 21, Appanoose town- 
ship. He 1ms since placed many rods of 
wire fencing on the farm and he keeps 
everything in a state of first class repair. 
In addition to cnlti\-ating the cereals best 



adapted to soil and climate he likewise 
raises cattle and also feeds Duroc Jersey 
hogs and engages to some extent in the 
poultr}- business. He is a wide-awake 
and progressix'c business man whose la- 
bors ha\'e 1)een the basis upon which he 
has builded his success. I'nto him and 
his wife ha\e been Ijorn no children but 
they ha\e reared his brother-in-law's 
daughter, dladys Marie Briley. .Mr 
Heberer is a democrat in his political 
\-iews but without .aspiration f<ir office, 
preferring to give his time and energies 
to his Inisiness affairs which are well 
managed. 



JOHN NELSON HURDLE. 

John Nelson Hurdle, (.leceased, was 
for mam- years one of the highly re- 
spected citizens of La Harpe township, 
Hancock county, where he owned and 
conducted valuable farming property. 
He was a nati\e of Muskingum county, 
Ohio, his birth having occurred Febru- 
ary 15, 1831. His paternal grandfather 
was John Hurdle, and his parents were 
William and Mary (Kinney) Hurdle, 
who were likewise natives of the Buck- 
eye state, where the father always en- 
gaged ill farming pursuits. 

John Nelson Hurdle was reared to 
farm life in his native state, assisting his 
father in the work of the fields, and in the 
common schools acquired his education. 
He remained' with his father until liis 
marriage, and subsequent to that time, 
hoping to enjoy better opportunities in 



5i6 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI'IEIV 



the new and undeveloped districts of Illi- 
nois, made his way in the spring of 1854 
to Henderson county, traveling with a 
team and wagon. He made his way to 
the western portion of the county, where 
he had previously purchased a tract of 
land comprising one hundred and sixty 
acres. There he made his home for a 
fev.- years and then dispiising of that 
property, made his way to La Harpe 
township, Hancock county, where he pur- 
chased one luyidred and sixty acres of 
land lying on section 5 and a tract of 
one hundred and sixty acres l_\'ing on sec- 
tion 8. Idiere were nn fences upon the 
place and the only buildings consisted of 
an old hduse and a stable. Mr. Hurdle 
with characteristic energy at unce set to 
work to further improve his place by 
building fences, sheds and other outbuild- 
ings, and soon placed his land under a 
high, state of cultiwation and planted his 
crops, which in due c<jurse of time yield- 
ed him abundant harvests. Thus, adding 
to his financial income as the years passed 
bv, he was enabled to increase his landed 
possessions, by adding a tract of two 
hundred and forty acres also situated on 
section 8 and a tract of timber land con- 
stituting forty acres. In addition to this 
he in\ested his capital in a half section of 
land located in Durham township, near 
Disco, this county. In 1873 he also re- 
placed his original home by a ten-ror-m 
house, this being one of the fine homes of 
his section of the state. In addition to 
his general farming interests he also en- 
gaged extensiveh' in the raising of stock, 
fine grades of horses, cattle, sheep and 
hogs being seen in his pastures. He was 
ever practical and systematic in his work 



and in all that he did he was successful, 
so that at his death he left to his family 
a valuable estate. 

Mr. Hurdle was twice married. On 
the 15th of December, 1853, he was 
joined in wedlock with Miss Mary M. 
Wolf, who was likewise a native of Mus- 
kingum county, Ohio. Her birth oc- 
curred June 2. 1830, and she was reared 
in her parents' home near Zanesville, that 
state. By this marriage there were two 
daughters and a son but the tlaughters 
are both now deceased. Laura Jane, 
born August 7. 1855, died on the 23d of 
November following. Edgar Fremont, 
bom July 13, 1856, is a resident of Hart- 
ville, \Vyoming. Emma F., born Au- 
gust 18, 1858, became the wife of John 
A. Goodin, of Eaton, Colorado, where 
her death occurred. The mother of these 
children died in La Harpe township on 
the 9th of August, i860, at the early age 
of thirty }'ears, and Mr. Hurdle was 
again married, bis second union being 
with Elmira Ann Barr, who was l)orn 
Tune 2, 1836, in Breckenridge, Kentucky, 
and there pursued a common school edu- 
cation. The paternal grandparents of 
]\Irs. Hurdle were Adam and Mary 
(Claycomb) Barr, natives of Mainland, 
while the maternal grandfather was JeriT 
Boam Beauchamp. It was his daughter. 
Sallie A., who became the wife of Elias 
Barr, the father of Mrs. Hurdle. Pre- 
vious to their marriage the parents had 
remo\ed from the south to Hancock 
county, and it was here that their mar- 
riage occurred. The father bought land 
in 1859 in Dallas township and here the 
family home was established. The death 
of our subject occurred October 28, 1887, 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



517 



when he had reached the age <:if fifty-six 
years. 

By the marriage of John Nelson and 
Ehnira Hurdle there were born five 
daughters and three sons, but one daugh- 
ter has passed away. The famih- record 
is as follows: Lulu B., who was born 
jNIarch 19. 1862. is now the wife of Dr. 
T. \\'. Bath, of Bloomington, Illinois. 
Sarah Olive, bom July 19, 1863, is the 
wife of Luther James and they make their 
home in La Harpe township. Maggie C, 
wdio was born October 2, 1865, is ngw 
the wife of C. D. Rice, of Disco, Han- 
cock county. Carrie E., bom June 14, 
1868. died July 16, 1888, at the age of 
twenty years. \\'illiam E., who was born 
Januarv' 24, 1870, makes his home in 
Fort Collins, Colorado. Dora K., born 
February 20, 1872. is the wife i>f \\". E. 
Miller, who resides in Durliam towns'.iip 
near Disco. H. Al., born ]\Iarch 5, 1876. 
is at home with his mother. J()lin F. 
who was born November 21, 1877. re- 
sides at Colusa, Illinois. 

Mr. Hurdle was a republican in his po- 
litical affiliation, and held membership 
with the Methodist Protestant church at 
Morris Chapel, having filled all of the 
offices in that organization. He was al- 
ways deeply interested in the work of the 
church and the moral development of the 
cijmmunity, and at the time of the erec- 
tion of the church edifice contributed one 
thousand dollars and was always one of 
its most generous supporters. In his 
family he was a devoted husband and fa- 
ther, was l(_iyal in citizenship and faithful 
to the ties of friendship, so that his death 
was the occasion of deep and widespread 
ree'ret when he was called from this life. 



for his labors had been of great benefit to 
his community and through his honorable 
methods and straightforward dealing in 
all relations with his fellowmen he had 
gained niunerous and lasting friends. 
His widow still resides on the farm, in 
the management of which she is assisted 
by her son Al, and by her many good 
traits of heart and mind she has won the 
good will and confidence of all with 
whom she is brought in contact. 



EDWIN WRIGHT HOSFORD. 

Edwin ^^'right Hosforcl, born in 
Wythe township, "Slixy 2b. 1857. is among 
those citizens who indicate the attrac- 
tiveness of Hancock county as a place 
of residence by the fact that they have 
always continued to reside in this locality 
in which they were bom and in which 
their boyhood days were passed. In both 
the paternal and maternal lines he comes 
of Scotch lineage. His paternal grand- 
parents were Truman and Elizabeth Hos- 
ford, natives of Scotland, and in the land 
of hills and heather his maternal grand- 
parents, W^illiam and Annie (Wilson) 
Wright, were also bom. Having emi- 
grated to America, Harlow Hosford, the 
son of the former couple, was bom in 
Ohio, and Maiy W^right, the daughter of 
the latter couple, was bom in Scotland, 
and came to the United States when six- 
teen years of age. Harlow Hosford came 
to Hancock county, Illinois, with his par- 
ents in 1835. the family being one of the 



5iJ 



BIOGRAPHICA L RE HEW 



earliest to locate in this section of the 
state. fi-U" in that \ear Warsaw cuntaincd 
l)ut one house ruul it was a log cabin. He 
was born in 1824 and was therefore a 
youth of ele\en years at the time of his 
arrixal. He shared with the family in 
the usual cx])eriences and hardships in- 
cident to pioneer life and assisted his fa- 
ther in the arduous task of clearing and 
dex'cloping a farm from the timljer. The 
grandfather continued the work of im- 
pro\'ing his place until 1849. when at- 
tracted b\- the disco\ery of golil in (Jal- 
ifornia he started for that state with two 
^■oke of oxen antl while engaged in 
searching for the precious metal on the 
Pacific coast he was murdered there by 
his partner. In the following year Har- 
low Hosford married ^liss Wright and 
settled in Wilcox township upr)n his fa- 
ther's old farm, where he lived for two 
vears. .Sul)sc(|uently he removed to 
\A'ythe township and on selling his sec- 
ond place he l)ought eight}- acres about 
two miles south of Hamilton, residing 
thereon until 1S68, when he once more 
sold out and came to Alontebello town- 
ship, in\esting in one hundred and sixty 
acres of land on section 10. This was 
unimpro\-ed. but the resolute spirit and 
indefatigable energy of Mr. Hosford en- 
abled him to soon transform the wild 
tract into richly culti\-ated fields. At the 
time of his purchase there was a small 
house upon it with a staljle at one end. 
He fenced the land, placed the fields un- 
der the plow, added modern ecjuiiMiients 
and in ilue course of time extended the 
boundaries of his propertv bv the addi- 
tional piu'chase of two hundred and sev- 
entv acres, one-half of which was under 



cultivation. He was widely known as an 
enterprising farmer and stock raiser and 
for many years successfully continued in 
l)usiness, gaining thereby a very gratify- 
ing competence which enabled him in his 
later years to live retired from business 
cares. In i8()0 he and his wife removed 
to Hamilton, where Mrs. Hosford passed 
away in April, 1895, while the death of 
Mr. Hosford occurred on the i6th of 
Januar\', 1S97. 

Edwin W. Hosford was the fourth in 
a famih' of three sons and three daugh- 
ters, all of whom are yet li\'ing. He has 
a brother now residing in L rbana. Illi- 
nois, while one sister, Airs. Fleck, is liv- 
ing in Sterling, this state, and another 
sister, Mrs. Hanson, in Ta}'li:ir county, 
Iowa. The others are all residents of 
Hancock county. Edwin Hosford spent 
his bovhood days from the age of ten 
vears upon the farm which is yet his 
home. Hs attended the district schools 
and supplemented his preliminary knowl- 
edge by two years' study in Carthage Col- 
lege. He has always kept well informed 
on current questions and the issues of the 
(lav through reading and investigation 
and is a well informed man. 

.\s a compLmion and helpmate for life's 
journev Mr. Hosford chose ]Miss Alary 
Leith Morris, who was born in Edin- 
bui-gh, .Scotland, and who became his wife 
on the 21st of June, 1892. The children 
of this marriage are; Edwin L.. l)orn 
Octol)er 12, 1S93; Daisy Olive, born Sep- 
tember 22, 1895: Harlow Xewton, March 
22. 1898; Charles Trum;in, January 16, 
1901 : and Eloyd Morris, March iq, 1904. 

h^illowing his marriage Air. Hosford 
rented the old home farm, which he con- 



HAXCOCK COl'NTY. ILUXOIS. 



519 



tinned thus to operate until his father's 
death, when he inherited the property. 
He now owns three hundred and twenty 
acres of land which is ver\' rich and pro- 
ductive, the alluvial soil responding read- 
ily to the care and labor which he be- 
stows upon it, his work being crowned 
with golden han-ests. He also raises 
stock, including cattle, hogs and horses, 
and this adds materially to his yearly in- 
come. He votes with the Republican 
party and has twice served by appoint- 
ment as road commissioner, while at the 
present writing he is a school director. 
He belongs to the Modem AVoodmen 
camp at Hamilton and is a resident of 
wide acc]Uaintance in Hancock county, 
where his entire life has been passed. His 
labors have been followed with the ut- 
most regard to a high standard of busi- 
ness ethics and he has never been known 
to take advantage of the necessities of his 
fellowmen in anv trade transaction. 



FRED A. WILKIXSOX. 

Fred A. Wilkinson, who thmughout 
his entire business life, has been a repre- 
sentative of printing interest and is now- 
half owner of The Quill, published in La 
Harpe, his native city, was Ijorn October 
15, 1862. and acquired a public school 
education while spending his boyho<jd 
days in the home of his parents, John 
and Jane (Nance) Wilkinson. His 
paternal grandfather was John Wilkin- 
son, a native of Pennsylvania. His son. 
33 



John Wilkinson. Jr., w.as born in Phila- 
delphia. Januar}- 16, T8of>, and after 
reaching years of maturity married Jane 
Xance. who was l)orn in Xew Albany. 
Indiana, in 1825. In the year 1837, John 
\A'ilkinson arri\ed in La Harpe township 
and located on one hundred and sixty 
acres of land about a mile and a half 
west of La Harpe, where he engaged in 
farming and also operated a sawmill. 
After several years he took up his abode 
in the tijwn. where he built a residence 
and engaged in general merchandising, 
continuing actively in the business until 
1883, when he retired, enjoying through 
his remaining (la}s the comforts of life 
earned by earlier toil. He died in 1S93. 

Fred A. A\'ilkinson, the ninth in order 
of birth in a family of fourteen children, 
of whom si.x are still living, after finishing 
his education, entered a printing office 
in the fall of 1877 and has since been con- 
nected with that line of business, owning 
at the present time a half interest in the 
Quill, a weekly paper published at La 
Harpe. 

On the 29th of Xovember, 1888, Mr. 
\\ ilkinson was united in marriage to Miss 
Emma \A^alter, who was born in Lidiana. 
July 30, i860, a daughter of William and 
Sallie B. (Sweazy) \A'alter, natives of 
Kentnck}-, who removed to Blandinsville. 
niinois, during the early girlhood of their 
daughter Emma. Two children have 
been born unto Mr. and Mrs. Wilkinson : 
^laud E.. born February 2, 1890, and 
Ruth E., October 29, 1891. The family 
home stands upon a lot, five by ten rods, 
which w'as purchased by Mr. A\'ilkinson's 
father in 1839, for seventy-five dollars, 
and which has since been in possession of 



5-0 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



the family. Mr. Wilkinson is a niemlier 
of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 
liristol Iodide, of La Harpe, Xo. 633. hav- 
ing joined the order in 1888. 

He is a stanch democrat and has heen 
alderman of the citv foi- three terms. 



WILLI. \M ROSENSTENGEL, D. D. 

Rev. William Rosenstengel. pastor of 
the German Lntlieran church at Car- 
thage, was horn in the \-illage of Asel in 
the Grand Duchy of Hesse Darmstadt on 
Christmas da\" of 1846, his parents being- 
John and Catherine ( Best) Rosenstengel. 
who were likewise natives of Hesse 
Darmstadt, tlie father conducting" a hotel 
in Asel. They never came to America, 
hut continued to reside in Germany until 
called to their final rest. 

Rev. Rosenstengel is the only surviv- 
ing member <if their famil}' of fi\-e chil- 
dren. He was reared and educated in 
his native country and came t<i America 
on the old-time sailing \'essel, Atler, 
which, after a \oyage of five weeks, 
dropped anchor in the harbor of New 
York in 1867. He at once made his way 
toward the interior of the cnuntr_\' and 
worked at farm labor in Illinois until 
1871, when he entered Carthage College, 
sjiending five years as a student there. 
He afterward matriculated in the Get- 
tysburg (Pennsylvania) Theological 
Seminary, where he was graduated on the 
completion of a three years' course and 
thus having prepared for the acti\e work 



of the ministry he entered at once upon 
the labor connected with this \\o\\ call- 
ing. His first charge was in Fulton 
county. Illinois, where he remained for 
three years. It was during this time that 
Re\'. Rosenstengel was married, in 1881, 
to Miss Margaret Walter, who was born 
in Illinois, Octolier 4, 1854, a daughter 
of George Henry and Catherine ( Muhl ) 
Walter, both natives of Germany. Her 
father was a tradesman in the old coun- 
try and followed the occupation of farm- 
ing after coming- to Illinois. In the fam- 
ily were ten children, of whom se\en are 
living: F'hilip. resitling in Des Moines 
county. Iowa: Henn-, who lives near 
Bushnell, Illinois: Catherine, the wife of 
Philip Rock, residing on the old honie- 
stead in Fulton county: Ernest, living in 
Canton, this state: George, who makes 
his home near Canton; Mrs. Rosensten- 
gel : and Peter, who resides in Fairview'. 
minimis. The parents were members of 
the Lutheran church and for S(ime vears 
the father was in the church ciinncil. In 
his political affiliations Mr. Walter is a 
democrat. 

( )n lea\ing his first pastorate in Ful- 
ton county Dr. Rosenstengel accepted a 
church in Nebraska City. Nebraska, and 
afterward was pastor at Grand Island. 
Nebraska. From there he went to Al- 
bu(|uen|ue. New Mexico, where he or- 
ganized the church ami erected the church 
edifice, and upon his return to the north 
was called to the hirst LiUheran church 
of Beardstown. Illinois, where he also 
erected a fine church. In oSgq he came 
to Carthage, where he has since ren-iained 
as pastor of the Gern-ian Lutheran church 
in this citv. doing great good among the 




WILLIAM ROSENSTENGEL, D.D. 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



people with whom he labors for charac- 
ter development and spiritual advance- 
ment. He is also editor of a German pa- 
l)er known as Lntheritcher Cions Bote, 
which in English means Science Messen- 
ger, a paper of sixteen pages published 
bi-monthly and devoted to church work. 
He is untiring in liis efforts for the church 
and the dissemination of the principles 
of the Christian religion and his labors 
have been far-reaching and beneficial. 

Unto Dr. and Airs. Rosenstengel have 
been born four children, all of whom were 
born in Nebraska, while three are yet 
living. Marie, a graduate of Carthage 
College of the class of 1903. is now a suc- 
cessful teacher in Plymouth school in this 
county. Margaret, a graduate of the 
high school, attended Carthage College 
for a vear and afterward a business col- 
lege, where she learned shorthand. She 
is now a stenographer ni the law office 
of A. \\'. O'Harra in Carthage. Min- 
nie is now a senior in the high school. 
August 23. IQ06. Dr. and Mrs. Rosen- 
stengel celebrated their twenty-fifth wed- 
ding anniversar}-. the meiubers of his 
church being present, and in token of 
their high esteem presented them witli a 
fine silver tea set. 

In his political views Dr. Rosenstengel 
is a republican. 1)elie\ing firmly in the 
principles of the part}-. He is an hon- 
ored trustee of Carthage College. lia\-ing 
occupied the position for man}- }ears, and 
he is president of the German \\'orthl:>erg 
synod. At the late n-ieeting of the 
A\'orthl)erg synod in Mt. Pulaski. Illi- 
nois, he was for the si.xth time elei'teil 
president of that bod}-. At the com- 
menceii-ient exercises of Carthage Col- 



lege in 1905 the board of trustees con- 
ferred upon him the degree of Doctor of 
Di\-init}-, an honor which was well mer- 
ited. He is a cultured, intelligent man 
of scholarly attaiimients and Inroad learn- 
ing and there is in him an abiding char- 
it}- ancl kindly s}-mpath}- which have 
made him honored and respected by all. 
He has done much work in connection 
with the ministry, performing many 
burial and marriage ceremonies among 
his friends of both the German and 
American ])eople. His wife is a lady of 
culture and intelligence and of warm 
heart, who has been of n-iuch assistance 
to her hushrmd in his work. Dr. Rosen- 
stengel has purchased a lot at the cor- 
ner of Buchanan and First streets near 
the College and built a fine residence 
thereon in the spring of igo6. The fam- 
ily home is a happy one and is the center 
of niany delightful S(jcia1 gatherings. 
That Dr. Rosenstengel is held in highest 
regard Ij}- his parishioi-iers is shown by 
the fact that his church people in Beards- 
town presented him with a beautiful gold 
watch Decemlier 13. iS(;S. upon his de- 
parture for Carthage, as a testinionial 
of the high esteen-i in which he was held 
(luring his sta\- among them. All whi-) 
know- him learn to lo\-t" and respect him 
and recognize the fact that his life is de- 
voted to his w(M-k in behalf of the church. 



ED\\'ARD H.\RR1S()X. 

Edward Harri'-ou, whose life h;is been 
de\-oted to general ("arming and wIkj is 



BIOGR.U'llICAL REIlEir 



nciw i)leasantly Idcated in Walker tnwii- 
ship, was born in Bursleini, Staffordshire, 
England, in 1S27. ?Iis parents, John and 
Martha (Fitten) Harrison, were likewise 
nati\-es of that cimntry and in 1842 they 
t';nne tn America as passengers on an old 
sailing vessel which after sixty days on 
the voyage dropped anchor in the harbor 
of New Orleans. Making their way 
northward thev became residents of 
\\'alker tcjwnship, I^fancock connty, Illi- 
nois, and liere tlie fatlier purchased a farm 
and Iniilt a log cabin. He was an in- 
dustrious, successful agriculturist and 
aided in the early development of the 
ciumt}- along that line. His death oc- 
curred in 1864. and his wife passed away 
in 1856, both being laid to rest in Walker 
township. 

Edward Harrison is the onl}- li\ing 
member of their family of seven children. 
He was a }'outh of about elexen \-ears at 
the time nf the emigration to the new 
world, and his education was largely ac- 
(piired in the common schools of Walker 
township, while during the summer 
months he aided in the farm work. He 
remained at home with his parents until 
thirty-two years of age, and in the mean- 
time became manager of the farm, wdiich 
he cultivated successfully. He was mar- 
ried in [858 to Miss Adaline York, who 
was born in Tippecanoe county. Indiana. 
April 25, 1841. a daughter of Larkin .V. 
and Eliza (Bastian) York. Her father 
was born in the state of New York. June 
2. 1814, while his wife was born in Hol- 
land. August 18. 1S18. He was a farmer 
and li\'e(l for a time in Missouri before 
coming to Illinois. Following his re- 
moval to this state he located in Walker 



township, where he and his wife matle 
many warm friemls, liecoming representa- 
tive and valued citizens <;)f that commu- 
nity. Mr. York was a member of the 
Baptist church, while his wife held mem- 
bership in the ^Methodist church. They 
Wvad here in early pioneer times and were 
familiar with many of the events that 
culminated in the Mormon war. In their 
family were six children, but only two are 
r.o\v li\-ing, Mrs. Harrison, and James 
Monroe York, a resident of Washington 
count}-, Idaho. 7'lie mother died Jan- 
uar}- 2, 1849, and the father passed awa_\- 
August II, 1852, being then laid to rest 
by her side in Walker township. 

Following his marriage Mr. Harrison 
purchased a farm of one hundred and ten 
acres on section 15. Walker township, and 
his first home there was a log cabin. He 
has since made all of the impro\ements 
upon the propertv and now has a splen- 
didly ile\eloped farm. In 18(12 he and his 
wife made a trip across the plains, going 
overland tri Oregon, which tri]) required 
seven months. They li\ed upon a farm 
in Willamette valley for a time and greatly 
enjo\'ed the journey westward and their 
sojourn on the coast. They visited many 
large cities on this trip and returned home 
by way of New York, being- passengers 
on a large boat. Constitution, to Panama, 
The\- were accompanied on the trip liy 
their two eldest children. On again reach- 
ing Hancock countv Mr. Harrison re- 
sumed farming here and has since gi\-en 
his ;ittei-ition to general agricultural pur- 
suits. He now- has a well impro\-ed farm 
propert}' and deri\-es therefrom a good 
income. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Harrison has 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



been bom a must interestint;- family ut 
six daughters: Flora AI., born in 1859. 
and educated in Hamilton, is the wife of 
Augustus Davis, of Los Angeles, Cali- 
fornia, and has one son, Lov A. Smith, 
twenty-three years of age. who married 
Anna Schultz and lives in Los Angeles. 
Sophia Adaleine, born in 1862, is the wife 
of Harry York, of St. Alban's township 
and they have two sons. Gay and Shirley. 
Eva B.. born in 1866, was educated in 
\\ arsaw. afterward engaged in teaching 
school, and is now the wife of B. F. Clark. 
a resident of St. Alban's township. b\- 
whom she has two sons, (jlenn and Car- 
roll. Oral is the wife of Walter Hem- 
mings, of Keokuk, Iowa, and prior tu 
her marriage was a successful teacher. 
Xora B., born in 1872, and a graduate 
of Hamilton high school, after which she 
engaged in teaching school, is now the 
wife of ■ John Kirkendall, of Keokuk, 
Iowa, and has two children, Wayne and 
Fern. Ollie B., born in 1876, was edu- 
cated in Hamilton and is the wife of Jesse 
Tracey, of Macomb, Illinois, by whom she 
had a son, Clyle E., who died at the age 
of two years. ]\Ir. and Mrs. Harrison 
have every reason to be proud of their 
family of daughters, most of whom ha\e 
been capable teachers and are now com- 
fortably situated in life in homes of their 
own. Mrs. Harrison, the daughters and 
grand-daughters are all eligible to mem- 
bership in the society of the Daughters 
of the Revolution, for her paternal grand- 
father was a soldier of the Revolution. 
She also had two brothers, Jesse and ]\Iart 
York, who were soldiers of the Ci\-il war, 
enlisting from Illinois. Mrs. Harrison 
is a ladv of literarv tastes, who has been 



a broad reader. Both our subject and 
his wife have traveled to a considerable 
extent, visiting \'arious parts of the west. 
At the same time he has lived an active 
business life and broke much of the land 
of his farm with ox teams. He has ad- 
vanced step by step in his l)usiness inter- 
ests and is now comfortably situated in 
life, having a gocxl farm which returns 
him a gratifying annual inc(_)me. 



GEN. CHARLES A. GILCHRIST. 

General Charles A. Gilchrist, at one 
time a resident of Carthage, was respect- 
ed and esteemed in this community and 
wherever he was known because of his 
possession of sterling traits of character. 
His public spirit and his devotion to the 
general good stood as an unquestioned 
fact in his life and in the greatest crisis 
in the countiy's history his manhood, bis 
loyalty and his valor were so inanifest 
that his militaiw record became an honor 
to the state which he represented. His 
life was varied, in its activity, honorable 
in its purpose and far-reaching and ben- 
eficial in its effects. 

General Gilchrist was bom at Saxton's 
River, Vermont, Febmaiw 13, 1834, and 
was but three years of age when, in 1837. 
his parents removed to Hills Grove, Mc- 
Donough county, Illinois. In his early 
boyhood he attended a school taught b_\- 
Isaac Holton in a log cabin at Hills 
Grove, which was called the ".Seminary" 
by the people there. In 1849 he contin- 



524 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAIEIV 



ued his studies in Galesburg, Illinois, and 
the following year taught a district school 
in McDonough county. In 1851-52 he 
attended school in New N'ork city, and in 
1853 entered upon his Ijusiness career in 
connection with the engineering depart- 
ment of the X(.>rthern Cross Railroad, 
then building from Galesburg to Ouincy. 
In 1855 he was elected and served as sur- 
veyor of JMcDonough county. He then 
turned his attention to the lumljer Ijusi- 
ness in Macumb. Illinois, but that ven- 
ture proved disastrijus financially. 

In the meantime General Gilchrist was 
married, on the ist nf October. 1S57. t<i 
Aliss Lucy Ellen Walker, of McDonough 
county, a daughter of Joseph Gilmer and 
Susan Pope (Bell) Walker, the former 
a native of Rockbridge county, Virginia. 
The mother was a descendant of Nathan- 
iel Pope, an own cousin of George Wash- 
ington. Joseph Gilmer Walker was close- 
Iv and prominentlv identified with the 
early histor)- df Illinois and especiall}' of 
McDonough county, where he resided 
with his familv and practiced law until 
his death in 1842. Histcjries of earh' Illi- 
nois associate four names in legal and po- 
litical prominence in that period : Abra- 
ham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas, Jo- 
seph Gilmer Walker and Cyrus Walker, 
his brother. His son, Pinckney H. Wal- 
ker, of Rushville, Illinois, a brother (jf 
Mrs. Gilchrist, was judge of the supreme 
court for many years. i\Irs. Gilchrist 
died in 1898 and was buried near her 
childhood home at Scottsburg, McDon- 
ough county. 

Following the outbreak of the Civil 
war Genera! Gilchrist promptly respond- 
ed, when, in t86i, the call was made for 



troo])s. The Illinois quota being full he 
enlisted in the Tenth Missouri Infantry 
and was elected and commissioned cap- 
tain of Company A. On the yth of 
March. 1862, he took the examination at 
St. I.onis for promotion, l-'our days prior 
to this time he studied eighteen hours out 
of twenty-four the book of tactics and 
was under examination four consecutive 
hours. The thoroughness of his meth- 
ods, his great detennination and tenacity 
were here exemplified. He answered 
correctly two hundred and forty-four 
(|uestions out of tw<i hundred and fifty 
and was complimented upon his exami- 
nation. He also answered satisfactorily 
in ;irtiller\- and fortifications. By spe- 
cial order. No. 23, from the war depart- 
ment he was appointed colonel of the 
iMftieth Louisiana Colored Infantr)' with 
headquarters near Vicksburg, Mississippi. 
He lacked but three days of serving five 
\ears and was mustered out in 1866 as 
colonel anil breveted brigadier general, 
commanding the Fiftieth L'nited States 
Infantr\'. As a soldier he won credit in 
e\ery position in which he sen'ed. The 
troops under his command before \'icks- 
burg were stationed for a long time in 
an unhealthy location in a marsh)' spot, 
with no water fit to drink and the most 
deplorable sanitary conditions, wdiile the 
shelter afforded was entirely inadequate. 
The surgeons attached to his regiment 
were inexperienced eastern political ap- 
pointees, who soon deserted or were 
transferred through political pull to more 
agreeable locations and he was left with 
but a nurse or two. His men were dying 
like flies from typhoid and dysentery. An 
ap])eal to the commanding general 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



l)rought no relief. The ruljutant general 
snublied him outright. He threatened to 
Ijring the matter personally before Gen- 
eral Grant. The adjutant threatened to 
have him arrested for insubordination. 
Colonel Gilchrist left the adjutant's tent, 
mounted a mule, rode p(«t haste to Gen- 
eral Grant's headquarters. He was re- 
fused admission by the guard at the door. 
He slipped arouml to the rear of the tent, 
went in through another opening and 
found himself in the presence of General 
Grant, alone. He was covered with mud 
and his uniform' of an indifferent natitre. 
His case was a desperate one and he came 
to attention before General Grant, saluted 
and poured otit his story. A loud com- 
motion was made at the door and an or- 
derly came in with the information that 
an officer wished to see him at once. 
General Grant told him to wait and turn- 
ing to General Gilchrist said, "What you 
say is no doubt correct, but we ha\-e no 
surgeons." "General, my men are dy- 
ing. They are brave men and are h.old- 
ing uncomplainingly the worst place be- 
fore Vicksburg. I must have surgeons if 
any are left to guard." "All right," said 
Grant. "I will send ycm surgeons. "Can 
I have two today?" "Yes." "Can I have 
four" "Yes." "Can I have them in an 
hour?" "Yes." \\'ith a salute. Colonel 
Gilchrist passed out the front way almost 
into the anns of the adjutant, who was 
impatiently waiting to see General Grant 
about his arrest for insubordination. The 
surgeons came and later he succeeded in 
having his regiment moved to higher 
ground. This incident was typical of his 
dogged and determined natiu^e under dif- 
ficulties. ^\'ithin his l)reast burned the 



lires of patriotism and Iciyalt}- and de- 
votion, and he wrote home cheery and 
optimistic letters lA his work and the 
ultimate outcome o{ the war. 

For a year after the war General Gil- 
christ remained in the south, but was un- 
successful in his attempt to raise cotton. 
In 1867 he removed his family to Car- 
thage and here established a lumber busi- 
ness, in which he was successful. The 
following year he was employed as engi- 
neer in charge of the construction of the 
Carthage & Burlington Railroad, and 
sttbsequently built the road to Ouincy 
and also the La Harpe & Burlington 
branch of the Toledo, Peoria & Western 
Railroad. Extending his activity into 
other fields of business, he was chosen 
president of the Rand Boot and Shoe 
Company upon its iDrganization in Car- 
thage, and in the interests of the house 
made various trips over the country. To 
make time and save expense he often 
walked from one point to another and the 
failure of the enterprise was due to no 
lack of judgment or energy on his part. 
In 1872 he made the survey for a road 
to run from Grinnell to Webster City, 
Iowa, a distance of over one hundred 
miles, and in 1874 he made sun-eys and 
accumulated data for an atlas of Han- 
cock county, that today is regarded as 
the most accurate in existence. In 1880 
and 1 88 1 he was employed on a suiwey 
of the route of the Hennepin canal feeder 
from Sterling to a point near Sheffield 
at the mouth of Rock river, and walked 
from Chicago to Rock Island examining 
the topography of northern Illinois for 
a feasible live river canal route. He also 
traveled in the same manner from Chi- 



526 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



cago to Minneapolis and farther west on 
an engineering- tour, tlie purport of which 
he was never informed by his employers. 
Going to Dakota to locate some land 
under the soldier's claim law General Gil- 
christ found the country in a chaotic con- 
dition anil si)eculation rife, lie acted as 
commissioner there and his official du- 
ties involved him in the county seat fights 
and all the troubles incident to the set- 
tlement of government land. He sur- 
veyed and built the Fort Madison and the 
Northwestern and the Keokuk and 
Mount Pleasant roads and as the receiver 
of the t\)rmcr attended to the business of 
the road for fi\"e }ears, successfulh' op- 
erating it until the line was sold. He 
llien went to Texas, \vhere he sur\-e}-ed 
a line from ].ampa,sas to Llano. During 
the World's Columbian Exposition in 
Chicago he was employed by the Wau- 
kesha Mineral Compaii}- in I'unning a 
pipe line from Waukesha, Wisconsin, into 
the fair grounds in Chicago. About the 
same time he became associated with the 
Bannings in the Florida phosphate beds 
and went to the south to as.sume the man- 
agement in the development of the mines. 
He introduced the placer method for min- 
ing phosphate that has since been adopteil 
in all ])hosphate mines. Other mines 
were located that could furnish phosphate 
more cheaply and the mine in Florida was 
abandoned by the owners. General Gil- 
christ then went to New York city, where 
his remaining days were spent with his 
children. In his last years he perfected 
a rail joint and was engaged in its man- 
ufacture at the lime of his death. He 
died in New York city. Januarv 22. [906, 
and was buried at Scott.sburg, McDon- 



ougii county, Illinois, by the side of his 
wife. They were the parents of eight 
children: Joseph G., who is living in 
Brookfield. Missouri : Mrs. Lansing P. 
A^'ood, of New York ; Charles, died in in- 
fancy; ]\Irs. Leslie L. Cleveland, of 
Keene, New ITampshire ; Ellen F., died 
in Florida in 1895; Allen R., who is now 
city engineer at Montgomery, .Mabama ; 
Edward !*., an attornc}- in New York; 
and Ann ]\L, who is dean of the Woman's 
Department, L^niversity of Tennessee, at 
Knoxville. 

Li his life he made the best use of his 
talents and his opportunities. In his pro- 
fession he possessed broad, scientific 
knowledge as well as the practical attain- 
ments which are indispensable to the best 
work. In every relation of life, whether 
of a business nature or otherwise, he was 
true to duty and a high standard of con- 
duct. He possessed rare personal bravery 
and a determined spirit that enabled him 
to face dangers and hardships unflinch- 
ingly and death came to him in his pro- 
fessional career. He was conscientious 
in the fulfillment of his duty as a man 
in his relations to his fellowmen and as 
a citizen in his relations to his localitv, his 
state and his countr\'. 



S. G. AIcBRlDE. 



S. G. ]\IcBri(le is a re])resentati\e of one 
of the earl}- families of the count^- and is 
numbered among the natixe sons of Ap- 
panoose township, where his liirth oc- 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



527 



curred in 1S62. He is now devotins; 
his time and energies to general farming 
in this township, where two hnndred ;md 
forty acres of land pay tril)ntc to him, 
as the reward of his labors and enterprise 
in the fields. His parents, John and Ann 
Elizabeth (Shields) McBride. were na- 
tives of Ireland and in early life came t(j 
America. The father, a farmer by occu- 
pation, came to Hancock county at a i)rim- 
itive period in the develnpment nf this 
part of the state and settled tirsl in .Xjijia- 
noose township, where he aided in re- 
claiming wild land and converting it intn 
valuable farms. When he married .\nn 
Elizabeth Shields his capital consisted nf 
only twenty cents and ere his death he was 
able to give to each of his sons a quarter 
section of land, at Wichita, Kansas, ex- 
cept S. G., he lieing the youngest, re- 
ceived fiftv-one acres in I'nntonsuc town- 
ship, so that one can see Imw lie 
progressed step Ijy step in the business 
world, adding to his possessions ,-is the 
result of his industry, frugality and care- 
ful investment, until his holdings were 
extensive and valuable. He raised and 
sold corn for ten cents per bushel in ,ni 
early day and used the proceeds to i)ur- 
chase horses and other stock or for farm 
machinery. His untiring energy was one 
of the strongest elements in his success 
and he left behind him not only a \-alual)le 
property but also an untarnished name 
and a record well worthy of emulation. 
About eighteen years ago he remo\ed 
from his farm to Xauvoo, where he lived 
retired until his death, which occurred 
.-\ugust 17, 1901, when he had reached 
the age of eighty-four years, se\'en months 
and twentv-four davs, while his wife died 



Decemlier 3, 1H97, aged se\-ent_\'-si\- years. 
two months and nineteen da)S. Of their 
ten children, four are living: Hannah, 
wife of Daniel Harrington, of Keokuk, 
Iowa; Ellen, wife of (leorge Burke, of 
Xauvoo; Anna Belle, wife of fiuss W'ell- 
ner, of Sidney, Nebraska; and S. G., of 
this review. 

The last named remained upon the 
home farm with his I'ather until twentx- 
one vears of age when his father ga\-e him 
fiftv-one acres of good land on section 
22. I'ontoosuc town.ship. k"or three years 
he boarded while operating his land and 
then his sister kept house for him for two 
and a h;df years. He has added to his 
original holdings until he now owns two 
hundred and forty acres of farm land and 
five acres of timber, the latter in Appa- 
noose township. In 1905 he built a part 
of his present home, which is a neat resi- 
dence, and he has also built barns and 
made many other substantial improve- 
ments. 

.Mr. McBride was married June i J, 
1S88, to Miss Minnie L. Schaefer, who 
was Ixirn in Appanoose township in 
1864, a daughter of Marcus and Martha 
(Myers) Schaefer, who were natives of 
Germany and in early life came to the 
I'nited States. About 1858 or i860 -they 
settled on a farm in this county and after 
many years' identification with agricul- 
tural interests here, they removed to Xau- 
voo, where they lived retired. The 
father died February t6, 1894, at the age 
of sixtv-six years, and the mother .August 
rT). ic}04, ;iged ' seventy-one years and 
fourteen days. The\' had eleven children, 
seven now living; Mary, the wife of 
John ^^■eber, of Mercer county, Cali- 



528 



BIOGRAPHICAL REIIEIV 



foniia ; William, a resident of Xew W'vk : 
Ann. wife uf Christ Hutts, of Xi>rtli Da- 
kota; Henry, (if (iene\'a, Nebraska: Bcr- 
narck who resides mi the okl home farm 
in Appanoose township: Airs. INlcBride, 
of Colnsa. Illinois: and Emma, wife of 
Pliillip h'arren, of Hendersini cjunty. 

'Idle home uf Air. and Airs. AIcBride 
has keen blessed with fi\'e children, all 
born in Pfuitoosnc tmvnsliip: Elmer, 
born June 19, i88(;: Alanrice. Feliruary 
17, iSgi : Eeo, December 28, 1893; Guy, 
Jmie 23, 1898: and Joseph. Alarch 4, 
ICJ04. The famil}- .are jileasanth' located 
on the home farm near Colnsa and in ad- 
dition to tilling the soil Air. AIcBride 
feeds cattle and hogs, shipping Hve or six 
carloads of stock to Chicago each year, 
where he alwa\'s recei\'es good prices. In 
politics a democrat, he has held township 
offices and filled other positions of pnlilic 
trust. He was administrator of his 
father's estate and recenth- he and Ber- 
nard Shaefer have closed u\) the Shaefer 
estate as administrators. He has accu- 
mulated a nice property and is classed not 
oiil\- witk the men of affluence of liis com- 
munity I)ut als(] with them whose Inisiness 
methods are straightforward and whose 
rules of conduct are in harmony with high 
principles. He and his family are com- 
municants of the Catholic church. 



SEE AH G. HART. 

Selah Ci. Hart is the owner of an ex- 
cellent farm in Alontebello township and 



its splendidly im]iro\ed condition is at- 
tributable entirely to his earnest eflforts. 
A nati\-e of New ^'ork. he was born at 
Candor, Tioga county, January 31. 1829. 
his parents being Samuel and Lois (Grid- 
ley ) Hart, natives of Xew York and of 
Connecticut res])ecti\ely. His })aternal 
grandparents were Abel and Rachel 1 .Sey- 
mour ) Hart, the former born in I'lng- 
land, and the latter in F^ennsylvania. The 
maternal grandfather. Selah Gridle}-. was 
als<:) a nati\e of England, and like .Aljel 
Hart, was ;i s(jl<lier of the Re\'olutionary 
war, .aiding x'alianty in the cause of in- 
dependence. Samuel Hart, the father, 
was a wealthy landowner, having about 
six hundred acres of land, and in addi- 
tion to carr\ing on general agricultural 
pursuits he conducted a sawmill. He 
died when his son Selah Cr. was fourteen 
vears of age, and two years later, Eler- 
man Hart, the elder brother of our sub- 
ject, went to Wisconsin, where he pur- 
chased eighty acres of land, coxering w hat 
is now the central part of Fond du Lac. 
Eater he sold this all out in town lots 
and he now lives in Alicliigan. where he 
purchased a large farm and set it out to 
fruit. After his brother left home Selah 
G. Hart remained \\ith his mother until 
he reached the age of twenty- four years, 
wdien. thinking that he would have better 
business opportunities in the middle west, 
he made his w.av to Xewark, Kendall 
count\', Illinois, where he arri\'ed in 1853. 
Soon afterward he rented land there and 
engaged in farming for two years. On 
the expiration of that period he came to 
Hancock county and for seven years 
operated a rented farm in AlontebeUo 
township, ;it the end of wdiich time he 



HAXCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



529 



bdugiit folly acres uf limber land 011 
section C>. He built a cabin in tbe midst 
of the fiirest and at unce began clearing 
away the trees in order that he might plow 
the land and convert it into i)rodncti\'e 
fields. He kept adding to this place from 
time to time as his financial resources per- 
mitted until he now owns forty acres on 
section 6, and fifty-two and a half acres 
on section 31. Sonora township. He 
planted extensive orchards of apples. 
peaches, pears and plums and also set out 
much small fruit, and in addition to the 
conduct of his horticultural interests he 
is now engaged in culti\ating about forty- 
fi\e acres planted to corn. He has put all 
of the impro\-ements upon the place and 
after living in a little log cal)in for ab(.jut 
fifteen \ears he erected his present frame 
residence. He has good buildings upon 
the farm and everything is in keeping 
with UKxlern ideas of progressive agri- 
culture. 

Since coming to the w'est Mr. Hart has 
continuously followed farming save for 
the period of his services in the Civil war. 
He enlisted in February, 1864. as a mem- 
ber of Company I. One Hundred and 
Fifty-si.xth Illinois Infantr}-, the regiment 
being assigned to Sherman's division of 
the Army of the Cumberland. He did 
guard duty at Nashville, ^lemphis and 
Chattanooga, and was honorably dis- 
charged at Nashville, September 30, 1865, 
after which he was mustered out at Mem- 
])his. On one occasion while attending 
the sick he did not receive relief as he 
should have done and became overheated. 
This underminded his health and he was 
able to do little service from June until 
cold weather. 



When the war was o\er Mr. H.art at 
once returned to Illinois and joined his 
famih' in this county. He hail liecn mar- 
ried in Spencer, Tioga count)'. New N'ork, 
Nosember i, 1851. to Miss Emeline \'an 
Etten. a nati\'e of Spencer, in which place 
she acquired her education in the public 
schools. Her father was killed while en- 
gaged in logging during the infanc}- of 
his daughter. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hart 
were born three children : .Mliert 15., at 
home: Mary E., the wife of William 
Peak, of ALjntebello township ; ;ind 
George H., who is engaged in farming 
and raising and shipping fruit at 
Xauvoo. 

In his political views Mr. Hart is a 
stalwart republican and has served as 
school director for twenty-one years and 
also acted as road overseer. He attends 
the Christian church and is an upright, 
honoi-able man, whose well-spent life has 
gained for him the regard and friendship 
of many with whom he has come in 
contact. 



JOSEPH E. LORD. 

Joseph E. Lord, who is now practically 
living- a retired life, making his home 
upon a fann of seventy-two acres which 
adjoins Augusta on the west, was born 
in that village on the corner where now* 
stands the First National Bank, his natal 
day being the loth of June, 1842. His 
paternal grandparents were Thomas and 
Elizabeth Lord, in whose family were 
ele\-en children, all of wdiom are now de- 



530 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IEII 



ceased. Among the number was one who 
became a missionar_y to Natal, South Af- 
rica, and sent his chilth'en back to this 
country, where they were educated, being- 
graduates of OberHn College, Ohio. His 
parents were Robert B. and Elizabeth 
( Ireland) Lord. The father was burn 
in Abingdon, Connecticut, where he lived 
until coming to the west about 1836, mak- 
ing and overland journey. He located in 
Jacksonville, Illinois, and subseciuently re- 
moved to Augusta, purchasing a tract of 
land south of the village in Adams county 
of line hundred and sixt}- acres. He 
bought this fnim the government and it 
was wild and unimproved, but with char- 
acteristic energy he began its cultivatiun 
and improvement and made a good home 
for himself and famih'. He remained 
thereon for onh- a few years and then 
went to Ouincy, where he spent his re- 
maining days, his death occurring Oc- 
tober 2, 1875, when lie was sixty-five 
vears of age, his remains being interred 
in a Ouincy cemeter}'. \Vhile living in 
the city he followed the carpenter's trade 
and was known as a reliable and skilled 
Avorkman. He held membership in the 
Presbyterian church and during his resi- 
dence in Augusta served as one uf the 
deacons and also as choir master and at 
all times he was dee])l}" and actively in- 
terested in the material, intellectuid and 
mor.al jirogress of the community in 
which he made his home. In ]iolitics lie 
was a republican Init never sought or de- 
sired office, although he was a ]iublic- 
spirited man and kept well informed on 
the current topics and political issues of 
the day and was an advocate of all that 
tended to advance the best interests of his 



adopted city. His wife was born in Eng- 
land and came to America in her child- 
hood days, her father being Thomas Ire- 
land, wlio was a paper manufacturer, 
owning a large paper mill in New York 
city. After operating this successfully 
for a numljer of years the mill was de- 
stroyed by fire and with his family he 
removed to Hancock county, Illinois, set- 
tling at Augusta, where he engaged in 
farming for a considerable period. He 
afterward took up his abode in Ouincy, 
where he engaged in the dairy business, 
there making his home until his death, 
which occurred when he had reached an 
advanced age. He was a man of honor- 
able principle and high Christian ch.ar- 
acter and for some vears scr\-ed as a dea- 
con in the Presbyterian church in Ouinc)-. 
His wife. Miss Elizabeth Ireland, was 
also a native of England anrl was a lady 
of more than average culture, education 
and refinement. Her father. Rev. Lacon 
Ireland, was a minister of England, and 
the grandmother of Jose])h E. Lord was 
a descendant of Phillip Henry, a promi- 
nent and talented divine of that country. 
In the family of R. B. and Elizabeth ( Ire- 
land ) Lord were four children. 

Joseph E. Lord, the only one now sur- 
vi\'ing, was reared in Augusta and ac- 
quired his earh- education in the \-illage 
schofils. He removed with his parents to 
Ouincy, where he continued his studies 
and after putting aside his te.xt-books he 
began learning the tinner's trade, wliich 
he followed until after the outbreak of the 
Civil war. when, in 1864, in response to 
his country's need, he joined the l.ioys in 
blue of Company C. Eorty-seventh Illi- 
nois Volunteer Infantrv, with which reg- 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOLS. 



531 



nnent he served until the close ul hostih- 
ties. He participated in a number of im- 
portant battles and skirmishes and was 
discharged and mustered i.ait at Mobile, 
Alabama. He still maintains pleasant re- 
lations with his old army comrades 
through his membership in .Vugusta post. 
No. 302, Grand Army of the Republic, 
of which he is now chaplain. 

When the war was over Mr. Lord re- 
turned to Ouincy, where he engaged in 
the manufacture of a patent spring bed, 
of which he was the inventor. In 1879 
he removed his business to Augusta and 
continued the operation of his factory at 
this point until it was destroyed by fire. 
Later he embarked in the hardware trade, 
conducting a store in Augusta for four 
\ears. when he sold out and turned his 
attention to farming, having a good prop- 
erty of seventy-two acres adjoining the 
village of Augusta on the west. He is 
also connected with the business con- 
ducted under the firm name of J- E. Lord 
&- Compan}'. manufacturers of Lord's Im- 
proved United States Metallic Steel 
S])ring Bed, which was made at Ouincy. 
The business was established in 1867 and 
has become an important industry of this 
city in which it is located. Mr. Lord re- 
ceived a medal from the Centennial Ex- 
position at Philadelphia in 1S76 for his 
bed. 

Mr. Lord w-as married on the 20th of 
May. 1874. to Miss Anna Augusta Mead, 
a daughter of Horace and Mary B. 
(Mead) Mead, both of whom were na- 
tives of Greenwich, Coiniecticut, and 
there resided until after their marriage, 
coming to Illinois on their wedding trip. 
Thev located in Augusta, where thev re- 



sided until called to their final rest, their 
home being the house which is now occu- 
pied by 'Sh: and ^Nlrs. Lord and which 
was built b\- Mr. Alead. He was a farm- 
er by occupation and also engaged in the 
real estate business. He filled the posi- 
tiiju of justice of the peace for many 
\ ears, his decisions being strictly fair and 
impartial, and his death occurred in Au- 
gusta at the age of fiftj^-nine years, while 
his wife passetl away at the very ad- 
vanced age of ninety-four years, being 
one of the (.)ldest and most highly es- 
teemed citizens of the county. Both were 
members of the Presbyterian church and 
their lives were in harmony with their 
professions. Unto ]Mr. and Mrs. Alead 
were born three children : William H., 
an attorney of Augusta ; Silas K., who 
died at the age of fifteen years; and Mrs. 
Lord. Five children graced the union of 
dur subject and his wife, all of whom 
were born in Augusta, namely: Mary E.. 
who died at the age of twenty years ; Ar- 
thur R.. a farmer living in Augusta town- 
ship. wIk.i married Myrta Allen and 
has three children, Dorothy. Ethel Dar- 
lene and Donald ; Frederick H., who is 
operating the home farm, belonging to 
his father: and A\'illiam and Augusta, 
twins, who died in infancy. 

In his political views Mr. Lord has 
alwa^•s been an earnest republican and 
fraternally he is connected with the Mod- 
ern Woodmen oi America, while he and 
his wife hold membership in the Presby- 
terian church. These associations indi- 
cate something of the character of the 
man, who has been an advocate of all 
that tends to benefit humanity and pro- 
mote the general welfare. His influence 



532 



BIOGRAPHICAL RE I 'J HI I 



is ever given on the side of right, justice 
and trutli and he stands as a representa- 
tive of a higli tyjie of -American man- 
liood and chi\'alry. He has si)ent his en- 
tire hfe in this part of the county and his 
history is an open l)ook which all may 
read, lie is a witness of many changes 
that have occurred here and in so far as 
possible has given active co-operation to 
measures and mcivements for public 
progress and inipro\-ement. 



AMOS DAVIS, Jr. 

Amos Davis, a prominent and progress- 
ive farmer and stock-raiser residing in 
Appanoose townshi]), was born in this 
township on section _'5, on the J i st of 
January, iHhy, a son of .\mos and Mary 
Jane ( Isenberger ) Da\is, nati\es of Ver- 
mont and (3hio resi)ecti\ely. the latter 
a daughter of Jacob and Ixachel Isenber- 
ger. The father on leaving the ( ireen 
Mountain state located in Xaux'oo, Illi- 
nois, where he was engaged in merchan- 
dising" during the time the Mormons lived 
in this section of the state. He pur- 
chased land in Ap])anoose and Pontoosuc 
townships and nia<le his home in the for- 
mer township, being located on section 
25. Here he engaged (|uite extensi\el_\' 
in the raising of stock, including horses, 
cattle, liogs and shee]). He was a \er\- 
prosperous man and at the time of his 
death was the (iwner of fourteen humlred 
acres of \er)- \aluable land. He was 
three times married. \W the first mar- 



riage there were two children, of whom 
one daughter sur\-ives, Bell, the wife of 
Cius Alley, of b'ort Madison, Iowa. By 
the second marriage there were three 
sons and one daughter, of whom the 
eldest, Ethan, died several vears ago. 
The surviving members are: ( ieorge 
Edmund, of Rock Creek township: Rich- 
ard, of Appanoose township; and Chloe. 
the wife of Frank Weber, of Fort Madi- 
son, Iowa. By the third marriage there 
are three sons and a tlaughter, of whom 
our subject is the eldest, the others being: 
Jacoli Wells, of Coffey count}', Kansas: 
Mary J., the wife of (.ieorge Ellistiu, of 
Prairie townshij), Hancock count\" : and 
Ciuy, who occui)ies a part of the old home- 
stead in .\ppanoose township. The father 
of these children died March 22. iSjj, 
at the age of fiftv-six \ears, six months 
and twent\'-two da\s, and was laid to rest 
in the family cemetery on the home farm. 
After his death the widow was again 
married, her second union being with 
Robert Hulen, and they now' reside at 
Rush Springs. ()klahoma. She has be- 
come the mother of four children. Roy, 
(irace, William and Slierley. all yet under 
the parental roof. 

Amos Davis, whose name introduces 
this record was reared to f.arm life and 
ac(|m'red his early education in the district 
schools near his father's home, which was 
supplemented 1)\' a course of stud}' in the 
high school at Carthage. He reuiained 
at home until twcnt}' }ears of age. and at 
that time went to live with his brother 
(ieorge. with whom he remained for two 
vears. He then started out in life on his 
own account. locating on one hundred and 
twelve acres of the old faniily homestead. 



HANCOCK COUXTV. ILLlXOfS. 



533 



which was inherited from his father's 
estate. Here he has resided continuously 
since and is engaged in general agricul- 
tural pursuits, and also raises a large 
amount of st(_ick, including Perchen.m 
horses, Durham cattle, hogs ami Shr(jp- 
shire sheep. He also owns two registered 
Percheron stallions which he uses for 
breeding purposes, and he also has two 
full-blooded Percheron mares. 

On the 25th anniversary of his birth 
Mr. Davis was united in marriage to Miss 
Catherine Rose Schilson, a native of So- 
nora township, and a daughter of John 
and Angeline (Laufer) Schilson. natives 
of Germany, the place of their nativity 
being Hesse Darmstadt. The\- were 
married in that cnuntrv. and mi their 
emigration to America located on land 
in Sonora townhsip, Hancock county, but 
they now make their home in Nauvoo, 
where the father owns ten acres of land 
and is engaged in the raising" of fruit. In 
their family are the following named : 
Angeline. the wife of John Rose, of Con- 
nells\ille, Pennsylvania; George, a resi- 
dent of Alontebelio township, near Hamil- 
ton : ]\Irs. Davis ; John, of Prairie town- 
ship : Joseph, of Xauvoo ; and Ernest, at 
home. Pauline, the si.\th in order of 
birth died at the age of twelve years. 

Unto our subject and his wife ha\'e l)een 
born two daughters: Leah, burn July 12. 
1894, and Ada Ma}', born l'"ebrnary 8. 
1897. In his political views Mr. Davis 
is a democrat, and has taken an acti\e in- 
terest in the local ranks of his party, hav- 
ing served as assessor four years and 
as school director from 1902 to 1903. 
Fraternally he is a member of the Miulern 
\\'oodmen of America. During his earlv 



yduth Mr. Da\is suffered fnjni a severe 
spell of illness, which rendered him a crip- 
ple, although he is acti\e in the pursuits 
of his farm, giving careful supervision to 
his farming and stnck-raising interests. 
He inherited a good tract of land from 
his father's estate and on this are found 
good impro\'enients, his buiUHngs and 
fences Ijeing kept in an excellent state of 
repair. He is prospering in his l)usiness 
interests and is today numbered among 
the alert and enterprising agriculturists 
of Hancock county, where he has a wide 
and favorable acquaintance, having spent 
his entire life here. 



JOSEPH M. MILLER. 

At the time of the Ci\il war Illinois 
sent its full quota of soldiers to the front. 
'rhe\" were brave men, who made splendid 
records upon the battle-fields of the south 
and among this number was Joseph M. 
Miller. wIid ucjw resides upon a farm near 
Augusta, and who is classed with the 
honored \eterans of the war. He was 
born in Miami county. (Jhio, in 1838, a 
son of Xathan and Eleanor (Engart) 
Miller. The family has a most creditable 
militar\- record. Joseph .Miller, the grand- 
father, was one of the heroes of the Re\'o- 
lution as was Joseph Engart. the maternal 
grandfather, while Daniel and William, 
brothers of our subject, were soldiers of 
the Civil war. the former l:)eing in the 
One Hundred and 'rhirty-se\'enth Illinois 
Rep'iment. and the other in the Thirtv- 



534 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



second Illinois Inl'aniry. The father 
was born in Coshocttjn county, Ohio, in 
1813, and de\'oted his life to general agri- 
cultural pursuits. In the spring of 1855 
he renio\-ed to Adams county, Illinois, 
where he spent his remaining da_\-s, pass- 
ing away in 1870, while his wife, who was 
born in ['enns}l\ania, in iSij, died in 
i8Sg, and was laid to rest In- his side in 
Adams county. She was a member ot 
the Methodist church, while the father's 
christian belief was indicated by his identi- 
fication with the United Brethren church. 
They had ten children, of wdiom five are 
now living; Joseph M. ; Daniel, a resi- 
dent of Colwell cdunt)', Missnuri: Mar- 
garet, the wife of ]^>ank Potter, of Bates 
county, Missouri: Nancy E., the wife of 
Edward Maryin, of Tyler, Texas: and 
Leander J., who resides in Kansas City, 
Missouri. 

Joseph ]\1. Miller was educated in the 
public schools and assisted his father in 
the work of the home farm until he had 
attained his majority, wdien he started out 
in life on his own account. In August. 
1862, he responded to the country's call 
for aid, enlisting in the Seventy-eighth 
Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which 
he served until the close of the war. He 
was in Franklin. Tennessee, and Chicka- 
mauga, two of the hotly contested battles 
of the war, and was with Sherman on 
the march to the sea. He also partici- 
pated in the grand review in Washington, 
the culminating event of a war which 
meant the perservation of the Union and 
the establishment of the republic on a 
more solid basis than ever before. 

In the fall of 1865, Mr. Miller was 
married to Miss Elizabeth Kellv, who 



was born in Kentuck\-, December 28. 

1844. Her grandfather, Samuel Kelly, 
was a soldier of the war of 1812 and she 
had one brother who was in the Civil war, 
together with an uncle, James Allen Sea- 
ton, and several cousins, Samuel Lewis 
being in the Sixteenth Illinois Regiment. 
]\Irs. jMiller is a daughter of Joseph and 
Jane (Seaton) Kelly, wdio were natives 
of Kentucky. The latter was born in 
Alarch, 1827, and is now li\'ing in Okla- 
homa, to which territory she recently 
removed, having up to that time made her 
home with Mr. and Mrs. Miller. Mr. 
Kelly, who was born in 1816, and was a 
farmer by occupation, came to Illinois in 

1845, settling in Adams county, wdiere he 
followed farming up to the time of his 
death, which occurred in Xo\'enib'er, 1855. 
Mrs. Kelly is a devoted member of the 
Christian church. In their family were 
six children, all of whom are now living : 
Mrs. Miller; Samuel, of Hancock county: 
Mrs. Sarah L. Davis, who is living in 
Rice county, Kansas ; Charles H.. of Sax- 
mon, Kansas; George \\'., of Custer, Ok- 
lahoma ; and Johanna, the wife of Lewis 
Steinbeck, of Hutchinson, Kansas. 

Mr. and Mrs. Miller began their do- 
mestic life upon a farm in Adams county. 
Illinois, where they lived until 1881, when 
they came to Hancock county. Here Mr. 
Miller purchased one hundred and sixt}' 
acres of land on section ig, Augusta 
township, on which he has placed many 
modern improvements. His time and 
energies have been given to the tilling 
of the soil and the raising of stock, and he 
also owns eighty acres on section 29, 
Augusta township, whereon a good resi- 
dence has been erected. The home of 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



Mr. and Mrs. Miller has been blessed with 
eight children, all of whom were born in 
Adams county with the e.xception of the 
youngest two, and six of the number are 
yet living: Nathan E.. the eldest, died 
when nine months old and was buried in 
Adams county. Elnora J. is the wife of 
John T. Robertson, and resides in Chili 
township; and they have three children, 
Lola E., Roy M., and Juanita. James P., 
who marreid Martha Pierce and lives in 
Macomb, Illinois, has five children. Ruby 
I., Alma, ^lay, Xina and Joseph. Lillie 
Ellen died at the age of three years. 
Samuel L. married Etliel Da\-is. by wdiom 
he has a son, Joseph L., and follow's farm- 
ing on hij father's farm of eighty acres 
in Augusta township. \'anette Irene is 
a trained nurse who was graduated in 
September, 1905, frnm the Chicago 
Hahnemann Hospital at Chicago, after 
three years devoted to study, whereby 
she became very proficient in her chosen 
life work. Albert L. and Ernest Sid- 
ney are both at home and assist their 
father in the operation of the farm. 

Mr. and Mrs. Miller ha\e worked earn- 
estly and harmoniously together in the 
establishment of a home and the rearing 
of their family and are now comfortably 
situated in life. Both are worthy and 
pleasant people and are mucli esteemed 
by all who know them. Mrs. Miller is of 
a family of which there are four living 
generations, while twelve years ago there 
were five generations represented. The 
four now living are Mrs. Jane Kelly, the 
mother of Mrs. Miller: Mrs. Elenora 
Robertson, the daughter of the latter: 
and Lola Robertson, the granddaughter 
of Mrs. Miller. In matters of citizen- 
34 



ship Mr. Miller has ever lien public- 
spirited and progressive, stanchly sup- 
porting the interests and measures which 
are calculated to prove of benefit to the 
community, and manifesting the same 
loyalty wdiich he displayed upon southern 
battle-fields. In his business career he 
has made steady advancement and is now 
holding large landed interests in this 
ccjunty. 



-MICHAEL BAUMERT. Sr. 

[Michael Baumert. Sr., an honored vet- 
eran of the Civil war, engaged in the 
real estate and insurance business in Xau- 
voo, is numbered among the worthy resi- 
dents of Hancock county who claim the 
fatherland as the place of their nativity. 
Born in Baden, Germany, October i, 
1833, he is a son of Michael Baumert, 
while his father also bore the same name. 
The latter married Magdalena Schut- 
terle. who was also bom in Baden and 
was a daughter of George Schutterle. 

I\Iichael Baumert, of this review, ac- 
quired his education largely in the com- 
mon schools of his native country and 
wdien eighteen years of age came to 
America on a sailing vessel, the Arcadia, 
which dropped anchor in the harbor of 
New Orleans. Two days later he started 
on a trip up the Mississippi river to St. 
Louis. Missouri, where he arrived on the 
22d of April, 1852. Later he attended 
night schools in this country. He and 
his father worked at the stone mason's 
trade in St. Louis for moix than two 



536 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



years and in June. 1854, the son came to 
Xauvoo on a steamer and here began 
business as a mason contractor, building" 
the foundation tor the Lutheran church. 
Beheving that tlie town afforded good 
business opportunities he sent for his fa- 
ther who came with the family in July 
and he remained a resident of this place 
until his death, which occurred in July, 
t886, when he was seventy-eight years 
of age. The mother died at the age of 
sixty-three years in .Vugust. 1868. 

F(.)llowing the removal of the family 
to Xauvoo Michael Baumert, Sr., whose 
name introduces this record, lived with 
liis parents until his marriage, which was 
celebrated on the 15th of March, 1857, 
Miss Mary Schini becoming his wife. 
She was born in Alsace, France, a daugh- 
ter of Michael and Annie (Israel) Schini, 
who were likewise natives of Alsace, and 
made the voyage to America in 1854. In 
the fall of 1854 they, too, became resi- 
dents of Nauvoo. After his marriage 
Mr. Baumert rented a home in Xau\"oo. 
which he occupied until 1858, after which 
he spent a year in his father-in-law's 
home and then removed to the home of 
his parents. In i860 he purchased a lot 
at the corner of Mulholland and Fif- 
teenth street, on which there was a brick 
residence and he has since added to it a 
frame addition. He followed the mason's 
trade, doing work as a contractor and 
builder until after the outbreak of the 
Ci\il war and he had at that time_a fam- 
il_\- of four children ami he felt that his 
first duty was to provide for their suj)- 
port, s(.) that he could not enter the sen-- 
ice until the 22d of March, 1863. 

At that date, however, he enlisted in 



Chicago as a member of Company G, 
Twenty-third Illinois Volunteer Infan- 
tiy, which was a part of Mulligan's bri- 
gade. The regiment was divided and a 
portion participated in the battle of Pe- 
tersburg, Virginia, while Mr. Baumert 
with his company went to Richmond, 
Virginia, where they were on detailed 
ser\-ice doing guard duty most of the 
time until mustered out on the 24th of 
July, 1865. They arrived ;it Chicago on 
the 3cl of August following, and were 
there honorably discharged. Company 
G on the return trip was the onlv Ger- 
man comijan)- in the crowd of soldiers, 
the remainder being Irish, and these with 
all of their officers became int(^xicated so 
that Company G had to guard them all 
and prevent the fights which were con- 
tinually breaking out. In passing through 
Pittsburg a fine supper was served to all 
of the troops by the ladies of that city, 
who thus pro\-ided for the soldiers at all 
times Ijv dav and In- night. Mr. Baumert 
well remembers the return trip, on which 
all of the veterans had small flags pinned 
on their coats together with Confederate 
bills sometimes of one hundred and some- 
times of five hundred dollars l)ut which 
had become worthless currenc\-. 

When mustered out of the army Mr. 
Baumert returned to X'auvoo and was 
ill until the fall, when he went into the 
saloon business, which he followed until 
187 1. He then sold out and again 
worked at his trade until 1895, when he 
turned his attention to the real estate busi- 
ness and also became a notary public. He 
has since dealt in property, negotiating 
many important realty transfers, and since 
the fall of 1905 he has conducted an in- 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



537 



surance business as agent for the Ger- 
mania Fire. Cyclone and Tornado In- 
surance Company of New York. 

L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Bauniert liave been 
l3i)rn nine cliildren : Charles, who died 
Tulv 4. 1865. at the ag-e of six months: 
John F., wh(.i died in 1872, at the age of 
six years; Jacob, wlio died in 1873, at 
the age of twenty months ; George, who 
conducts an independent newspaper in 
Nauvoo ; Maiy, at home: Julia, the wife 
of Louis Boquet. of Keokuk, Iowa : 
Michael, who is connected with the pub- 
lication of an independent newspaper at 
Nauvoo : Annie, of Keokuk, Iowa : and 
Fmma, the wife of Alfred Haganer, of 
Keokuk. Mr. Baumert is well known in 
Nauvoo, where for many years he has 
made his home. He has taken an active 
and prominent part in community affairs 
and his fellow townsmen recognizing his 
worth and ability have frequently called 
him to public office. He served for three 
vears as alderman of the city, for one 
year as citv treasurer and for four years 
as township school treasurer, while for 
six vears he was township tax collector. 
In 1890 he was made census enumerator 
and since that year has also been notary 
pulilic. All of the duties devolving upon 
liim in that connection have been dis- 
charged with prom|;)tness and fiilelitx'. 



ARTHUR McNEALL. 

.\rthur McNeall. one of the worthy 
and prominent residents of Chili town- 



ship living in Buwen, has displayed in his 
business and private life those traits of 
character which ever command respect, 
good will and confidence. He was l)orn 
in Clermont count)', Ohio, August 29, 
1837, a si3n of Mathias and Elizabeth 
(Brown) McNeall. His paternal grand- 
parents were :'\. and Elizabeth (Boyer) 
McNeall, the hornier Ijorn in Pennsyl- 
vania, and the latter a native of Mary- 
land. The Boyer family is of German 
lineage, while the McXealls come of 
Scotch-Irish ancestry. 

Mathias McNeall was born in Clermont 
county, Ohio, January 24, 181 2, and dur- 
ing the greater part of his life carried on 
general farming. He also worked at the 
carpenter's trade when not busy with the 
duties of the fielils. He went to Adams 
county, Illinois, in 1S47. '^"'^ '" 1864, set- 
tled in Chili township, Hancock county. 
He was a democrat in his political views 
and served as justice of the peace for a 
number of \ears. He was well posted on 
current topics and was a public-spirited 
and progressive citizen. He was also a 
]^Iethodist preacher and was known as the 
railroad preacher from the fact that he 
was railroad agent at Bowen for thirteen 
vears. He married Miss Elizabeth 
Brown, and they became the parents of 
seven children : Those living are : 
Elizabeth, the wife of Joseph Dalton, of 
Missouri: L'ititia, the wife of Jesse Pal- 
mer, a resident of Minnesota ; Matilda, the 
wife of Milton Rist, of Alorgan, Minne- 
sota: Permelia, who is the widow of 
George Butler and lives at Camp Point, 
Illinois: and Arthur, of this review. The 
mother of these children died in Adams 
countv in 1855 and lies buried there. 



^,8 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IEW 



After lier death Mr. McXeall weddecl her 
sister. Letitia Brown, who is also de- 
ceased. There were no children by that 
marriage. JMathias McNeall passed away 
December 7. 1900. in Bowen, where he 
was laid to rest. Dr. McNeall, an uncle 
of our subject, enlisted from Pike county, 
Illinois, for service in the Civil war. He 
was senior assistant surgeon of the Nine- 
ty-ninth Regiment of Illinois Infantry, 
and died in 1904. In 1864 he was nom- 
inated for the legislature from the dis- 
trict comprising Pike and Cireen counties 
and was defeat&d bv a verv small 
majority. 

In the public schools of Ohio, Arthur 
McNeall acquired his early education, 
which was supplemented 1)_\' stud)- in 
Adams count}'. He was married in iSOj 
to Miss Mary Shepherd, a daughter of 
Austin and Rebecca Shepherd, who were 
nati\'es of \\'est Virginia, in which state 
Mrs. McNeall was bom. There was one 
child by that marriage, Ida Belle, the 
wife of \^''illiam T. Gillis, who resides 
in Bowen, and they ha\e three children, 
Everett Mack, Ruth Letitia and Leah 
Gertrude Gillis. Mrs. MeNeall died in 
1864 and was laid tn rest at Columbus. 
Adams count}-. Illinois. On the 19th of 
April, 1866, Mr. McNeall was again mar- 
ried, his second union being with ]Mar- 
garet S. Livingood, who was born in 
Missouri in 1843. a daughter of Andrew 
and Mary (Taggart) Livingood, both of 
whom w'ere natives of North Carolina, 
the former born November 6, 18 10, and 
the latter May 22, 1S16. Mr. Livingood 
was a cal)inet-maker and lived in Missouri 
until after the uutbrcak of the Civil war. 
when he removed to Hancock countv, Illi- 



nois. Of the seven children of that mar- 
riage four are now living: Martitia 
Jane, the widow of William Rowe, of 
Kansas City, Missouri ; Sarah Rebecca, 
the widow of Melvin Davis, of Idaho ; 
Mrs. McNeall ; and Rachel E., the wife of 
Dr. Thomas Whray, of Golden, Illinois. 
The eldest member of the family. John 
M. Livingood, died October i, 1903, and 
was buried at Cordor, Missouri. The 
father of Mrs. McNeall passed away No- 
vember 15, 1902. and the mother's death 
occurred on the 23d of August of the 
same year, the remains being interred in 
Bowen cemetery. They were members 
of the Congregational church, in which 
Air. Livingood served as deacon for many 
years and they were most worth}- chris- 
tian people, deviited to the upbuilding of 
the cause with which the}- were connected. 
Mr. McNeall, folic iwing his marriage, 
settled ()n a farm of one hundred and 
sixty acres in Chili township-, owned Ijy 
his father. In after years, he and his 
father entered into a partnership, the son 
managing the farm and the father carry- 
ing on business in Bow-en. In 1888 he 
built on the farm a nice home and also 
erected good barns and made other sub- 
stantial improvements. He carried on 
general farm work and stock-raising and 
in his business affairs has met with a 
goodly measure of success, for his strong 
determination and resolute will has en- 
abled him to cany forward to a success- 
ful completion, much that he has under- 
taken. At the dissolution of the partner- 
ship, caused by the death of his father, 
he is the ow-ner of two hundred and five 
acres of land on section 26, but at this 
time has retired from active farm work. 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILUXOIS. 



539 



His political allegiance is given to the 
democracy and he keeps well informed on 
the (questions and issues of the day. al- 
though he does not seek or desire office. 
His wife is a member of the ^Methodist 
church. l'nt(.) them were born se\en chil- 
dren : 01i\er. whi > died at the age of 
ten months : Fannie Maud, who is the 
wife of Danby Harrison, of Adams 
county, and by whom she has three chil- 
dren, Arthur Thumas. Margaret Adeline, 
and Paul Leonard : Ada May, who died at 
the age of ten years: Mary S., who is a 
graduate uf \\ esley Hospital and Train- 
ing Sch(.»il f(ir nurses, of Chicago, in the 
class of 1903. and who is successfully f<.)l- 
lowing her profession in that city ; Tina 
P., Eva D.. and Grace E., all at home 
with their jjarents. The latter is a grad- 
uate (if Pmwen high school and has 
studied music in Ouincy and Chicago, and 
is now teaching music in Bowen. 

Mr. McNeall is recognized as a man of 
high principles and genuine personal 
wnrth and is respected b}- all win 1 know 
him. In manner he is (juiet and unpre- 
tentious, \'et kind and warm-hearted and 
he and his family are greatly esteemed 
throughout the conimunity in which the}- 
li\e. 



JAMES C. COULSOX. 

James C. Coulson, editor and proprie- 
tor of The La Harper, is a native sou 
of this city, his birth having here oc- 
curred September 24, 1847, where he 
was educated in the common schools. He 



is a son of Dr. George and Xancy Ann 
(Cossitt) Coulson, the former born in 
Trumbull county, Ohio, and the latter in 
Hartford. Connecticut. In 185J James 
C. Coul.son, in company with his mother 
and brother George, made a trip to Salt 
Lake Cit}', Utah, returning overland to 
La Harpe, in 1857, the return journey 
covering a period of twi) months. In 
1863 he went to Raritan, Henderson 
county, where he was employed as a clerk 
in \-arious stores for sixteen years, and 
for one year he taught school in that lo- 
cality, after which he returned to his 
home in La Harpe. ;nid purchaseil The 
La Harper, the paper having been estab- 
lished in 1874 l)v L. S. Coggswell and 
is the oldest paper of the cit\'. \\ hen he 
assumed the editorship the printing was 
done by an old hand press but in c<jiu"se 
of time, as his business increased he was 
enabled to add modern equipments and 
accessories and in 1886 purchased a 
steam press. In i'!^\)T,. however, the city 
suffered a disastnjus fire wherebv the 
main business district was destr(.)ved. 
including the building in which Mr. Coul- 
S(.in was lijcated. Howe\'er. he had his 
paper issued at Bushnell imtil he could 
estal)lished himself again in business, lie 
then erected a new building to rejilace the 
one which had l)een destro\-ed l)v 
fire, this being t\\ent\-t\\ i> b\' si.xtv- 
fi\e feet and two stories in height, 
and installed a Potter press, which 
is run by a gasoline engine. He has con- 
tinued as editor of The La Harper to the 
present lime, being assisted in his work 
b}- his (L'lughter, Eftie ]\l.. who has charge 
of the local department. 

Mr. Coulson has been twice married. 



540 



BIOGRAPHICAL RIA 'lEW 



He first wedded Miss Anna Ji. Stans- 
buiy, June 25, 1868, at Raritan. Slie was 
a native of Urbana, Ohio, having Ijcen 
l)oni November 19, 1848, a daughter of 
C. 11. and Sidney E. (Humes) Stans- 
bury. natives of Maryland and V'ifginia 
resi)ectively. She became the mother of 
a siin and daughter: I-Lifie M., wluj is as- 
sisting her father in the management of 
tl.e |)aper; and Charles Sidney, \\'\\o is a 
teacher in (ieltings Seminary, (if this city. 
The inother of these children passed away 
April 8, 1882, her remains being interred 
in the cemetery at Raritan. On the 28th 
of October, 1885, Mr. Coulson was mar- 
ried a second time, this union being with 
-Mice M. Corzatt, the widow of Nelson 
Corzatt. She is a nati\'e of Harrison 
county. Missouri, born November 15, 
i860, a daughter of John Armstrong. Of 
this marriage there are three children, 
Margie C, George C. and Rdna C, all 
yet under the parental roof. 

In politics Mr. Coulson is a democrat, 
while fraternally be is identified with the 
Modern Woodmen of America, the 
L'nited Workmen, Court of H^onor of the 
Odd Fellows society, having belonged to 
the latter organization since 1873. He has 
been representative to the Head Camp of 
the Modern Woodmen ten times. He acted 
as postmaster at La Harpe under Cleve- 
land's first administration, in which ca- 
pacity he gave general satisfaction. Mr. 
Coulson is one of the influential factors 
of this city, and has a wide and favor- 
rd)lc acquaintance throughout Hancock- 
county. 

He has been a member of the Illinois 
Press As.sociation since 1882 and served 
as first vice-president one term. He is also 



a member of the National Editorial Asso- 
ciation since 1886, and has attended each 
Near since 18S6 except one year when his 
daughter attended and in 1905 when his 
son intended. 



HENRY STl'RM. 



The German-American element has -d- 
wa\s been an important one in our citi- 
zenship, for the representatives of tlie 
Teutonic race have everywhere they have 
gone readily adapted themselves to 
changed conditions, and at the same time 
ha\e brought to bear in l)usiness life the 
spirit of perseverance which is one of the 
chief characteristics of the fatherland, 
and which is ahva_\'s a strong and in\'alu- 
a.ble element in success. Heniy Sturm 
is (jue of the residents of Appanoose 
township that the fatherland has fui- 
nished to Hancock county. He was bom 
in Alsace, German}-. .Xjtril i, i<S()4, ;ind 
his parents, Louis .and .Salm.'i ( Wohl- 
liuter) .Stnnii, were likewise natives of 
that jjrovince. The paternal grand f;ither 
was Jacob Sturm, and the maternal 
t^nmdfather, Tdenr\- W'ohlhuter. Reared 
in his n,-iti\-e country. Henr)' .Sturm 
learned the cabinet-maker's trade in Al- 
sace, following that pursuit until sixteen 
years of age. In 1881, attracted by tlie 
broader business o[)portnnities of the 
new world, he crossed the Atlantic to 
.\merica and made his way to Cape Gi- 
rardeau, Missouri, where he worked as a 
carpenter. He was also emplo\-cd at 



IIAXCOCK COUXTV. ILLIXOfS. 



541 



farm labor for three years and thus util- 
ized every means that would bring him 
an honorable living and enable him tn 
gain a start in life. In 1884 he came to 
Hancock county, where he again se- 
cured employment at farm work, being 
thus engaged for four years. Desirous 
that his labors should more directly bene- 
fit himself, he rented land in Appanoo?e 
township, and thus cultivated a fami for 
six years, during- which time his economy 
and industiy brought him sufficient capi- 
tal to justify his purchase, in 1892, of 
one hundred and thirty acres of land on 
section 36. This had already been culti- 
vated and improved, but he further car- 
ried forward the work of development 
and improvement and all of the buildings 
upon the place stand as monuments to hi.-. 
thrift and enterprise, having been erected 
by him. He built a house of eight rooms 
and has also put up good barns, corn 
cribs, wagon sheds and other structures 
necessan,- for the shelter of grain, stock 
and farm machinery. He has a good 
orchard and vineyard, and the fields are 
carefully tilled, bringing him good crops 
of the various cereals best adapted to soil 
and climate. 

On the 13th of March, 1888, Mr. 
Stunn was married to ]Miss Minnie 
Gnann. who was born in Appanoose 
township, and is a daughter of Benedict 
and Ursula (Sutter) Gnann. the fomier 
a native of Germany, and the latter of 
Switzerland. Mr. and Mrs. Stunn now 
have three children : Olia. born October 
20, 1888; Elvyn. born January 10, 1891, 
and Vera, bom March 25, 1896. ]Mr. 
Sturm belongs to the Modem Woodmen 
camp at Niota, and he was reared in the 



faith of the Lutheran church, to which 
he has always adhered. In politics he is 
independent but lias no aspiration for of- 
fice. He has never had occasion to re- 
gret his determination to seek a home 
m America and here through the im- 
provement of business conditions and 
tlie utilization of his opportunities he has 
worked his way upward from a humble 
financial position until now his property 
interests class him with the substant-al 
residents of Appanoose township. 



LEWIS D. HAIGH. 

Lewis D. Haigh. who has followed 
agricultural pursuits during the greater 
part of his life but is now living in the 
village of Niota, is a native of the Key- 
stone state, his birth having occurred in 
Philadelphia, April 23, 1844. a son of 
John and Sarah (Folkrod) Haigh, of 
whom more extended mention is made 
in connection with the sketch of John 
Haigh on another page of this work. 
Losing his mothei' during his infancy, 
the father was again marred, his second 
union being with Sarah Sheward. 

Lewis D. Haigh accompanied his father 
and step-mother on the removal from the 
east to Hancock county, Illinois, the 
family settling on a farm in Appanoose 
township. He had begun his education 
in the schools of his native city and at- 
tended for only a short period after his 
arrival in Appanoose township, attending 
in all onlv about a vear. He has, how- 



542 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



ever. llir()U<;-li rcaclin!;- and investioatimi 
aildcd largely t" his knowledge s(i iliat lie 
is a self-educated man. He remained with 
his father until the age of seventeen years, 
when, responding to the country's call for 
aid during the Civil war, he enlisted on 
the 17th of I'^ehruary. 1862, as a menil)er 
of Company D. Seventeenth Iowa Volun- 
teer Infantry, joining the com])an\- at 
I'ort Aladison. being under command of 
Generals (Irant and Sherman. He was 
in the skirmish at Corinth, Ali.ssissippi, 
\'icksl)urg. Rodney, Lick L'reek Church. 
Mississippi, and at Coleman's TMantation 
and Duck Ri\cr. 1'ennessee. the latter 
place being the last battle in which lie 
participated. He was on jjicket duty on 
a gunboat. Autocrat, on the AIississip])i 
ri\'er near .\shton Landing, Mississippi. 
During his ser\ice he was wounded in the 
right foot, and was honorabh' discharged 
in .\'o\eml)er. \X(\^. ha\ing spent almost 
three years in the service of his country, 
where he pro\-ed himself a loval and faith- 
ful soldier. 

Cpon his retiu'u from the war he made 
his \\\\\ to the hi>me of his father, where 
he remained until the spring of icSbf). 
when he started out in life on his own ac- 
count, being employed for a time at farm 
labor b}' the month. He then renteil bot- 
tom larifl op])osite I~ort Madison, where 
he engaged in farming operations until 
1873. wdien he removed to Montgomer}' 
county. Kansas, where he operated rented 
land foi- one season .and once more re- 
turned to Hancock county, where be lo- 
cated on a rented tract of land in I'ou- 
toosuc township, which he operated until 
1871;, and then removed to the sand 
prairie in Lee county. Iowa, where he 



remained for three years. subse(|uenl to 
which time he again returned to I'ou- 
toosuc township and farmed land which 
he rented until the spring of 1887. when 
he removed to a farm of sixty-one and a 
half acres, lying on section 18. Pontoosuc 
township, wdiich he had purchased in 
1886. Here he continued his agricultural 
pursuits until 1895. when he s<jld his farm 
and in\ested the money in town pr(.iperty 
in Xiota. consisting of two lots, a Imuse 
containing six rooms, and a stor\' and 
two-thirds in height, and here he has 
since continued to make his home to the 
present time. 

On the 17th of. April. 1873, Mr. Haigh 
was united in marriage to Miss Minerva 
liallinger. wlio was born b"ebruar\' 8. 
1854. in Mifflin\'ille. b'ranklin count}'. 
Ohio, a daughter of Orish and Elizabeth 
( Canfield ) Rallinger. also nati\'es of 
b'rankliu county. Her paternal grand- 
parents were William and I-'lizabetb 
((jreen) ISallinger. wliile the maternal 
grandparents were Henry and Elizabeth 
( Montgomery) Canfield. Her father on 
leaving the Buckeye .state removed to 
Xauvoo in 185c). where for two years he 
followed agricultural ])ursuits. and then 
remo\"ed to Columbus. ( )hici, where he 
likewise engaged in farming until 1866, 
when he once more came to Hancock 
countw renting a farm in Pontoosuc 
township, and here his death occurred in 
Xovember, i8<)(i. 1 lis wife still survives 
and now makes her home in the village 
of Niota. Tn their family were two sons 
and four daughters, of whom Mrs. Haigh 
is the eldest. 

In his political allegiance ^Ir. Haigh 
is a republican, while for twenty years 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



543 



lie was a member ui the Grand Army of 
the Republic at Xiuta, or until the lodge 
disbanded in 1904. 



ALEXAXDER BOLTOX. 

Alexander Boltun. a prominent and 
progressix'e farmer of Sonora township, 
where he owns extensive landed posses- 
sions, is a nati\e of Hull. ICngland. having 
there lieen born on the 13th of March. 
1837. a son of I'eter and Alary (Brier) 
Bolton, also natives of the fatherland, 
and the former a son of Richard Bolton. 
The father, hearing faxorable reports of 
the new country and the opportunities 
here afforded, decided to try his fortune 
in America, and, accordingly, in 1844. he 
took passage on a sailing vessel bound for 
this country. He made his way at once 
to Canada, locating near Montreal, being 
accompanied by his son George. The son 
there remained but his father returned 
again to England, where he spent a time 
with his family and once more made his 
way to America, this time coming to Han- 
cock county, where he purchased ninety- 
two acres of land, lying on sectiiin \(). So- 
nora township. In 1845 he retiu'iied a 
second time to England, and in the spring 
of 1847 •''dt t\^" "f '''^ sons, William and 
Charles, to America, the sons making 
their way at once to the farm which had 
Iieen pin"c]iased by the father previous to 
his return to the old country. In the fall 
of the same }ear, 1847. the father with 
the remainder of his famil\- came to the 



L'nited .States, this time making a per- 
m;nient location on his farm in Sonora 
township. This tract had formerly been 
in [xissession of the Mormons, and here 
Mr. Bolton made many im[)ro\-ements, 
and cultivated his fields, each _\-ear har- 
\esting good crops. Here, with the as- 
sistance of his sons, he carried on agri- 
cultural pursuits until his death, which 
occurre<l in 1865, while his wife sur- 
\'i\eil him for about six \ears and passed 
awa}- in 1871. hi their faniilv were 
seven sons and three daughters, of whom 
li\e Sons yet sur\-i\-e: James. Charles, 
W illiam and Alexander, all of .Sonora 
township, and Joseph, a resident of Rice 
county. Kansas. 

Alexander Bolton, the seventh in ortler 
of birtli in his father's family, began his 
education in iMigland before the removal 
(_)f the family to Hancock C(junty. and 
here continued his studies. During the 
periods of \acation and in the summer 
months he assisted in the work of the 
home farm, and remained w ith his par- 
ents to the age of sixteen ^ears, when he 
started out to make his own \\a\' in the 
business world, being emplcl^■ed for one 
season l)y his brother Gei^rge, with whom 
he made his home for two years, ;iii(l then 
beg.'ui farming on his own accmmt b\' 
renting land until 1859. in which )ear he 
made purchase of eight\' .acres of wild 
land lying on section 22. .^onor.a township. 
Latei". in connection with a Mr. l'"orney. 
he ])urchased an additional one Inindred 
and sixtv acres, for which they paid tif- 
teen hundred dollars. After fifteen years 
Mr. Bolton gave his partner sixty dollars 
for a choice of eighty acres of this tract, 
and he then continued his t'arming inter- 



544 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



ests alone. lie inipri>\C(l his land and 
bnilt a house thereim. containing four 
rooms, this being erected in the year i860. 
He fenced his fields and set out many 
kinds of fruit trees, having in all about 
thirtA'-six different varieties of choice fruit 
trees on his place, of which two apple 
trees and one pear tree are still stan<ling. 
In the fall of 1S65. he bought an addi- 
tional one-hundred-and-si-vty-acre tract, 
adjoining his original purchase, but lo- 
cated on section 2fi. This was all wild 
prairie and he at once undertook the task 
of breaking the sod and planting his crDjjs, 
which in due course of time brought forth 
abundant harvests. In 1873, having ac- 
cumulated considerable capital from his 
business interests, he was enabled to again 
make purchase of land, this time coming 
into possession of an eighty-acre tract on 
section 23, adjoining his original pur- 
chase, the entire tract comprising one 
hundred and sixt}' acres, of which his 
brother Charles was joint owner. In 
March, 1892, Mr. Bolton purchased an- 
other one-hundred-and-sixty-acre tract on 
tlie Southeast (|uarter (if sectiim 2(\ this 
land being impro\-ed, sn that he now has 
an extensi\-e tract of fi\'e hundred and 
sixtv acres, all l_\'ing in one bod_\'. Here 
he is engaged in general agricultural ]iur- 
suits and in addition raises considerable 
stock, consisting of horses, shorthorn cat- 
tle and hogs. He is ever practical in all 
his work, following the most progressive 
methods of farming and uses all the latest 
improved machiner}- in the cultivation of 
his fields. He occupies a fine country 
residence, in which are found all modern 
conveniences and his is one of the highly 
productive and attractive farms of this 
section of the county. 



On the 30th of October. 1864. Mr. 
Bolton was united in \v>\\ bonds of wed- 
lock to a companion and helpmate on life's 
journey. Miss Phedora Doit, who was 
born in Union count}-. Ohio. August ti. 
1839, a daughter of Calvin and Mary 
(Clark) Dort, natives of Vermont. They 
removed from the Green [Mountain state 
to I'Tilton county, Illinois, where they re- 
mained for two vears and then went tr* 
BmMiside. Hancock county. Tlie_\" then 
remo\-ed to a farm beh.mging to our sub- 
ject, situated on sectiiin 26. wdiere her 
father's death occurred in 18719. Blis 
wife, however, had passed away in Ohio, 
being killed by the upsetting of a buggy. 
In their family were three daughters and 
one son. After the mother's death the 
father was married a second time and by 
that marriage had one son and a daughter. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Bolton were born 
the following named: Florence, born 
August 13, 1865. became the wife of 
David C. Clark, of Fairfield. Iowa, and 
her death occurred one }-ear later. F. 
Belle, bom August 8. 1866. is at home. 
William C, born January 9, 1868, makes 
his home in Sonera township. Mary A., 
Ixjrn June 2^. 1869, is also at home. 
Maggie R., the next of the family, was 
born January 5, 1871, and gave her hand 
in marriage to Edward B. Bollin, a resi- 
dent of Sonora township. Edgar A., 
born October 18. 1872. is with his father. 
M. Burns, born March i, 1874, resides in 
Sonora township. Charles O.. born 
April 9, 1876, resided in Sonora town- 
ship, where his death occurred March 10, 
1906. The wife and mother passed away 
.\ugust 27. 1905. and her death was the 
occasion of deep and wide-spread regret 
among her many friends as well as in 



HAXCUCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



545 



her own liciusehtild. where she was un- 
tiring in her iaijors for the interests of lier 
family. She was a most estimable latly, 
possessing many traits of lieart and mind 
which endeared her to all with whom she 
came in contact. 

In his political allegiance Mr. Rolton 
is a stalwart republican but not an acti\-e 
office seeker, prefering to give his undi- 
vided attention to his private business 
interests. Starting out in life without 
financial assistance, and working as a 
farm hand, he has gradually worked his 
wa}- up from year to }"ear until today he 
has one of the best impro\ed ])roperties 
of this part of the state, for here are found 
all modern impro\ements which consti- 
tute a model farm of the twentieth cen- 
tury. Air. Bolton, too, has been found 
reliable and straightforward in all busi- 
ness transactions so that his success has 
been richly merited and honorably won. 



GEORGE W. BAILEY. 

George W'. Bailey, carrving on gen- 
eral fanning in Rock Creek township, 
was bom in ^^"est Virginia. August 21. 
1849. and is one of a family of nine chil- 
dren whose parents were Wright B. and 
AFalinda ( Bailey) Bailey, wdio, though of 
the same name, were not relatives. The 
father, who was born in Harrison coun- 
ty, Virginia, October 7, 1810, was a son 
of Samuel and Agnes (Hudson) Bailev, 



the latter a descendant of the noted Henry 
Hudson, who first discovered and sailed 
up the ri\-er which ninv bears his name. 
Wright B. Bailey was educated in the 
old-time subscription schools, his text- 
books constituting- a New Testament, 
si^eller and arithmetic. He w^as so anx- 
ious to learn that he dressed a soapstone 
which he had taken from the creek and 
had his friends make him copies of the 
alphabet upon it and he worked with 
assiduity and accomplished the task that 
was thus set for him. He never had a 
grammar lesson in his life, but his ambi- 
tion enabled him to learn in the school 
of experience man\- \-aluable lessons. He 
came to Hancock county, November 14, 
i(S5i. settling- in Wythe township, where 
he follow- ed farming-. In 1864 he re- 
mo\'ed to Rock Creek township, where he 
spent his remaining days, passing away 
September 2^. 1888. at the age of sev- 
ent_v-seven }-ears, eleven months and six- 
teen days. He was married April 19, 
183S, to Aliss Malinda Bailey, and they 
lived to celebrate their golden wedding. 
For fifty years he was a devote<I member 
of the Missionary Baptist church and 
lived an earnest, consistent Christian life. 
He had no enemies and he was ever ready 
to speak a good w-ord for all. Rev. W'ard 
assisted Rev. Doud in preaching his fu- 
neral sennon. His wife was also a mem- 
lier of the Baptist church and when called 
to the home beyond their remains w-ere 
interred in Moss Ridge cemeterv- at Car- 
thage. Of their family of nine children 
si.x are now living: Sarah, the wife of 
Eugene Nair, of Kansas ; Colbert, of 
Brashear, Missouri; Maria, the w-ife of 
George Jackson, of David Cit^■. Nebras- 



546 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI AJAl 



ka ; George \\ . : J. ]\I. C wlio is living in 
Laplata, Missouri ; and V^ictoria, tlie wife 
of A. J. Casliurn, of Ferris. 

George W. Bailey was a student in the 
schools of Rock Creek township and re- 
mained with his parents until twenty-two 
years nf age, ne\"er being awav from 
home for two weeks at a time during the 
period nf his niinorit}'. On the 21st of 
December, 1871, he wedded Mary Eliza 
\\'ard, who was Ijorn in La Harpe, Illi- 
nois, January 8. 1853, a daughter nf Rev. 
William and Isabelle (Johnson) Ward. 
Her father was Ijorn in Xorthhampton- 
shire, England, in 1827, and came to 
America immediately after his marriage 
as a passenger on an old-time sailing ves- 
sel, which was sixteen weeks in making 
the voyage. He is now a superannuatetl 
minister of the Xorthern Illinois confer- 
ence. In his childhood days he attended 
the Church of England, and at the age 
of nineteen years was conxertcd and 
ji lined the Wesleyan Metlnxlist church, 
wherein he labored faithfullw leading 
many tn a knowledge of the better life. 
After bis marriage he came to .\merica, 
settling in Illinois, where his e-\])eriences 
were those that usually fall to tlic lot of 
the ])ioneer minister. ( )n one occasion 
he went to a lo\e-feast which was held 
Ijebind l)olted doors. (Hiite a number of 
the christian ladies of the neighborhood, 
together with ]\Ir. Ward, were shut out 
because the)- wei'e too late. This dis- 
tressed the ladies greatl)' and Mr. Ward 
tried t(-) comfort them 1)\- saving that 
when the\- reached the cburcli triumphant 
the}' would always find the doors o])cn. 
After an experience of this kind in the 
\\'eslevan Methodist church it was but 



natural that be seek a church where the 
lines were not S(;) strictly drawn an<l be 
therefore joined the Methodist Protestant 
church, whose love- feasts were open, free 
to all. He entered the ministiy of that 
denomination by uniting with the Illinois 
conference in 1851, and from that time 
until he entered upon superannuated re- 
lations pro\ed a faithful and eflicient 
]>reacher of the conference, acting as pas- 
toi- of some of the most important 
charges of the conference. He was a 
popular minister who held the affections 
of his people and the seeds of spiritual 
truth, w^hich he had sown bore rich fruit 
in. later }ears. His home life has always 
been a most beautiful and largely ideal 
one and he is today one of the most hon- 
ored re|)resentatives of the Methodist 
ministr\- in this state. He now' resides 
in Ferris and his membership is with 
the church of his denomination there. In 
his famih- were nine children, of wboni 
se\en are now li\ing: J. W., a resident 
of Argyle, Iowa: Mar\' E.. of this re- 
view: W. H.. of .\drian. Illinois: C. P.., 
of Rock Island: I'anm'e, the wife of J. 
.\. \'an Xelson. of W(jodlawii, Illinois: 
P>elle, the widow of Senator W. F. Har- 
ris, and a resident of Carthage: and D. 
I., of Xiota, Mi^-^ouri. I'lie parenis are 
now residents of I'erris and the\' ha\e a 
wide ac(|uaintance in the st:ile, where 
they ha\e lived and labored to such good- 
h' ends. 

For a year after their marriage Mr. and 
Mrs. Bailey lived upon a farm west of 
b'erris, and after three remo\aIs retiuaie(l 
(o his father's farm, where the}' resided 
for tweb'e vears. During the succeeding 
fourteen years they lived upon a farm 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



547 



northeast of Ferris, whicli was owned liy 
onr subject, and in September, 190J, he 
bought one hundred and sixty acres on 
section 13, Rock Creek township, and re- 
modeled the house into a beautiful cimn- 
tiy residence and added many mijdern 
equipments. Here he has since carried 
on general farming and stock-raising. 
He is also a large stockholder in the ele- 
vator at Adrian, and a director of the 
Seminary at La Harpe, Illinois, while his 
wife is the owner of four lots in Okla- 
homa. In his business interests he has 
displayed a watchfulness and alertness 
which argue well for success antl his in- 
dustry and probity are unquestioned fac- 
tors in his business career. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Bailey at their 
home in Rock Creek township ha\-e been 
bom six children, of whom fi\-e are now 
living: W. W. Bailey, the eldest, born 
October 16, 1873, ''"f^ ''"'''^" living in 
Bushnell, Illinois, married Louie Alason, 
and has two children. Pearl and Charles. 
Estella L., born November 4. 1877, and 
a graduate of the La Harpe Seminai-y, is 
now the wife of J. F. \\'eber, of Ottum- 
wa, Iowa, and has one son, John Francis. 
Lillian Emma, born November 14, i88r, 
is a public school teacher, but now at 
home. Charles T., born :\Iarch 8, 1884, 
died on the 29th of October of the same 
year. Everett G., bom October 23. 1887, 
is attending the academy which is the pre- 
paratory department of the Carthage Col- 
lege. H. F., bom June 29, 1890, is a 
student in Carthage College academic 
course. 

Mr. Bailey is independent in politics 
and has held some township offices. He 
is a third degree Mason, belones to the 



Modern Woodmen camp at Carthage and 
has passed all of the chairs in the local 
lodge of Odd Fellows. Both 'he and his 
wife are zealc)us members of the Metho- 
dist Episcopal church, of which he is serv- 
ing as a trustee, and their influence and 
acts uphold the moral and legal status 
of the communitA'. A self-made man 
his success stands in incontro\'ertible 
proof of his life iif well directed and con- 
tinuous activity. He has been both in- 
dustrious and frugal and these qualities 
have been the source of a gratifying pros- 
peritv. It is proverbial that no one goes 
hungry from his door. In fact hospi- 
tality is one of the chief elements in Mr. 
Bailey's home and the good cheer of the 
household is greatly enjoyed by the many 
friends of the familv', who are legion. 



JULirS CHARPEXTIER. 

The man\- giiod traits of character oi 
Julius Charpentier were well wurtln- of 
emulation and made him worthy the trib- 
ute of respect and honor that was tendered 
him in life and is a credit to his menicjry 
since he' has passed away. He was born 
in Paris, France, November 8, 1839. a 
son of Henri and Lucy ( Fountaine) 
Charpentier, wIki were likewise natives 
of France. The father was a book- 
binder by trade and also engaged in the 
sale of religious tracts. He died in 1869, 
while his wife passed away in 1890. 
They always remained residents of their 
nati\e land. In their famih- were seven 



548 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAIFJ]' 



children, nf whoiii fixe are vet lixing: 
Alarie, the wife nf ( ieneral Thdmas, of 
Paris, wlio was in cummand of the city 
at the time of the Franco-Prussian war; 
Madame Aline Viltard, the widow of Ed- 
mund \'iltard, who was a distinguished 
linguist. no\elist and play-writer of Paris, 
where she still makes her home : Claire, 
the \yife of a ^fr. Perois, proprietor (if a 
large book store in Paris: and (leorge 
and Emile, who came tn Illinois in iSjo. 
the former Ijeing now in West I'oint and 
the latter in Texas. 

Julius Charpentier, the third meml)er of 
the faniil}-, came ti > America in \^(:U, 
landing at Xew ^"ork. He first settled 
at Keokuk, Liwa, where he resided for a 
year, and on the 30th of August, 1867, 
arrived in Illinois. Here he was marrieil 
to Miss Marie Bouquet, who was Itorn in 
the village of Sourd. France, h'eliruary 
15. 1847. '1 daughter of Ferdinand and 
Marie Rose (Boidin) Bouquet. Her 
father was born in Leemee. France. 
INIarch 18. r8of). Thev came to -\merica 
in 1835, landing at Xew Orleans and set- 
tled near Basco, Illinois, April 1. iS^f). 
They had arrived in Hancock county, 
however, in the ]ire\-iiius fall, ha\ing 
reached Xaux'on on the 5th i.if Xnxember, 
1855. The father was a weaver I)}' trade. 
They had four children but i\Irs. Char- 
pentier is the ( ml}- 1 me li\-ing. Ferdinand, 
the eldest, died at Memphis. Tennessee, 
while on the way to Illinois, Januar-s- 24, 
1835, and was buried there. Louis Bou- 
f|uet. who llrst engaged in farming in 
Prairie township and afterward was in 
l)usiness in \\'arsaw. sul)sequenth" re- 
moved to Ouincw Illinois, where he con- 
ducted business as a dealer in poultrv. 



butter and eggs. He died I)eceml)er 27. 
1897. and was biu'ied in Graceland ceme- 
ter}' in Ouinc_\-. The father died in Basco. 
August 19. 1873. and the mother's death 
there occurred January 13, 1891. Their 
remains were interred in Syhandale 
cemetery. They were memliers of the 
Catholic church, of which they were faith- 
ful communicants. 

Julius Cliaq)entier was educated in 
Paris, and after his marriage settled on 
a farm near Basco, where he lived for 
twent\' \"ears. In 1888 he came to West 
Point and built a store there, engaging 
in general merchandise until his death. 
June -'3. 1893. The business was first 
conducted b_\- the firm of Cacheux & Char- 
pentier. which relation was maintained 
until Feliruary 24, 1895, when Mr. Char- 
pentiei" jjiuxhased his partner's intercut 
and admitted his sons to j)artnership 
under the firm st}'le of J. Charpentier & 
Sons. In his business life he was en- 
terprising and alert, always watching for 
opportunities for honorable a<h-anceiuent 
and using the means at hand to the best 
ad\antage. \\ hile on the farm he car- 
ried on general agricultural pursuits and 
his widow still owns two hundred acres 
of good land, constituting the old home- 
stead in W\'the township. In his |iolit- 
ical views he was a deuK.icrat and both 
he and his wife were dexout members of 
the Catholic church. 

Mr. and Mrs. Charpentier had three 
children, the eldest Iieing Henri, who was 
born in Wxtlie township. lulv 2"-. i8(')8. 
He married Miss Gane Moulin, who was 
liorn in London, April 5. 1878. Her broth- 
er, George Simon, is an explorer in Hin- 
doo. China, He is a lieutenant on a \essel 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



549 



in the French na\-_v and is the first wliite 
man that ever w ent up the AIcKane ri\-er. 
Henri Charpentier and Gane Mduhn were 
married in Paris, Xrivember 12. i()04, 
after which they came to America and 
spent the winter with his motlier, Airs. 
Charpentier and then returned to Paris, 
where he represents the ^Milwaukee Har- 
\'esting" Machine Company. He repre- 
sented the company at the Paris Exposi- 
tion in 1900 and has also lieen to Tunis. 
Africa, in the same interest. He is a 
most enterprising lousiness man, possess- 
ing in large measure that quality which 
for want of better term lias been called 
commercial sense. He is well kmnvn in 
business circles in Illinois and in many 
places of this country as well as aljroad. 
where he is operating. He belongs to the 
Alasimic and Odd Fellows sricieties. in 
which he has passed all of the chairs, and 
when in .Vmerica gives his political sup- 
pi irt to the democracy. L'nto him and his 
wife has been born a son, Gean. whose 
birth occurred August 29, 1905. Edmund 
Lois, born February 4, 1872, near Basco, 
in Wythe tnwnship, married Arminna 
AIcLarty, who \\as born August 2^. 
186S. in Bowen. and they ha\'e one son, 
Julius Alexander. wh() was born at West 
Point, June 18, 1897. After the death 
of the father Henri Charpentier si:)Ul his 
interest in the store which is now owned 
by Edmund and his mother, the business 
being still conducted under the firm style 
of J. Charpentier & Son. Edmund Char- 
pentier is an energetic and successful busi- 
ness man, prominent in the community 
where he resides. In 1903 he made a 
trip to France for lousiness and pleasure. 
Fie Ijelongs to the Alasonic fraternity and 



has a wide ami fa\orable acquaintance in 
Hancock county. Claire, born Januar_\ 
20. ]88r). in \\'est Point, was grailuated 
from the West Point high school with 
the class (d' 1906 and is at home with 
her mother. The family all s|)eak h'rench 
as well as English and the sons and 
daughter have all been pro\idd with ex- 
cellent educati(jnal privileges, Claire ha\'- 
ing been a student in .St. Mary"s Institute 
in Quincy. 

Before leaving his nati\e country Air. 
Charpentier served for two },-ears with 
the I-"rench army in .Mgiers and other 
points in Africa, and was also with the 
army in France for a }'ear and for four 
years in Mexico, taking part in the war 
against that country between 1839 and 
1865. He made an excellent military 
record bv his loyalty and bravery — (|uali- 
ties which were manifest thr()Ughout his 
entire life. The}' were evident in his at- 
tachment to his adopted country, while in 
cijmmunity affairs he manifested a dee]) 
and loyal interest in all that pertained to 
the welfare of this part of the state. He 
was ill for two years prior to his demise 
and when called from this life was laid tn 
rest inSyh-andale cemetery. -Vll who knew 
him respected and esteemed him. He 
was faithful in citizenship and had a very 
wide and favoraljle acquaintance in this 
])art of the county. His best traits, how- 
e\er. were reserved for his family, to 
whom he was a most devoted husband and 
father. Mrs. Charpentier has been a resi- 
dent of America since November. 1855. 
She is a lady of excellent business aliility 
as well as many social (jualities and in all 
that she does is very methodical and 
svstematic. Aloreover, she has manv 



550 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJlEll 



friends in this coinnuinity and is accurdeil 
social prominence. 



T. T. GARWOOD. 



T. J. Garwood, a prosperous and prom- 
inent farmer of Augusta township, re- 
sides on section 5, where he owns and 
cultivates one hundred and eighty acres 
of rich and productive land. He has 
erected here a substantial residence, good 
barns and other outbuildings, and the 
improvements are all in keeping with 
ideas of modern fanning. He likewise 
owns another tract of one hundred and 
eighty acres on sections 16, 8 and 17 of 
the same township, and is thus one of the 
large landholders of the county, his pos- 
sessions making him a substantial citi- 
zen of this part of the state. 

A native of Jasper county, Illinois, 
bom in 1843, Mr. Garwood is a son of 
Thomas and Jane (Richards) Garwood. 
The father was born near Cincinnati, 
Ohio, in iSiO, while the mother's birth 
occurred near Nashville, Tennessee, in 
1817. He devoted his life to general ag- 
ricultural pursuits and in 1856 became 
a resident of Adams county, Illinois, 
where he resided until i860, when he 
took up his abode on the farm in Au- 
gusta township, Hancock county, that is 
now occupied by his son, T. J. Garwood. 
There he carefully conducted general 
farming-, with the result that his labors 
were attended with success. Both he and 
his wife were devoted and loj-al meml)ers 
of the Christian church and died in that 



faith, the father passing away February 
4, 1869, and the mother March 9, 1898. 
Both were laid to rest in the Pulaski 
cemeteiy. Of their eleven children six 
yet survive : T. J. ; James, of Augusta 
township: Benjamin and Lorenzo, who 
are living in California; Maiy, the wife 
of Robert Young, of Ely, Missouri ; and 
Charles, of the state of Washington. 
Two uncles of our subject, John and Al- 
fred Richards, were soldiers of the Civil 
war. John served as a member of a reg- 
iment of Illinois infantry under General 
Grant, and Alfred was killed in the bat- 
tle of Murfreesboro. 

T. J. Garwood was educated in the 
schools of Adams and of Hancock coun- 
ties, the little "temples of learning" being 
partly log structures. He remained on 
the home farm until the time of his mar- 
riage, which important event was cele- 
brated on the i8th of January, 1872, the 
lady of his choice being Miss Julia Wel- 
horn, who was born in Augusta t(_)wn- 
ship, in 1S50, a daughter of Henr)- and 
Phoebe (Horney) ^^'elborn, natives of 
Xorth Carolina, the former bom Novem- 
ber 30, 1817, and the latter September 
14, 1826. Her father, who devoted his 
life to farming, located in Augusta town- 
ship, Hancock count}^ in 1850 Plis po- 
litical support was given to the democ- 
racy, and he was a member of the Ma- 
sonic fraternity, while his religious faith 
was indicated by his membership in the 
Baptist church. He died in February. 
1891, having long survived his wife, who 
passed awav in Januan', 1851. The}' 
had but two children. Mrs. Garwood ;ind 
[ohn W'elborn. who is now living in ^lis- 
souri. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



551 



Mr. and Mrs. Garwood began their do- 
mestic life upon the fami on which they 
now reside on section 5, Augusta town- 
ship, comprising one hundred and eighty 
acres of rich and productive land. He 
has carried on general farming and stock- 
raising but now rents much of his land. 
He cultivates, however, the tract of one 
hundred and eighty acres about two miles 
from his home on sections 16, 8 and 17, 
Augusta township. He had very little 
capital at the time of his marriage, but 
by economy, industr\' and honorable busi- 
ness methods has accumulated a prop- 
erty which is \ery desirable and which 
now enables him and his family to enjoy 
many of life's comforts and luxuries. 
They have become the parents of four 
children, all born on the old home place, 
where they have lived for thirty-five years, 
namely: Henry, Leonard, John and Maie. 
All attended the district schools of Au- 
gusta township and the daughter will 
graduate from the high school of the vil- 
lage of Augusta in 1907. The parents 
are both highly respected people, affable 
and pleasant in manner, and the hospi- 
tality of their home is greatly enjoyed by 
their manv friends. 



CHARLES CARTER. 

Charles Carter, a prominent and well- 
to-do citizen and farmer of Walker town- 
ship, represents one of the old historic 
families of Hancock county. He was 
35 



born in Lowell, Massachusetts, November 
6, 1846, and is a son of Philip L. and 
Martha E. (York) Carter, both of wh<«m 
were natives of Oxford county, Maine, 
the former born January 17, 18 13, and 
the latter September g, 1814. The pater- 
nal grandparents of our subject were resi- 
dents of Maine, and were among the early 
Mormons of the country. \\'ith a band 
of colonists they came westward to Han- 
cock county at an early day and were 
owners of a cottage which was torn down 
during an attack made upon the Mormons 
by settlers of this part of the state. Wil- 
liam F. Carter, an uncle of our subject, 
was one of the first ]\Iormon elders and 
carried the teachings of the sect across 
the Pacific, coming to this country from 
Calcutta. The father of our subject was 
a blacksmith in Massachusetts and re- 
moved from New England to the middle 
west, settling in Hancock county in May, 
1 85 1. He took up his abode on the farm 
which is now occupied by his son, Charles, 
in Walker township, and there he engaged 
in general agricultural pursuits and stock- 
raising up to the time of his death, which 
occurred July 27, 1876. His wife sur- 
vi\ed him for about two decades, and died 
at the home of her son Charles in January, 
1897, when her remains were interred in 
the family graveyard on the farm by the 
side of her husband. They were both 
highly esteemed people and enjoyed the 
warm personal regard of those with 
whom they were associated. 

Charles Carter was educated in the 
schools of Walker and Lima townships, 
and remained with his father, assisting 
him in the farm work until the latter's 
death and acting as manager of the farm 



55-2 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFJIEW 



(luring the last )ear or sd. He was mar- 
ried December 23, 1S7-. tn Miss Marietta 
Arclier. wlio was l)i>rn in Lima, Adams 
ciiunt\'. Illiiinis, in 1S31. a daughter i>f 
Harrison and Mar\- Ann Archer. nati\es 
of Kentuck}' and ()hio respecti\el\-. Her 
father was a wagon-maker h_\- trade and 
removed from Adams county to War- 
saw, where lie lived fur many years, con- 
ducting a wagon shci|) there. Mrs. Archer 
died in 1870, while Mr. Archer passeil 
a\\a\' in i8o'>, and hdth were laid U> rest 
in Lima cemetery. The)' were the par- 
ents of nine children hut only four are 
living, namel}' : Mrs. Carter; Ida, the 
wife of M. I'awhush. nf Wichita. Kan- 
sas: Martha A., wife of J. A. Califf, of 
Carthage, Illinois; and Harry, wlm is on 
the farm with our subject. (3ne hmiher, 
Idhn Alliert .\rcher, was killed in battle 
in the Ci\il war on the l)anks of the Red 
ri\er. while ser\ing as a member of Com- 
panv G. One Hundred and Xineteenth 
Illinois Volunteer Infantry. 

Following his marriage Charles Carter 
continued to h\e upon the old home place, 
which comi)rises three hnmlred and ten 
acres of productive and \-aluahle land on 
sections .^1 and ,^_', Walker township. 1 Ic 
has luiilt a house here and has made other 
modern and substantial impro\enients, 
while year 1)\' year his labors are gi\en 
exclusively to the work of tilling the soil 
and raising stock. The home of Mr. an(i, 
Mrs. Carter has been blessed with four 
children, all born in Walker township, 
namely: ld;i Mabel, the wife (if 11. W. 
Osgood. <:if Labelle. Mis.souri. by whom 
she has two children. Stella Al. and 
Charles S. : Phili]) L., Dora A, and John 
Archer, all at home. 



Mr. Carter x'otes with the Republican 
part}- and has served in some local offices, 
acting as supervisor, while for man\- years 
he has been school director. .\ p;irt (d' 
his land was once occupied by the Mor- 
mon cottages which were Innaied down 
and this is old historic ground, Mr. 
Carter's memor\- compasses a long period 
in the history of the county and he is well 
informed concerning many i.if the events 
which find record in its annals. He and 
his famil\- are higbh' esteemed and his 
ac(|uaintance is wide and fa\-oraI)le in his 
part of the count}'. 



HERM.W HAASE. 

Herman Haase. owning and operating 
one hundred and sixty-four acres of val- 
uable land l}ing in Appanoose townshi]), 
a part of which is the old family home- 
stead, was born in Walker township, 
Hancock county, June 21, 1862, of Ger- 
man parentage, his parents being Conrad 
;ind Barbara (Sipher}-) Haase, natives 
of the fathei'land, the former born in 
Hesse Cassel. while the hitter's birth oc- 
curred in Saxonv. The father on leaxing 
his nati\e huid crossed the Atlantic in a 
sailing x'essel. which dropped anchor in 
the harlior of Xew Orleans, and after a 
lirief sta^• in that cit}' he removed, in 
18^3. to Galveston, Texas, where he was 
employed in ;i warehouse, handling 
freig"ht. After spending some time in the 
south he came to Illinois, traveling by 
steamer up the Mississippi river, settling 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



553 



first at Warsaw, wliere he learned and 
followed the cooper's trade for a number 
of years. In 1859 he was married in 
Tioga. Hancock county, to Miss Barbara 
Siphery. where he was conducting a 
cooper shop at that time. He then made 
purchase of sixty acres of land which he 
conducted in addition to doing cooper 
work. He later traded this tract i>f land 
to Ira Allen for (.me hundred acres on 
section 22, Appanoose township, which 
adjoined another tract of si.xty acres 
which he had previously owned. He car- 
ried on the work of his farm in connec- 
tion with his cooper shop for many _\'ears. 
and later returned to his native countr\' 
on a visit. He made a second trip to 
Germany, thus crossing the Atlantic five 
times. After he remo\"ed to his farm in 
Appanoose township in September. 1880. 
he discontinued his work as a cooper and 
gave his entire attention to his general 
agricultural pursuits, which he continued 
to follcjw until his death on the 2Sth nf 
March, 1904, when he had reached the 
advanced age of eightv-six \-ears. for his 
birth occurred Decemlier 2, iSij. He 
had sur\'i\'ed his wife for unK' abnut a 
year, she ha\'ing [jassed awav <in the Sth 
of April. 1903. In their famiK- were two 
sons and two daughters, of whom our 
subject is the eldest son and second child. 
the others being: Lena, the wife i>f 
George .\. Eiaker. a resident of Hitch- 
cock county. Xeljraska ; Conrad, also of 
Hitchcock count\'. Xebraska : ruid .\nnie. 
who makes her home in I'ort Ahulisi-n, 
Iowa. 

Herman Haase acquired his early ed- 
ucation in the district schools of \\'alker 
township, which was later supplemented 



by study in the schools at Cropp and 
Tioga. He was reared to the occupation 
of fanning and has always followed gen- 
eral agricultural pursuits since engaging 
in business on his own account. He re- 
mained with his parents until the time 
of his marriage, which was celebrated 
May 3. 1 89 1, Aliss Sophia Weber be- 
coming his wife. She was I)orn in .\p- 
panoose township on the farm which is 
now owned by Mr. Haase. a daughter 
of Samuel and Rosa (Bertschi) Weber, 
natives of Switzerland, the fonner a son 
of Fred ^^'eber. and the latter a daugh- 
ter of Samuel Bertschi. .\ vear previous 
to his marriage Mr. Haase had purchased 
from liis father sixty-four acres of land, 
the contract being made on the 7th of 
August. 1890. There were ni> l)uil(lings 
or improvements of an\' kind on this tract 
when it came into his possession, but 
he Ixiught an old house which he moved 
to tliis tract. He also fenced the place 
and erected outl)uildings. including a 
barn, cattle shed, tool house and gran- 
ary. Here he engaged in general agricul- 
tural imrsuits. bringing his land under a 
good state of cultivation, from which he 
annually harvested goocl crops as the re- 
sult of the care which he bestowed upon 
tlie fields. He deri\'ed sufficient capital 
from his farming interests, so that at his 
father's death he was able to purchase 
the interest of the other heirs in the old 
homestead farm, which comprised one 
hundred acres, so that he has now alto- 
gether one hundred and sixt)"-four acres. 
He has refenced the entire ]>lace with 
wire fencing, and there are now only 
about twti hundred rods of hedge fencing 
on the place. He keeps his farm and 



554 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



buildings in excellent condition so that 
he now has an attractive and prodtictive 
tract of land. In addition to carrying on 
the work of the fields he also engages to 
some extent in the raising of horses, cat- 
tle and Poland China hogs. 

L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Haase have been 
born a son and daughter : Samuel Con- 
rad, bom February 9, 1893 : and L.eah 
Ruth, whose birth occurred December 3, 
1S95. He gives his political support to 
the Democratic party and takes a deep 
and liel])ful interest in the work of his 
party, having served as constable for 
seven years, while for three }'ears he was 
road commissioner. Socially he is iden- 
tified with the Modem Woodmen of 
America and the Independent Order of 
Odd Fellows. Having spent his entire 
life in Hancock county Mr. Haase is 
widely and favorably known, where both 
social and business friends speak of him 
in terms of highest praise, for he has 
ever been straightforward in all his deal- 
ings with his fellowmen. His wife, too, 
is popular among 'her many friends, hav- 
ing been born and reared in the locality 
where she now makes her home, and the 
hospitality of the best homes of this com- 
munity is freelv accorded them. 



AUGUST H. DTSSELHORST. 

August H. Disselhorst, who is conduct- 
ing the Pine Grove farm, the old home- 
stead property of his father, was born in 
Adams county, Illinois, September 30, 



1882. In both the paternal and maternal 
lines he comes of German lineage. His 
father, Ernest Disselhorst, was born in 
Germany, and, emigrating to America, 
was married at Fowler, Adams county, 
Illinois, to Miss Rickie Meyers, a native 
of that county. Her father, Gotlieb 
Me}'ers, was bom in Germany and made 
his wav to Ouincy, Illinois, when there 
were not more than a half dozen houses 
in the town. He began farming in that 
localit}- and was married there to Miss 
Heaner. They began their domestic life 
upon a farm about nine miles east of 
Ouincy and for many years Mr. Meyers 
there carried on agricultural pursuits but 
died several years ago. Following his 
marriage Ernest Disselhorst rented land 
for fourteen years, and in 1894 he pur- 
chased (ine hundred and fifty-eight acres 
on sectiiin 3, Wythe township, Hancock 
county, and als(.i fifty-seven acres in Wil- 
cox township. Some im]M"iivements had 
Iieen made upon his first purchase, there 
was a comfortable residence there and 
other Innldings. Later, however, the 
father erected a larg'e barn sixty by forty 
feet. This was in 1899, and 1904, he 
built a second barn fifty by forty-two feet. 
He has also added other buildings and 
modern e([uipment to his place and he 
there carried on general farming and 
raising cattle, horses and hogs. In 1902 
he was called upon to mourn the loss of 
his wife, who died on the 25th of Fel)- 
rnary of that year. He continued to re- 
side upon the old homestead until the 
spring of 1906, when he married Emma 
Knox, and now lives upon her farm of 
eighty acres in Adams county. There 
were two children by his former mar- 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



555 



riage. the daughter being Lydia. who was 
born February 28. 1879, and is now the 
wife of Edward Trautvetter, Hving in 
Monteijello township about twn miles 
north of HamiUon. 

August H. Disselhorst iiursued a ]nili- 
hc school education and was reareil in the 
usual manner of farm lads, early becom- 
ing familiar with the duties and labors 
that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. 
He took his place behind the plow when 
]3ut a young boy and as the years have 
passed has gained practical experience 
in the best methods of tilling the soil and 
caring for the crops. He is now con- 
ducting the Pine (irove farm, which is a 
valuable property and which under his 
careful supervision is returning a grati- 
fying income. 

On the 9th of May, 1906, Mr. Dissel- 
horst was married to Miss Laura Mabel 
Dralle. a native of Adams county, and a 
daughter of Henry Dralle. He votes 
with the Republican party and manifest.s 
a public-spirited interest in community 
afifairs but has neither time nor desire for 
office as his attention is fully occupied 
with the interests and improvement nf 
the home farm. 



JOHN A. CAMPBELL. 

John A. Campbell is the owner r.f a 
good farm of two hundred and forty acres 
situated near Augusta. It is a well de- 
veloped property constantlv increasing in 
value bv reason of the care and labor he 



bestows upon it and because of the mod- 
ern improvements which he has added 
thereto. He was bom in Parke county, 
Indiana, in 1844, and is descended from 
Scotch ancestry. His father, Gusta\-us 
Campbell, w^as liorn in Scotland and died 
when his son J(>Iin A. was a very small 
boy. The mother bore the maiden name 
of Octavie Payne, and was born in Vir- 
ginia. Her father was an owner of slaves 
and a part of her dowry w^as composed 
of negro servants. For twelve years Gus- 
tavus Campbell followed the sea as a 
sailor and then removed to Indiana, 
where he engaged in farming. His wife 
long sui-vived him and then passed awav 
in 1877. Of their family of nine chil- 
dren six are living as follows : James, a 
resident of Augusta. Illinois ; Richard, 
living at Coal Bluff, Indiana: John A.; 
Allen. George and Charles, also of In- 
diana. 

In the district schools of his native 
state John A. Campbell acquired his edu- 
cation and after leaving school went to 
live with his brother, working on a farm 
and also spending some time as a farm 
hand in the employ of others. He \\as 
ambitious, however, to make a start in 
life and eagerly availed himself of everv 
opportunity for his own business ad- 
vancement. In July, 1868, he chose a 
companion and helpmate for life's jour- 
ney, being married to Miss Susan Mat- 
thews, wdio was born in Hancock countv, 
Illinois, in 1853. Her grandfather in the 
paternal line was a soldier of the Revo- 
lutionary war and Mrs. Campbell can re- 
late many interesting stories which he told 
her concerning that struggle. She is a 
daughter of A. B. and D. V. ( Kalley) 



556 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



Matthews. Her father was born in Ohio 
in 1817 and her mother in Parke county. 
Indiana, in tHjj. He devoted his hfe to 
fann work and in 1851 removed to this 
county, spenchng' much of liis time liere in 
Augusta townsliip. He died in 1891 in 
the faith uf the Christian church, of wliicli 
lie was a devoted meml^er. His wife also 
belongs to that church. Eight of their 
ten children still survi\-e, namely : Man- 
dane, the wife of John Jones, of Oregon ; 
Robert, of Augusta township; Miles, of 
Oklahoma : Mrs. Susan Campbell ; Wil- 
liam Jackson, of Cass count\', Imva : 
Har\ey, of Hancock count\- : Edna, the 
wife of I.inciiln Smith, (if Hancock coun- 
ty: and Marion, also of this count\-. 

Mr. Campbell arrived in tliis county 
about 18(14 '"' 1865, and lived in Au- 
gusta township for two years, after his 
marriage. Fie then removed to Indiana, 
where he carried on farming for two 
years, after which he returned to Augusta 
township and invested his little capital in 
twenty acres of land also on section 7. 
Here he has since added to his property 
from time to time as his financial re- 
sources lia\'e increased until he now owns 
two hundred and fort}- acres of ricli and 
arable lantl on sections 7 ami 9. His 
first home here was a log cabin and he 
also lived in a log house in Indiana. He 
had to clear his place in order to ha\-e 
sufficient ground upon which to erect a 
liome. He has built barns and outbuild- 
ings and now has a well improved proj)- 
erty although when it came into his ijos- 
session it was largely covered with hazel 
brush. His attention has been given to 
the raising of grain and stock and his 
fields are richly tilled, bringing forth 



good harvests. The home of Mr. and 
Mrs. Campbell has been blessed with 
three children, all born in Augusta town- 
ship: Harvey, who was born in 1869, 
and married Miss Mary Young, of Au- 
gusta township, by whom he has one son, 
Wayne: Dovie, who was I)orn in 1S76, 
and died in 1896, the interment being 
made in Irwin cemetery; and Charles, 
who was born in 1880 and lives upon a 
farm adjoining his father's place. He 
married Etta Little and has three chil- 
dren, Herschel and Mark, aged respect- 
i\ely six and four years, and babv Eva. 
two weeks old. 

Mr. and Mrs, Campbell endured many 
hardships and privations in the earlv days 
of their married life but liax'e gradually 
climlied the ladder of success and are now 
conifortal)ly situated. No longer the 
owner of twenty acres of land he has 
more than ten times that amount and his 
farm is a well improved place, laeing one 
of the attracti\'e features of the landscape. 
In manner genial and jovial, these quali- 
ties make him popular with a large circle 
of friends. Both he and his wife are 
worthy people and they hold membership 
in the Congregational church, in which 
he has efficiently served as deacon for 
many years. His political endorsement 
is given to the democracy. 



ANDREW JACKSON HARRIS. 

.Vndrew Jackson Harris is in control 
if \aricd and important business enter- 



H.~IXCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



557 



prises whereby he is classed as niie of the 
representative men of the communit}-. hi 
adihtion to his agricuhural pursuits lie i;' 
\ice president of the Burnside Bank, and 
a (hrector in the Aih'ian h"le\atiir Cdni- 
pan}'. and morenxer, he is prominent and 
influential in ci>niniunit\- affairs, serving 
at the present writing in the office <>( 
justice of the ])eace for the second term. 
A native of Adams count)-, Illinois, he 
was born Octol)er 2, iSfij, and his par- 
ents, Jackson and f.ouisa (Hardy) Har- 
ris, were also natives of the same county. 
The father, a farmer In- occupation, took 
up his abode in Ixock L'reek township 
u])on his renioxal to Hancock county in 
t860, and carried on the work of tilling 
the Soil there until a recent date but now 
makes his hcjme with his children, lixing 
on some of his farms. His wife died in 
March, 1905, and was laid to rest in ]\b)ss 
Ridge cenieter\- at Carthage. She was a 
la<h- of niany good traits of heart and 
nhnd and thus her loss was the occasion 
of wide-spread regret among her man}- 
friends, as well as in her in-imediate fan-|- 
il\-. Mr. Harris is a man of genuine per- 
sonal worth, who has been acci.irded high 
regard in recognition of his salient and. 
con-imendable characteristics. His polit- 
ical allegiance is given to the deniocrac}- 
and he has filled several tow-nsl-iip offices, 
well meriting the trust reposed in him by 
his electioi-i thereto. In his family were 
se\-en children, of whom fixe are now- 
living, namely : Andrew ; Tamar, the 
wife of G. I-". W'ilsc.iu, of Rock Creek 
township: George E.. who is h\-ing in 
Den\-er. Illinois: Marv E., the wife of 
E. J. Fry, living on the old home place: 
and Sarah E.. the wife of Clyde Shep- 
herd, of Rock Creek township. 



.\t the usual age Andrew J. Harris \>e- 
gan his education, becomii-ig a student in 
Rock Creek township schools. He after- 
ward attended Carthage College, and also 
Chaddock College, in Ouinc\-, Illinois. 
Thus liberally educated he was well (piali- 
fied for the profession of teaching, upon 
which he entered after the completion of 
his college course. l"or si.\ months he 
was thus engaged in I'ilot Gri:)\e town- 
ship and he also taught in \-arious other 
townships of Hancock count}-, his identi- 
fication with the w-ork of public instruc- 
tion co\-ering lHur xears. He afterw-ard 
became associated with his brother in the 
ownership and conduct of a general store 
at Adrian for ten xears, dm"ing which 
period he likewise ser\ed as postmaster 
of the town for tw-o terms. On the ex])i- 
ration of that period he had eighty acres 
of land in Rock Creek township, given 
him bv his father, and to this property he 
has since .-ulded until he now owns two 
hundred acres altogether, sittiated on sec- 
tions 13 and 23. He has built there a 
gi.iod residence and substantial oiubuild- 
ings and has a well improved farm prop- 
ert\-, carr}-ing on general agricultural pur- 
suits and stock-raising with results that 
are highlv satisfactiary when viewed fr< im 
a financial standpoint. The spirit of enter- 
prise which bri-)oks no olistacle but pushes 
steadily forward to the goal of success 
is his and his record as a representative 
of agricultural interests is most creditable. 
He has also e.xtended his efiforts into other 
fields of activity and is now- vice president 
of the Burnside Bank and a director in 
the .\(lrian Ele\-ator Compan_\-. 

On the 1 2th of March, 1891. Mr. 
Harris was united in marriage to i\Iis9 
Xellie Burr, who w-as born in Durham 



538 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



townsliip in i87<;, a daughter nf Jmiathan 
and Sarah (Terrell) Burr. The umther 
was a native of Virginia, born in 1841, 
and died at the age of tliirty-se\'en years. 
The fatlier, a native of Connecticut, was 
a farmer by occupation, and for many 
years a resident of Durham township, 
when, in 1905, he remo\-ed to Winfield, 
Kansas, where he is now living at the age 
of sixty-seven }-ears. He is a republican, 
firm in sujipLirt of part}' principles yet 
without aspiration for oftice. He left be- 
hind him in Hancock count)- many warm 
friends who knew him to be a genial gen- 
tleman, courteous and considerate to 
others and reliable in his business trans- 
actions. His wife, too, had many warm 
friends here, so that her death was deeply 
regretted. In their family were five chil- 
dren as follows: Rev. Edward S. Burr, 
who is now living in Nebraska; Minnie, 
the wife of \Y . T. Dugger, of Dallas City ; 
Mrs. Harris: Clarence, of Durham town- 
ship: and John, of Lomax. After Insing 
his first wife Mr. Burr wedded Miss 
Amanda Clark, who still survives, and 
their children, five in number, are \\'alter, 
Mary, Wesley, Arthur and Ellis. 

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Harris 
has been blessed with six children, all born 
in Hancock county: Albert B.. born 
September 25, 1892; Orville 1*"., who was 
liorn December 22. 1894, and died De- 
cember 16, 1895 ; Ernest Roy, born Xo- 
vember 5, 1896; Esther Louisa. October 
7, 1898; Edward J., March 21, 1901 ; and 
Sarah Alice, January 16, 1903. The fam- 
ilv ha\'e a lr)\'elv home, pleasantly situated 
near Ferris. ^Nlr. Harris is a Master Ma- 
son and both he and his wife are earnest 
christian people. He belongs to the 



I'rimitive Baptist church, in which he is 
serving as deacon, while Mrs. Harris is a 
member of the Methodist church. His 
political support is given to the Demo- 
cratic party and he is now serving his 
second term as justice of the peace, while 
for some years he has also been a member 
of the school board. In the former ofifice 
he has rendered decisions which are recog- 
nized as strictly fair and impartial and 
thus he has "won golden opinions from 
all sorts of people." 



ISAAC ^^^ cassell. 

Isaac W. Cassell, who in former years 
was connected with educational work in 
Illinois and Nebraska but is now owning 
and operating extensive landed posses- 
sions in La Harpe township. Hancock 
county, is an influential factor in this sec- 
tion of the state. He is a native of Ohio, 
his birth having occurred in Knox coun- 
ty, December 26, 1839, and comes of 
German lineage. His paternal great- 
grandfather was Henry Cassell, a native 
of Hesse Cassel, Germany, wdio. on em- 
igrating to the L^nited States, settled in 
MaPidancl. the family home being estab- 
lished in Carroll county. There the fa- 
ther of our subject, Isaac Ca.ssell, was 
born and reared and was married to Miss 
Lydia Xicodemus, likewise a native of 
Carroll county, Mai-yland, and a daughter 
of John Nicodemus, who was also born in 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



559 



that state. Isaac Cassell removed from 
his native state to Knox county, Ohio, 
about the year 1834, and there purchased 
three hundred acres of timber land, which 
he cleared and improved and on which lie 
made his home until his death, which nc- 
curred in 1885, while his wife had pre- 
ceded him to the home beyond, her death 
having occurred in 1871. 

Isaac W. Cassell is the youngest of five 
sons and seven daughters, and two of his 
sisters yet survive. He pursued his edu- 
cation in the public schools of Ohio, and 
was reared to farm life, assisting his fa- 
ther in the duties of the home place. He 
remained with his parents until the 3d 
of September, 1861, when, his patriotic 
spirit being aroused during the Ci\'il war. 
he enlisted as a member <_)f Cnmpany A, 
Twentieth Ohii;> Infantry, juining at 
Fredericktown. The command was as- 
signed to the Army of the Cumberland 
and at once went to the front. Mr. Cas- 
sell was loyal in the discharge of every 
duty that was assigned him, and for mer- 
itorious service was promoted in the 
ranks, being given a lieutenant's commis; 
sion on the 12th of September. 1862, of 
the Xinety-sixth Ohio Infantiw. but on 
account of illness he was forced to resign 
and then returned to his home in Ohio. 
His health had become so badly impaired 
during his service in the arniy that he was 
unable to resume farm work, and. real- 
izing the need of better educational facili- 
ties that would fit him for other business, 
he decided to pursue a collegiate course, 
and entered W'ittenburg College, at 
Springfield, Ohio, from which he was 
graduated in June. 1866. He then ac- 
cepted a professorship in Adrian Col- 



lege, at Adrian. Michigan, there having 
charge of the Latin and Greek classes un- 
til June, 1S72, when he went to Lincoln, 
Nebraska, and organized the public 
school system at that ])lace. He was then 
elected superintendent of schools at that 
place, filling the position two years, and 
during one year, viz., 1S74, was als<.) 
county superintendent of schools in Lan- 
caster county, that state, and in all of 
these positions he gave excellent satis- 
faction, his ability as an educator being 
recognized by all with whom he was as- 
sociated. 

On the 3d of August, 1871. Mr. Cas- 
sell was united in marriage to Aliss ]\Iar\" 
J. Ciittings, a native of I^a Harpe town- 
ship, whose birth occurred April 7, 1851. 
Her parents were James and Susanna 
(Thompson) Gittings. Her paternal 
grandparents were Ason and Elizabeth 
(Clark) Gittings, natives of Maryland, 
while the maternal grandparents were 
John and Libbie Thompson, natives of 
Stokes county, Xorth Carolina. Her fa- 
ther, James Gittings, had come to Illin<Tis 
from Zanesville, Ohio, in 1836, and had 
entered land in La Harpe township, hav- 
ing a half section situated on section 3. 
for which he paid the usual government 
price of one dollar and a quarter per 
acre. He added to this tract, however, 
from time to time until he was the owner 
of two thousand acres of valuable land in 
La Harpe township besides owning se\-en 
hundred acres in the northwestern part of 
Missouri. The daughter, Mrs. Cassell. 
supplemented her earlv educational pri\'i- 
leges by a course of study in Denmark 
Academy, at Denmark. Iowa, and later 
pursued a course of study in Adrian Col- 



^6o 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



lege, at Adrian. Michigan. Bijth lier 
parents are now deceased, the father ha\- 
ing passed away Xovember i8. iS8j. 
while the mother survi\ed for aliout ten 
years, passing away Januar}' 23, 1892. 

Our snbject and his wife, after remain- 
ing for a number of years in the west, 
where he was connected with educational 
interests, then returned to his nati\-e 
township to assist in the management of 
the extensi\-e landed interests of his fa- 
ther-in-law, James Gittings. He took 
u[) his abode 1 m a farm of two hundred 
and forty acres, which he successfully 
managed until the fall of 1879, when he 
again resumed liis former work as an ed- 
ucator, becoming principal of La Harpe 
Seminary, which position he filled until 
1884, when the building was destroyed by 
fire, and he then removed tn a farm north 
of La Harpe, which comprised two hun- 
dred and fifty acres, and since 1891 has 
continued t(_) reside on this place. His 
wife inherited a portion of her father's 
estate upon his death, and together they 
now have four hundred and ninety acres, 
all of which with the exception of about 
fifty acres is cultivable. Here he is en- 
gaged in general farming, in which he is 
meeting with very gratifying success. 

Unto our subject and his wife ha\e 
been born nine children, four having died 
in infancy. The five living are: Abbie, 
who was born December 18, 1872, and is 
now the wife of Judd Hartzell, engaged 
in the insurance business at Monmouth, 
Illinois; Robert, born February 22, 1874, 
and a resident of La Harpe township ; 
Ort, bom February 2, 1877, Mayme, 
Ijorn December 18, 1881, and Susannali 
(r., born Octol)cr lo, 1887, all of wln'm 
are yet under the parental roof. 



Mr. Cassell holds membership with the 
Congregational church at La Harpe, in 
which he has filled all of the olfices of the 
organization. He is identified with the 
Masonic fraternity, holding membership 
with the Blue lodge and chapter at La 
Harjie. and the commandery at Macomb. 
In April, 1905, he was granted a pension 
b}' the government, and is now receiving- 
six dollars per month. He has always 
been deeply interested in educational ad- 
vancement in his county and has given 
acti\c and helpful support in all move- 
ments along those lines. In his political 
views he is a republican, actively inter- 
ested in the work of his party. He has 
a wide and favorable acciuaintance in 
Hancock ci mnty. where he has so long- 
resided, and he is todav classed among 
the wide-awake and prosperous re])resent- 
ati\es of agricultural interests in his 
section of the state. Both Mr. Cassell 
and his wife are people of culture and re- 
finement and their pleasant home is noted 
for its gracious and warm-hearted 
hi is])itality. 



WILLIAM C. HOOKER. 

W illiam C. Hooker, who has conferred 
honor and dignity upon the legal pro- 
fession of Hancock Count}-, with which 
he has long been connected, being for 
manv years classed with the prominent 
attorneys of Carthage, where he has re- 
sided for more than a half century, was 
born in Auburn. Xew- ^'ork, September 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



561 



13, i8jS. His parents, Harle)- Hmiker 
and ]\[ar^■ Beanlsle\' HiKiker, were l)i_)th 
natives nt Cnnnecticut and he is a lineal 
descendant of Rev. Thi^mas Honker, who 
in 1636 led the colon_\' which settled Xew- 
town, now Hartford, in that state. 

His father, a ph^'sician of extensive 
and successful practice, in 1839, removed 
to Pecatonica, nijw Rockton. Illinois. 
Prom that time, except pccasional at- 
tendance during wiirter months at the dis- 
trict school, and one year at Onondaga 
Acadeniv, Xew York, he was engaged on 
his father's farm and in teaming to Chi- 
cago and other lake ports, until the fall 
of 1847, when he entered Beloit College 
from which institution he graduated in 
1 85 1, lieing a member of the first class to 
complete the college course there. Sub- 
sequentl}- he engaged in teaching school 
and his leisure hours were devoted to 
reading law, thus iireparing for the bar 
in Syracuse, Xew York, Milwaukee, W'is- 
consin and other places, where he was en- 
gaged in teaching. He completed his 
preliminary reading at Ouincy, Illinois, in 
the fall of 1853 and in the spring of 
1854 was admitted to the bar. 

-The following June he located at Xau- 
voo. and soon after became a law- partner 
of ]Milton M. Morrill. In March, 1858, 
he removed to Carthage and formed a 
partnership for the practice of law with 
Hiram G. Ferris and George Edmunds, 
under the name of Ferris, Hooker & Ed- 
munds. This relationship continued 
about fijur years, the firm being promi- 
nent in the earh' hist(.ir}- iif the county. 
Since then he has remained in Carthage 
and continued as a general practitioner. 
He has a fine of^ce and librarv and al- 



though he has passed the seventy-eighth 
milestone on life's journey is yet active 
in the practice of law. He had been a 
resident of the county fov only a brief 
Iteriod when a good clientage was ac- 
corded him and through the succeeding 
years he has maintained a foremost place 
at the bar. 

In 1856 \\'illiani C. Hooker was mar- 
ried to Anna M. Hume, of Clark county. 
Kentucky, who died in 1857. In Decem- 
ber, 1862, he wedded Mary Catherine 
McOuary, of Carthage, and unto them 
were born two daughters and two sons: 
]Marv. who was the wife of Charles J. 
Daoust, of Defiance, Ohio, and died in 
1896: Frances, who became the wife of 
Michael C. Flynn. and died in 1898; Har- 
ley J., who is engaged in the land busi- 
ness iTi Oklahoma : and Chellis E., who 
was an attorney and in 1898 was elected 
countv judge Init died in July, 1901. his 
father filling out his unexpired term. 
Mrs. Hooker departed this life February 
5. 1900. Her many excellent (|ualities 
of heart and mind had gained her leader- 
,ship in social circles and the number of 
her friends was almost co-extensive with 
the luunber of her acquaintances. 

]\Ir. Hooker has lieen a democrat from 
the time he cast his first vote in 1854. 
He served as a member of the central com- 
mittee of the county for a number of 
vears and for some years was a member 
of the democratic state central committee, 
freijuently he has been a delegate to the 
local, congressional and state conventions 
of the party. Xever an aspirant for oiflce 
he has held no public position outside the 
strict path of his profession but was mas- 
ter in chancerv for twelve years, begin- 



562 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IEir 



ning" in 1863 ami again for three or fcur 
years, beginning in iH()5. He was made a 
Mason in Alabama chn'ing the winter of 
1852-3 and is now a memljer of Hancock 
lodge, Xo. 20, iVncient Free and Accepted 
Masons. He served as worshipful master 
of Reclamation lodge. No. 54, at Nauvoo. 
He also belongs to Carthage chapter, Xo. 
33, Royal Arch Masons, has for sevend 
terms served as high priest, was a memlier 
of the ccmncil and is a member of 
the commandery at Ouincy. ]\Ir. Hook- 
er has figured for man}- years as one 
of the most prominent and representa- 
tive citizens of Carthage, whose career 
reflects credit upon its legal history 
while his private life has been exemplary 
of all that constitutes the true citizen, 
His nature is kindly, his temperament 
genial and his manner courteous and he 
has not only been found a most congenial 
spirit among men of broad learning and 
culture but one whose words of wisdom 
and kindly counsel have been a source of 
encouragement .and inspiration. 



JUDGE CHELLIS E. HOOKER. 

Judge Chellis E. Hooker, elected to 
the bench of the county court rif Han- 
cock county when only twenty-eight )'ears 
of age and distinguished as one of the 
foremost representatives of the bar of 
this ])art of the state, his career cut sliort 
by his untimely death, which was the oc- 
casion of most deep and widespread re- 
gret, was a son of \A''illiam C. Hooker and 
a native resident of Carthage. He ac- 



quired his preliminary education in the 
common schools of this city, while his 
more specifically literary education was 
obtained as a student in Carthage Col- 
lege. In 1887 he went to St. Louis, Mis- 
souri, and subsequently was for some 
time in Kansas City, Omaha and Mon- 
tana as a clothing salesman. From Col- 
orado Junction he returned to Carthage 
and entered his father's office as a 
law student in iSqo, The following 
year he matriculated in the law depart- 
ment of the Xorthwestern University at 
Chicago, and was graduated with the de- 
gree of Bachelor of Law in the class of 
1893. During the March term prior to 
his graduation he successfully passed the 
examination before the supreme court 
and was admitted to the bar. Returning 
to his native city he entered into partner- 
ship with his father under the style of 
William C. Hooker & Son, and came into 
almost immediate distinction as a mem- 
ber of the firm. His position at the bar 
is indicated by the resolutions passed by 
the Coinitv Judges" .Xssociation as gi\'en 
below^ 

Judge Hooker was a member of the In- 
dependent Order of Odd Fellows, in 
which he held various offices and in the 
work of which he took an active, helpful 
and prominent part. He was also acti\-e 
in the ranks of the Democratic party and 
was identified with the Episcopal church, 
in which he sen'ed for a number of years 
as lav reader. His distinctive character- 
istics were a strong logical mind, a 
marked devotion to every cause which he 
espoitsed and a high sense of iKnior in 
even' relation of life. No better e\'i- 
dence of his work and the position which 




CHELLIS E. HOOKER 



HAXCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



563 



he occupied in the pubhc regard can be 
given than in presenting the resohitions 
prepared by Judge Carl E. Epler and 
passed by the County Judges' Association 
at its meeting in Springfield in igo2. 
These resolutions read as follows : 

"A ruling Providence has iirst taken 
from our number one of the youngest of 
our members, Chellis E. Hooker, county 
judge of Hancock county, died at Car- 
thage, Illinois, July 2t,, 1901, of laryngeal 
consumption. He was bom at Carthage, 
November 9, 1870, and, therefore, he was 
not thirty-one years of age at his untime- 
ly death. He was unmarried. The son 
of William C. Hooker, an honored mem- 
ber of the Hancock county bar, he was 
reared the idol of his family. He was 
devoted to liis mother, whose gentle in- 
fluence was removed b}- the hand of death 
a few years ago. 

"Going west in 1887, and returning sev- 
eral years after, young Hooker studied 
law in his father's office, and also at- 
tended the Northwestern Law School at 
Chicago, where he graduated in 1893, 
having already been examined and been 
admitted to the bar in March of that 
year. He then commenced tlie practice 
of law as a partner with his father, un- 
der favorable auspices. In 1897 he was 
elected c\ty attorney of Carthage, win- 
ning such popular esteem that in 1898 
he was elected county judge of Hancock 
county, when but twenty-eight years of 
age. He joined in organizing this asso- 
ciation. He gave general satisfaction in 
the discharge of his official duties. The 
high personal regard borne for him and 
his family led all parties to unite in elect- 
ing, without opposition, his father, Wil- 



liam C. Hooker, as his successor in office 
for the unexpired term — a deserved but 
unusual tribute. 

"Of fine instincts, ambitions and intel- 
ligence, by dint of energy and industiy. 
Judge C. E. Hooker stood well forward 
at the Hancock county bar, long noted for 
its ability and high character. Sincere 
and lovable, gifted with all manly ciuali- 
ties, his home life was ideal. True to his 
friends, generous and charitable in dis- 
position, affable in his official work, he 
was deservedly popular in the commu- 
nity where he lived and with all with 
whom he came in contact. His career, 
able and honorable, but all too brief, com- 
mands our highest eulogy. He lived no- 
bly. We pay him fitting tribute. His 
life work is done. He rests in peace. 

"To his venerable father, Hon. William 
C. Hooker, chosen by a grateful public as 
his son's successor, we extend our heart- 
felt sympathy in his recent and bitter be- 
reavements, with regret that his son's as- 
pirations had no longer term in which to 
realize more fully his professional ideals." 



JOEL BAILEY, 



Joel Bailey, residing on a farm of one 
hundred and two acres in Pilot Grave 
township, which he is cultivating in con- 
nection with his son, was born in La 
Harpe township, this county, January 22, 
1842, his parents being John F. and Mary 
(Thompson) Bailey. The father was 
born in Ohio, and the mother in Virginia, 



564 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEU 



the _\ear 1836 witnessiiii^ their arrival in 
Illinois, at which time they located in 
Pilot (irove township. After some years 
they renidNed to I, a llarpe township 
where they resided fur three _\ears hut 
returned U< Pilot ( Irove township. The 
maternal t^randt'atlier. Rlton Thomiisun, 
was the owner of one hundred and sixt\' 
acres of land. L'ljon his death this property 
was inherited h}- his daughter, Mrs. 
Bailey, who was his onh' heir. The fam- 
ily then reino\ed to the farm, which Air. 
Bailey cultivated for many years. At 
length tlie property was sold and another 
farm was purchased near I.jurnside. c<im- 
prising si.xty-nine acres, upon which Mr. 
Bailey continued to reside for a consid- 
eraljle period. He die<l near .\drian ir- 
Rock Creek township, at the age of se\- 
enty-nine }-ears and thus passed away one 
of the well known ])ioneer settlers of the 
county. His early political support was 
gi\-en to the Whig i)arty and on its dis- 
solution he became a repuijlican. I'or 
several years he filled the office of justice 
of the peace. He Ijelonged to the Bap- 
tist church, while his wife held memher- 
shi]) in the Methodist church. 

Joel P)ailey remained with his parents 
until about fourteen \ears of age. when 
his mother died and the liousehokl was 
broken ui>. He afterward worked for a 
short time on a neighboring farm .and 
then began learning the blacksmith's 
trade but when the Ci\-il war was inaugu- 
rated he responded to the country's call 
enlisting in July. i8f)i, as a member of 
(_'om]Knn' (i. .Second Illinois Caxalry. 
When his term with th;it regiment had 
ex])ired he joined Com])an\ 1\, of the 
One Hundred and h'ortv-sixth Plinois In- 



fantry and ser\ed until the close of the 
war, being- sergeant of his companw He 
was one of the soldiers wdio guarded the 
body of Aljrabam Pincoln while it lay 
in state at the capitol at Springfield, and 
also acted as guard at the tomb. He 
took part in a number of battles and en- 
gagements, including the siege of \'icks- 
burg. After the war he returned to this 
count}-, where lie has since lived, giving 
his time and ;Lttenti(.in to general farm- 
ing and also wi irking at the blacksmith's 
trade and at p;iinting. which he has fol- 
lowed for many )ears. l-'or three \-ears 
he followed his trade in Carthage and 
then returned to Pilot (iro\-e township, 
where at different times he has owned 
a number of farms, ha\-ing now one hun- 
dred and ten acres of good land which 
which he is operating in connection with 
his son. 

Mr. Bailey w-as married January i, 
1867. to Aliss Carrie E. Pheli)s, who was 
born in Xew York. They have beconie 
the jiarents of se\-en children, of wlioni 
fi\-e are li\ing. Maud is the w-ife of 
Jacob Schneider, of Xi(ita, Plinois. and 
h;is two children, Joel Dean and Ixobert 
Kent. I^eonard resides in Oklahoma. 
William T\ resides on the home farm ;uid 
aids in its operation. Florence is the wife 
of Guy Harris, a farmer of Rock Creek 
township, and has two children, Thelma 
and lu-cell. James died at the age of 
cle\en }'ears. John died at the age of 
fourteen }ears. Pearl, the Noungest 
child, resides at home. 

3.rr. and Mrs. P)aile\- are memliers of 
the Alethodist church and he \otes with 
the i\e|nibhcau ])art\' but has ne\er cared 
for office. He has seen man\- imi)ortant 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



565 



changes made in Hancock count}' and has 
done his full share toward its improve- 
ment. At the same time he made a cred- 
itahle record in militar)- service of his 
country and throughout his life has mani- 
tested a spirit of loyalty that is most 
commendable. 



JOHN H. GARNER. 

John H. Garner, cumfortably situated 
in life as the result nf his capable busi- 
ness management and enterprise, his 
home being Augusta township, was born 
near Clayton, in Adams county. Illinois. 
May 15. 1846. His parents. William 
and Elizabeth (Garner) Garner, were 
natives of Indiana, born in the vicinit\- 
of Terre Haute. They were representa- 
tives of pioneer families of that part of 
the county, and the grandfather and the 
father of our subject both lived in log 
houses, which were covered with shingles 
that they themselves shaved. \\'illiam 
Garner, the grandfather, was ninety-five 
years of age when he passed awav at lu"s 
son's home near Denver. Illinois. He 
was a soldier in the war of 1812. and he 
li\'ed under e\er\- presidential adminis- 
tration from Washington tn Cleveland, 
his death occurring in r888. He was 
married in 1817 to Sarah Robbinson ami 
emigrated westwanl to Illinois in 1831. 
becoming a pioneer resident of Hancock 
county and one who contributed in sub- 
stantial measure to its early development, 
when it was still a frontier district. He 



was ncit the only member of the family 
who has <lone militar}- ser\ ice for the 
country, for James and George Garner, 
brothers of our subject, were soldiers of 
the I'nion army in the Civil war. the lat- 
ter serving for about eight months. The 
former enlisted in 1861. and being cap- 
tured, was held as a prisimer in butli 
Libhy and Andersonville prisons. Mr. 
Garner of this review also occupied a 
home in his early life that was laiilt of 
lugs. William Garner was a farmer b_\- 
<iccupatii>n and c<.iming t<i Illinois when 
about twenty-two _\-ears of age settled in 
-Vdams count}- when it was a frontier dis- 
trict. In 1848 he removed to Hancock 
count}', where he li\ed until his death. 
He was laid to rest in \\'est Point ceme- 
ter}'. while his wife was buried in Adams 
count}- near Hel)ron church. Both were 
members of the Methodist church and 
were jieople of the highest respectabilitv 
and w-ortli. They had seven children, of 
whom the following still survi\e: I'ran- 
ces. the w-itlow of Rev. X. A. \\'alker, 
and a resident of Beloit. Kansas : James 
R.. li\-ing in \^'est Point. Illinois: John 
H.. of this re\'iew- : George, of Red Clo\id. 
Nebraska: ai-id hdetcher. of Ouinc}-. Illi- 
nois. 

John H. Garner at the usual age be- 
gan his education, pursuing his studies in 
West F'<iint (Illinois) district schools. 
He afterward ren-iained with his parents 
until tweiUy years of age and was then 
niarried. in 1866. to Miss .Kngeline Fllake. 
who was born in this county. December 
2S>. 184^'). a daughter of Gideon and Mary 
Blake. Her father was of German par- 
entage, while her motlier was born in (he 
east. He followed farming in order to 



566 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



provide for his family anil both he and 
his wife ha\e now passed away, his death 
lia\-in!^' occurred about fifteen years ago, 
while his wife died twenty years ago. 
They had ten children, four of whom are 
now living: Ellen, the w'ife ^A Marion 
Bagley, of Chicago; Joseph, of Kansas; 
Cora, the wife of John Adams, of John- 
son county, Missouri; and Enoch, wdio 
lives in Colorado. 

On the 4th of July, 1S73, ^Irs. Carner 
departed this life, leaving a son, James 
Edward, who was born in Chili township. 
December 23, 1866. He married Miss 
Rosa Symmonds, and lives in Ahjume 
county, Missouri. They have four chil- 
dren, Helen Ethel, Ernest Ellwood (de- 
ceased), Luella and John Edward. On 
the 3d of December, 1874, Mr. Gamer 
was again married, his second union be- 
ing with Miss Mary F. Dudman. who 
was born in Clark county, Indiana, Sep- 
tember 17, 1846, a daughter of Robert 
Jackson and Phoebe Ann (Mills) Dud- 
man, the fonner born in Adams county, 
Indiana, March 13, 1821. and the latter 
in Pennsylvania, October 30, 1S18. Mr. 
Dudman was a cooper by trade and also 
followed the occupation of farming. In 
1849 he became a resident of Adam.s 
county, Illinois, and while carrying on 
general agricultural pursuits there he also 
found time and opportunity to take an 
active part in the work of the Methodist 
church, of which he was a member and 
in which he served as class leader and 
steward. He died December 28. 1873, 
leaving his family the priceless heritage 
of an untarnished name, and his wife. 
a most estimable lady, passed away May 
25, 1861, both being laid to rest in Chili 



cemetery. They had eight children, of 
whom five are now living: Mrs. Gar- 
ner; Thomas, of Macomb, Illinois; Anna 
E., the wife of J. A. Veach, of Blooming- 
ton, Illinois ; Lizzie Koehler, of Elder- 
ville, Illinois; and William Finley, who 
lives in Roanoke, this state, and is a min- 
ister of the Methodist church. 

At the time of his first marriage Mr. 
Garner located in Chili township, where 
he lived until 1869, when he removed to 
a farm in Johnson county, Missouri, there 
spending- three years. In 1873 '^^ re- 
turned to Hancock county and for six- 
teen years made his home upon another 
farm in Chili township, coming thence to 
Augusta township in 1892, when he pur- 
chased forty acres of land on section 18. 
and twenty-five acres on section 7. He 
has since added to the home place and 
he now owns forty acres on section 8. 
He has improved his residence, built good 
barns and outbuildings and has a well 
equipped farm propert}-, the main fea- 
tures of which indicate his careful su- 
pervision and spirit of thrift and enter- 
prise. His attention is given not only to 
the development of the fields but also to 
stock-raising, and he likewise has four 
acres in a peach orchard, containing one 
thousand fine young trees, which in the 
present year, 1906, have borne bounti- 
fully. This is one of the finest orchards 
in the county. In the work of carrying 
on his farm he displays thorough knowl- 
edge of agricultural interests and as all 
who know him are aware, his property 
has come to him as the legitimate reward 
of his persistence and labor. 

Mr. and Mrs. Garner are the parents 
of a daughter and two sons, all born in 



HANCOCK COUNTY: ILLINOIS. 



567 



Chili township but Helen Ann, who was 
born December 1, 1875, died April 15, 
1895. Orville Ellwood, born June 13, 
1878, is mail carrier on the Augusta 
rural route Xo. 2. Fred Garfield, Ixjrn 
June 25, 1880, married Alittie' Catherine 
McGinnis, and lix-es in Augusta township. 
They have two children, Martin Henry 
and Elbert Ellwood. Besides their own 
children Mr. and Mrs. Gamer have 
reared a little daughter, Ruth Tucker, 
who came to them when two years of age 
and is now twelve years old. She was 
born November 28, 1894. Mr. Garner 
votes with the Republican part}' and has 
sen'ed as township collector and as a 
member of the school board. He and 
his wife are members of the Methodist 
church and their salient characteristics 
are such that all who Iviiow them speak 
of them in terms of warm regard and 
admiration. They ha\'e worked persist- 
entlv together in the building nf a home 
and the acquirement of a comfortable 
competence and are now pleasantly situ- 
ated in life. 



WILLIAM BAGB^^ 

Lung vears ha\'e cimie and gone since 
William Bagb}- took u\> his abode in Han- 
cock county and few men are more fa- 
miliar with the history of its development 
and upbuilding. W hat to others are mat- 
ters i:)f history are to him events of ac- 
tual experience or else he has been a wit- 
ness of those movements which have left 
36 



their impress upon the de\'elopment and 
progress of the county. He passed the 
ninetieth year of his age on October 11, 
1906, and is one of the mo.st venerable 
and honored citizens of this part of the 
state. His liirth occurred in Lewis 
county, Kentucky, October 11, 1816, and 
he there resided until twenty-two years 
of age, his parents being Robert and 
Frances Bagljy, both of whom were na- 
tives of \'irginia, whence they removed 
to Kentucky in an early period in the de- 
velopment of the latter state. The father 
engage<l in farming throughout his entire 
life and both he and his wife passed 
awav in Kentucky, his death occurring 
when he was ab(jut forty-fi\e years of 
age. while his wife reached the advanced 
age of seventy years. In religious faith 
thev were connected with the Methodist 
church. 

William Bagby acfjuired his eilucation 
in the county of his nativity. Xo event 
of special importance occurred to vary the 
routine of farm life for him in his boy- 
hood davs. He assisted in the labors of 
the farm and met the usual experiences 
of life in a frontier community. In May, 
1838, he came to Illinois to visit his sister 
and brother-in-law, who had removed to 
this state in 1836. Here he formed the 
acquaintance of Miss Eliza Warring, a 
daughter of Basel and Sarah (Thomp- 
son) Warring, and they were united in 
marriage on the 29th of November, 1838. 
Her parents were natives of Greenup 
county, Kentucky, where they spent near- 
ly their entire lives, the father following 
the occupation of farming ^throughout 
his entire business career. They came to 
Illinois in 1835, settling in Adams county. 



568 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IEW 



where he (lc\<ite(l his energies to general 
agricultural ])ursuits until his death. 
Both he and his wife died at an advanced 
age. ^frs. Baghy was educated in the 
schools of Adams count}', where she lived 
until her marriage. In April, 1S39, Mr. 
and Mrs. Bagby started on their way to 
Kentucky, traveling on horseback. They 
went as far as Frederick on the Illinois 
ri\-er and there took a boat for St. Louis, 
Missouri. (_)n the way down the river, 
the night being quite tlark. the boat ran 
upon a snag and sprang a leak. The 
pilot, being informed of the accident, 
made for the shore where the deck hamls 
succeeded in fastening a hauser rope on 
the outside and over the hurricane root 
and made fast to a nearby tree. Mr. and 
Mrs. Bagby were the first passengers to 
leave the boat and they remained sitting 
on their baggage for two hours, when an- 
other boat came along on the way to 
Cincinnati, which took all passengers on 
the illfated boat aboard, so that they soon 
arrived safely in Cincinnati. In 1840 
their first child was born and they honcjred 
it with the names of both grandmothers, 
calling the little girl Sarah Frances. 
Soon after this Mr. and Mrs. Bagby re- 
turned to Illinois and settled in Adams 
county, where he engaged in farming and 
later purchased forty acres in Hancock 
county, afterward an eightv-acre tract in 
this county and also one hundred and 
sixty acres in Adams county. He placed 
many improvements upon his farm, mak- 
ing his home in Adams county for a num- 
ber of years, after which he removed to 
Augusta township just east of the village 
of Augusta. In 1834 he took up his abode 
in the village, where he conducted a tavern 



f<ir a number of years called the Augusta 
Ta\-ern, which was the predecessor of the 
Commercial Hotel. As a landlord he be- 
came widely known to the early settlers 
and entertained a number of prominent 
men in his day. At length, however, he 
traded the tavern for a farm west of 
Augusta, wdiereon he resided for about 
six years. About 1885 he again located 
in the \-illage of Augusta, where he has 
since li\'ed a retired life, occupying a 
pleasant home in which he is surrounded 
by the comforts and luxuries that go to 
make life worth the living. 

Nine children, five daughters and fou 
sons were born unto Mr. and Mrs. Bagby. 
Sarah Frances, the eldest, born June 16. 
1S40. is now the wife of William ATo- 
and resides in Estherville. Iowa. She has 
three children, Emmet. Maud and Homer. 
Mary Caroline, born November 21. 1842, 
is the widow of ^^'illiam Pickens and has 
six children, Frank, Luella.- Nettie, Ora. 
Bertie and William. William ^^'allace, 
born May 23. 1843, died May 3, 1S78. 
He left one child, Edgar, who is still liv- 
ing. Cynthia Ellen, born October 7, 1850. 
is the wife of Samuel Osgood, of Ewing. 
Missouri, and they have the follow- 
ing children : George, Frederick. Harry. 
May, Frank, Nellie. James. Edward. 
Earl and Pearl, twins, and Gladys. Mar- 
garet Elizabeth, born November 22. T848. 
is the widow of A\ illiam Wade and they 
have tw'o children. Lida and Edward. 
John C. hafl one child, ]\Ivrtie. John C. 
died at the age of thirt}--three }'ears. 
Charles F. is a farmer residing in Mis- 
souri. He has three children, Harold. 
^^'illiam and EflRe. Basil, bom May 31, 
1 86 1, is a merchant of Skidmore. Mis- 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



569 



souri. He lias six cliildren, IMinnie, 
Homer, James, Addie and two others. 
Addie L., born January 2\. 1864, is the 
widow of James Byrns, of Brown county, 
Illinois. She has three children, Edna, 
Harvev and Bennie. 

November 29, 1898, i\Ir. and ]\Irs. 
Bagby celebrated their sixtieth wedding 
anniversary and on Thanksgiving day. 
November 29, 1906, their sixty-eighth. 

Both Mr. and Mrs. Bagby are members 
of the Christian church. In politics ]\[r. 
Bagbv is a republican and for many years 
was a school tlirector in .Vugusta ti:)wn- 
ship l)Ut otherwise sought or held no 
office, although he is a most public-spirited 
citizen and has been the champion of 
maiiv movements which lia\'e been of di- 
rect benefit to his town and county. He 
and his wife reside in a pleasant home in 
Augusta and although he is ninety years 
of age he is a well preserved man, retain- 
ing his mental faculties unimpaired and 
in spirit and interests seems yet in his 
prime. He has never wc)rn eyeglasses 
and writes a hand that few today can 
equal and he is able to read well liv lamp- 
light. He uses no tobacco in an\- form 
or intoxicating liquors and his good 
health is undoubtedly attributable largely 
to his abstemious habits and his life of 
sobrietv and \'irtue. 



JOSEPH W. BOTTS. 

Joseph \y. Botts is the owner rif a 
■most beautiful home on St. Marvs Prai- 



rie and is one of the leading and influen- 
tial residents of the city and county. He 
was bom in Hancock township in 1863, 
and is a representative of one of the old- 
est pioneer families of the county, his fa- 
ther, Absalom Botts, having lived for 
seventv consecutive years in Hancock 
township. He was l)oni in Boone county, 
Kentucky, June 7, 1828. and with his 
parents came to Illinois in 1S36. liis en- 
tire life has been devoted to agricultural 
pursuits and he has contributed in large 
measure to the development of the county 
along this line. In community affairs 
he has also taken an active and helpful 
part and has served as justice of the 
peace, as a member of the school board, 
as road commissioner, as assessor, treas- 
urer of his township and village trustee. 
He married Miss Sarah White, and they 
became the parents of six children, of 
whom five are living: Maria, the wife 
of Frank Yates, of Oklahoma : Belle, the 
wife of Robert Cloud, a druggist of 
Plvmouth ; Joseph W. : J. C, who wedded 
\"ema Cannon and lives in Plymouth : 
and Ira, who was educated in Carthage 
and in Macomb, Illinois, and in the Chi 
cago Medical College, and is now engaged 
in the practice of medicine in Doddsville, 
this state. He married Clara W'heeler. 
The parents continued to reside upon the 
old home fami until 1891, when they re- 
moved to Plymouth and for some time 
Mr. Botts conducted a cider and feed 
mill there but is now living retired. After 
losing his first wife he married Mrs. 
Rachel Crump, the widow of Dr. IMorris 
Crump, and a sister of his first wife. Her 
parents were Joseph and Maria (Arm- 
strong) White. The family has a cred- 



570 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



itable military record. Mills Eells, a 
gTeat-uncle of our subject, was a soldier 
of the war of 1812, and the great-grand- 
father in the maternal line was one of the 
heroes of the Revolution, while Simeon, 
Oscar and Sidney Botts. cousins of our 
subject, entered the Ci\'il war from Han- 
cock count}', while one (ither cousin, Sid- 
ney Botts, w-as a member of the Eight- 
eenth Illinois Infantr_\". 

In taking up the personal history of 
Joseph \V. Botts we present to our read- 
ers the life record of one who has a wide 
and faviirable accinaintance in Hancock 
county. The district schools of St. 
Marys township afforded him his early 
educational privileges and he afterward 
spent one term as a stiident in Macomb, 
Illinois. He then remained upon his fa- 
ther's farm until he had attained his ma- 
jority, when he engaged in farming on 
his own account and has since <le\-oted his 
time and energies to agricultural pin'- 
suits. In 1893 Mr. Botts wedded Mrs. 
Orrilla Gould, the widow of Lewis Gould, 
She bore the maiden name of Orrilla 
Johnson, and was born in St. Maiys 
township in 1856. Her paternal grand- 
father was Otho Johnson, who was bom 
February 18, 1787, and came tt) Illinois 
at a very early day, settling in St. Alarys 
township, where the }-oungest brother of 
Mrs. Botts how lives. He married ?\Iar- 
garet Turner, who was born August 9, 
1793, and who passed away in 1838, 
while his death occurred September 15. 
1870. Mr. and Mrs. Botts now live on 
the old Johnson homestead, which be- 
longed to her parents and where her 
grandfather, Mr. Otho Johnson, died. 
Mrs. Botts is a daughter of John T. and 



Marie (Wright) Johnson, both of whom 
were natives of Ohio, born in 181 3 and 
t8i8 respectively. They became resi- 
dents of St. Man's township in 1840, and 
Mr. Johnson participated in the Mormon 
war. His death occurred in 1883, and 
his wife passed away in 1898. They were 
devoted meinbers of St. Marys Baptist 
church. Of their family of ten children 
four are living: Hiram and Joseph, res- 
idents of Plymouth : John Nelson, of St. 
;\Iarys township: and Mrs. Botts. By 
her first marriage Mrs. Botts had two 
children: John Gould, who is a mechan- 
ical engineer in St. Louis, Missouri ; and 
Nellie Gould, who is living with her 
mother. The son attended Carthage Col- 
lege for four years and is a graduate of 
Cornell College at Ithaca, New York. 
He is a man of much ability and is now 
holding a responsible position in St. 
Louis, which reflects great credit upon his 
early training. 

Following his marriage Mr. Botts set- 
tled on section 10, St. Marys township, 
where he and his wife own three hundred 
and sixty-eight acres of valuable land in 
the midst of which stands one of the 
finest homes in the township. It is mod- 
ern in all its equipments and appoint- 
ments and is most beautifully furnished, 
indicating- the refined and cultured taste 
of the inmates. Mr. Botts gives his at- 
tention to general farming and is also 
extensively engaged in raising stock, 
carefully conducting his business affairs 
with the result that his efforts are prov- 
ing very profitable. Unto the marriage 
of Mr. and Mrs. Botts has been born one 
son, Paul, whose birth occurred Septem- 
ber 15, 1895, and who is now attending 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



571 



school. In his pohtical views Mr. Butts 
is rather independent, voting for men 
and measures rather than party. He is 
now serving on the school board but has 
never sought or desired office. In 1900 
he built his fine residence, which would 
be a credit to any city, for it contains all 
of the conveniences and accessories of 
a cit\- home and gives every evidence of 
the wealth and culture of those who oc- 
cupy it. 



ANDREW J. KETCH UM. 

Andrew J. Ketchum is the well known 
and popular proprietor of the Wildwood 
farm in Augusta township, where he is 
successfully engaged in the breeding antl 
raising of fine horses. His life record be- 
gan on the 29th of March. 1836. the place 
of his nativity being near Goshen. Orange 
county. New York. His parents were 
Edmund and Jane (Curry) Ketchum. 
The father was born December 31, 181 1. 
and the mother's birth occurred aljout 
1816 or 1818. They were also natives of 
Orange county, where the father fol- 
lowed farming until 1838. when he 
brought his family to this county, set- 
tling- in Augusta township, his home l)e- 
ing a l(ig cabin on the frontier. The fam- 
ily shared in manv of the hardships ami 
privations as well as the pleasures and 
opportunities incident to pioneer life, and 
Mr. Ketchum figured in the events which 
are known in history as the Mormon war. 
He voted with tlie Republican part}'. He 
passed away in 1896. being buried at 



Postsville, Iowa, while his wife departed 
this life in Chicago, at the age of thirty- 
six years. They were the parents of 
seven children, all of whom still sur\Mve, 
and in 1905 they held a reunion in Iowa, 
representing seven states. These are: 
Mar\' R.. the wife of Lyonsville, of Cook 
count}-. Illinois; Andrew J.; Phineas R.. 
living in Idaho: Eugene died at W'a- 
verl}-. Iowa. November 17. 1906: Amos 
K.. of Clarion. Iowa: Stella B.. the 
wife of William Stewart, of Fayette, 
Iowa: Ellen, the wife of William ^larten, 
of Oklahoiua : Florence, the wife of I-'red 
Binding, of Postville, Iowa: and Jo- 
sephine, the wife of H. Moody, of Greens- 
l)iu-g. Indiana. The two last named were 
children of a second marriage. 

Andrew J. Ketchum was educatetl in 
the early schools of Chicago, and also 
in the district schools in this state. At 
the age of fourteen years, however, he 
began to earn his own living, spending 
three years in the service of a horseman 
in Cliicago and three years with a black- 
smith near that city, with whom he 
learned the trade. He afterward fol- 
lowed that pursuit for one year in Pu- 
laski, and frir ten years conducted a black- 
smith sho]) in La Prairie. Illinois. In Au- 
gust, i8('::2, he enlisted in response to the 
countr}-'s call for aid. becoming a mem- 
ber of the One Hundred and Nineteenth 
Illinois A'olunteer Infantry, with which 
lie servetl until honoral^l}- discharged in 
September. 1865. He was in the Red 
river campaign, the battle of Pleasant 
Hill and Yellow Bayou, was with Sher- 
man on the march to the sea and was cap- 
tured in Tennessee, after which he was 
paroled in St. Louis. He was a brave 



:)/■ 



BI OGRAPHICA L RE VIE ] ] ' 



and I(>\'al sdlilier. ne\'cr faltering in tiie 
performance of any military dut}', and 
made a record of which he has every rea- 
son to be proud as one of the defenders 
of the L'nion during the Civil war. 

Soon after his return home Mr. 
Ketchum was married in March. 1866, 
to Miss Annie Sickles, who was born 
in Augusta township in 1844, a daughter 
of William and Caroline (Van .Vntwerp) 
Sickles. Her father was born in New- 
York city in 1805, and the nuither in 
i8j2. In 1840 he became a resident i)f 
Hancock ci.iunty. where they were after- 
ward married, and in the ]\Iormon war of 
1844 they took part. He was a tailor In- 
trade but following his removal to the 
middle west engaged in fanning in Au- 
gusta township. He voted with the Re- 
publican party, and held membership in 
the United Brethren church, while his 
wife belonged to the Methodist church. 
In their family were eight children, of 
whoni five are living: Mary, the wife of 
William H. Ketchum. whose home is near 
Durango, Colorado; Margaret, of New 
York : Sarah, living near St. Louis : and 
William, of this county. The father died 
in 1873 ^"'^ was then laid to rest in Au- 
gusta cemetery, where his wife had slept 
since 1852. 

Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
Ketchum settled in LaPrairie, where he 
conducted a blacksmith shop for ten or 
twelve years, after which they located on 
the Sickles farm. This property he sold, 
however, in 1905. and in 1904 he pur- 
chased his present faiTn of one hundred 
and forty acres on section 32. and three 
hundred and twenty acres on sections 33 
and 34. Augusta township. He is there- 



f(jre one of the large landowners ui the 
county and is extensively engaged in gen- 
eral farming, conducting his business with 
excellent success. In 1905 he erected a 
commodious, substantial and attractive 
modern residence, and he also has large 
outbuildings for the shelter of grain and 
stock. His improvements are entirely 
modern and indicate the progressive spirit 
of the owner. He uses the latest im- 
proved machineiy to facilitate the work 
of the fields and he manifests a spirit of 
thrift in all departments of farm w-ork. 
He is. however, perhaps best know-n as a 
dealer hi fine horses. He rents his land, 
while he gives his attention to his live 
stock interests, which are now very im- 
portant and profitable. He raised and 
ow-ns the horse. Star Alerton, 2:ij]/i, 
quite a popular horse. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ketchum ha\e 
been b(_)rn eight children, of whom se\en 
are li\-ing. the second child, Ellis, ha\ing 
been bom November 17, 1S67, and died 
at the age of eight months. The others 
are as follows : Eugene, born December 
10. 1866. married Iva Robbins. has one 
son. I'rederick. li\-es in Adams county. 
Illinois. Florence, bom December 13, 
1868. is the wife of C. F. TenhaefY. of La- 
Prairie, Illinois, and they have three 
sons, Arthur, Hale and Ralph. Loretta, 
born Feliruarv 5, 1873, is the wife of Rev. 
Jose]ih Leidy, a Methodist minister 
preaching in Benson. Nebraska, and they 
ha\e three children. Grace. Edn:i and 
Paul. Richard B.. born June 10. 1875, 
married Lulu Pierce, and lives on the 
western bmnidary of Idaho. He is a di\-i- 
sion engineer on the Oregon Short Line 
Railroad and thev have one son. Pierce. 



HJXCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



573 



Edna, born September i. 1H77. is a ste- 
nographer and typew riter at Walla W alia. 
\^*'ashingto^. Adele, born August 24, 
1879, has taught school and is a gradu- 
ate of the law class of 1900 of the State 
University, and is at home at present. 
She was admitted to tlie bar in this state 
in 1901. Ellen, born December 16, 1885, 
is a graduate of the State University and 
now a practicing physician at Walla 
Walla, Washington. Richard, also a 
graduate of the State University, is a 
civil and architectural engineer. The 
parents are members of the Methodist 
church, in which Mr. Ketchum is serving 
as trustee, and he belongs to the Ma- 
sonic fraternity, while in politics he is 
a Bryan democrat. In manner he is ge- 
nial and jovial, and these qualities make 
him popular with all with whom he comes 
in contact, and as an enterprising busi- 
ness man and progressive citizen and a 
loyal friend he is well known in the com- 
munity where is extended to him the 
warm regard of all with whom he comes 
in contact. 



D. L. FRAZEE. D. D. S. 

Dr. D. L. Erazee is the mayor of Ply- 
mouth and a most prominent citizen there. 
He wields a \\ide influence in public 
affairs and his efforts have been far-reach- 
ing and beneficial, while in his profes- 
sional career he has gained more than 
local reputation by his able understanding 
of the scientific principles which tmderlie 
his work and his correct application of 



his theoretical kn<jwledge to the needs of 
his patrons. liorn in St. ]\Iar\-"s town- 
ship, Hancock county, in 1874. he is a 
S(_m of S. G. and Eliza (Kurrv) Erazee. 
The father's birth occurred in Hancock 
county, Illinois, in 1843, and the mother 
was born here in the same year. Mr. 
Erazee is a farmer by occupation and still 
li\-es upon the rjld homestea<l, which was 
his birthplace. Both he and his wife are 
leading members of the l'ro\idence Bap- 
tist chiuxh. in which lie is ser\-ing as 
clerk and deacon. In their family are 
four children, of whom' three are living: 
Mary F., now the wife of William Win- 
termeyer, a resident of Plymouth ; Emma 
J., the wife of \^'illiam Clary, of Coshoc- 
ton, Ohio; and D. L., of this review. 

Dr. Erazee supplemented his early edu- 
cational privileges by stud}' in the Cem 
City Business College, at Ouincy, and in 
a dental college at St. Louis, He was 
also a student in the dental department of 
the Illiiiois University at Chicago and 
entered upon the active practice of his 
profession in Ouincy, where he remained 
for three years. In February. 1901, he 
came to Plymouth, where he has since 
been located and here he is enjoying a 
constantly increasing patronage, so that 
his practice is now of large extent and 
importance. 

On the 25th of January, 1904. was 
celebrated the marriage of Dr. Erazee 
and Miss Sarah Shinkle. who was born 
in Harmony township, Hancock count}', 
March -27, 1876, and is a daughter of G. 
\\'. and Ruth A. (Southwick) Shinkle. 
the former a native of Ohio, and the latter 
of Massachusetts. The father, who was 
born in 1832, departed this life in 1902, 



574 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



while his wife, wliose l)irtli occurred in 
1839, still lives upon the old home ])lace 
in Harmony townshiii. this countv. .Mr. 
Shinkle was president of the Harmony 
Mutual Insurance Comapny at the time of 
his death and he had held various town- 
ship oftices. Jn his family were three chil- 
di-en. all yet living': Mary, now the wife 
of J. W. Fleming, of Harmony town- 
ship: George B., of the simie township: 
and Mrs. Frazee. 

L nto the Doctor and his wife has l)een 
horn a daughter, Dorothy, whose l)irth 
occurred May 20, 1905. The parents are 
prominent socially and their own home 
is justly celelirated for its warm-hearted 
hospitalitw Dr. ]•" razee is \-er\- pr(jmi- 
nent in the puhlic life of riynx)Uth and 
his influence has been far-reaching, while 
his efforts have been of direct benefit to 
the cit}- in many ways. He is a stalwart 
champion of the democracy and upon the 
party ticket has twice been elected mayor 
of the town, filHng the position at tlie 
present time and giving his fellow citizens 
a public-spirited, progressix-e and busi- 
ness-like administration. Fraternall}- he 
is connected with the Masonic lodge, in 
which he is a senior warden and his \\ife 
■ is a member of the Congregational church. 
They ha\e a pleasant home in F'lvmouth 
and are widely and faxoraljly known 
there. The Doctor is now devoting his 
energies to a profession wherein advance- 
ment must deiaend upon indix'idual merit. 
It cannot be obtained through influence or 
purchase and by reason of his ca4)abi]it\- 
and broad and accurate knowledge the 
Doctor has g.ained a foremost place among 
the ranks of the dental fraternity of this 
part of the state. 



JAMFS M. KRADSHAW. 

Among the wealthy citizens of Han- 
cock county, who ha\e formerly been rep- 
resentatives of extensive agricultural 
interests, is numljered James M. Brad- 
shaw, owner of the I'rairie stock farm, 
which constitutes one of the valuable 
properties of this section of the state, 
comprising sexeral hundred acres of land. 
He was Ijorn in the township in which 
he still makes his home, December 20, 
1855, a son of Joel and Catherine (Dick- 
son) Bradshaw, both natives of Tennes- 
see, in whose family are four sons and 
three daughters, of whom our subject is 
the y(_iungest. 

James M. Bradshaw su|)plemente<l his 
early education, acquired in the district 
schools, by a course of study at the Blinois 
College, at Jacksonville, and later pursued 
a business course in a college at Jackson- 
ville, from which he was graduated. He 
remained with his parents until his mar- 
riage, February 13, 1878, to Miss Tillie F. 
Mrniifold. whose birth occurred August 
2. T859, a nati\e of Durham t()wnship, 
this count)', and a daughter of Benjaniin 
Jasper and Cornelia (Hutton) Manifold. 
nati\"es of Tennessee and Xew York re- 
specti\'el}-. Her paternal grandparents 
were George and ]\Iary ( Persley) Mani- 
fold, while her maternal grandfather was 
a nati\'e of New A'ork and bore the narne 
of Samuel Hutton. 

Following his marriage our subject lo- 
cated on a farm of one hundred and five 
acres situated on section 30. La Harpe 
townshi]). on which were no improve- 
ments sa\'e a Ik mse and stable, and sonie 
fences, and altogether was in a dilapidated 



H.^XCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



575 



and run-clown condition. He at once be- 
gan the work of further developing and 
improving his place by tilling the land, 
building barns and sheds fur the shelter 
of grain and stock and in course of time 
placed his land under a high state of cul- 
tivation, from which he annually gathered 
good crops. As the }ears passed he 
prospered in his undertakings, each year 
adding to his financial resources, so that 
from time to time he increased the bound- 
aries of his farm and enlarged the scope 
of his business activity. In 1894 he pur- 
chased an additional tract of one hundred 
and forty-fi\'e acres, located nn the south- 
western part of section 30. La Harpe 
tr)wnship. being the old homestead place, 
and the following year removed to this 
place, where he has continued his resi- 
dence to the present time. He has like- 
wise improved this place and has added 
to it from time to time until today he is 
in possession of five hundred acres of 
valttable land all in one body and known 
as the Prairie stock farm. Besides this 
tract he owns one hundred acres on section 
36. Durham township, and twentv acres 
on section 19, La Harpe township, which 
is used for pasturage. !Mr. Bradshaw has 
set out two fine orchards, containing va- 
rious kinds of fruit trees, from which he 
gathers good crops in their seasr)n, and he 
erected a large country residence, con- 
taining nine rooms, modern in all its 
equipments and tastefully furnished, his 
being one of the attracti\e countr}- homes 
of this part of the cuunt}-. This place is 
now occupied by his eldest son. James F. 
Bradshaw. The place is surrounded by 
a well-kept lawn, and adorned with large 
shade trees, so that in its neat appearance 



it at once gives evidence of the thrift and 
capaljle management of the owner. He 
has also built several barns. c<jrn-cribs, 
and other substantial outbttildings and has 
drilled twi> wells, one of which is eighty 
feet in depth, while the other is one hun- 
dred and ninety-one feet deep, the water 
in this standing to within thirty feet of 
the surface, and thus furnishing an abun- 
dant supply of water for use at the house 
as well as for the stock, in the pastures 
of which are seen Hereford and Pulled 
.\.ngus cattle and Poland China hogs. It 
will thus be seen that Mr. Bradshaw has 
led a ver_\- l)usy, acti\'e and useful life, 
which has been crowned with an unbound- 
ed measure of success, which now enables 
him to rest from the more arduous duties 
of a rural existence, for since the spring 
of ii)n6 he has left the conduct of the 
farm to his sons. who. owing to the care- 
ful instruction which they received from 
their father, are ni:)w proving valuable 
assistants to him in his later life. Beside 
his extensive landed interests. Mr. Brad- 
shaw is also a stockholder in the \\ aldorf 
Mill and Mining Company, at (ieurge- 
town. Colorado, buying" sti^ck in Decem- 
ber. 1003, since which time the comjiany 
has been paying a good dividend. 

]\Ir. Bradshaw is an extensive raiser 
of high grade cattle and hogs and is also 
a large feeder ruid shipper of stock to 
the Chicago markets. He is a stockholder 
in the First National Bank of La Hari)e. 
and is one of the directors of the Ijank. 

Of the marriage of James ^1. and 
Tillie E. (Manifold) Bradshaw there 
were born two sons and a daughter, name- 
ly : Lillian, who was born in Xovember. 
1870. and died in infancy; James F.. who 



576 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriEW 



was Ijorn April 2(). iSSi, married Emma 
]Ma_\' Goodrich, i>f ( arthage, Illinois, and 
has three children, James Franklin, Helen 
Ala\-. and Charles Wesley; and Ouinton 
Al., who was horn March 29, 1887, mar- 
ried Hessie Maynarcl and has one child, 
I'dorence Tillic. Iloth sons are farmers 
and li\-e in La Harpe township. The 
mother of these children passed away No- 
\emlier 17, i<)03, and on the J5th of Oc- 
tober, 1905. .Mr. Bradshaw was married 
again, his second union being with Ollie 
Blanche Kelly, who was born at Zanes- 
ville. in Muskingum county, Ohio, July 
23 • i87,v '-^ daughter of Simeon and 
Nancy (Williams) Kelh', likewise natives 
of Muskingum county. 

In his political \'iews Mr. Bradshaw is a 
democrat hut has never been a politician 
in the sense of office seeking. He has 
alwa}'s been an energetic, industrious 
man, possessing strong purpose and deter- 
mination, and has by his own well directed 
labor and close application wi.irked his 
way steadily upward in the business 
world, for his success has been worthily 
won, and he is now numbered among the 
wealthy and influential citizens of Han- 
cock count)'. He and his wife are hospit- 
able people and their pleasant home is the 
favorite resort of a host of warm friends. 



LAWRENCE TIMASHESKE. 

Lawrence Timasheske, occupying a 
good farm pleasantly located near Au- 
gusta, is one of the adopted sons of Amer- 



ica, who came to this country from the 
fair land of Poland, and, improving the 
opportunities ofifered, has advanced from 
a humble position to one in which he 
is enabled to surround himself and his 
family with the c<imforts that go to make 
life worth living. He was born in Po- 
land in 1845, and is a son of Caisma and 
Zofkar Kriskstofk Timasheske. who were 
likewise natives of Poland. They came 
to America in 1875, settling in La Salle 
county, Illinois, where the father fol- 
lowed the occupation of farming. In 
their family were eleven children, of 
whom seven are liviiag: .Andrew, Rosa, 
Lawrence, Mahala, Buda, Nancy and 
Karlof. The father died in 1901, wdiile 
his wife ])as,sed away in 1886, and both 
were laid to rest at La Salle, Illinois. 

Lawrence Timasheske acquired his ed- 
ucation in the schools of Poland and re- 
mained with his parents until he had at- 
tained his majority, after which he served 
in the German army in France and Ger- 
many from 1871. The year 1873 wit- 
nessed his emigration to the new world. 
He settled upon a farm in Iowa, and in 
1S74 he located in .Augusta, where for 
some time he was employed by a Mr. De.x- 
ter. In 1876 he chose a companion 
and helpmate for life's journey, being 
married in that year to Miss Martha 
Woods, who was bom in Hancock county, 
Illinois, July 31, 1855, a daughter of 
the Rev. Joseph and Orlena (Kirk) 
Woods, the former a native of Pennsyl- 
vania and the latter of Ohio. They came 
at an early day to Illinois, and in their 
family were seventeen children. In the 
family of the maternal grandparents of 
Mrs. Tima.sheske there were five sons 



HAXCOCK COL'XTV. ILLINOIS. 



0// 



who were ministers of the gospel. Unt(j 
Mr. and Mrs. Woods were born nine cliil- 
dren : Martha, now the wife of our sub- 
ject ; Susan, the wife of George Holt, 
of Augusta; Emma, the wife of Herbert 
Woods, of Galesburg; Amanda, the wife 
of Thomas Cain, of Basco, Illinois; Jen- 
nie, the wife of Charles Knott, of Basco, 
Illinois ; Belle, at licmie : James, residing 
in Griggsville, Illinois; William, living in 
Kansas City, Missouri; and Melvin, "f 
Augusta, this county. Mr. Woods died 
in 1905, and was buried in Plynn^uth, 
where his widow still resides. 

For seven years after his marriage Air. 
Timasheske resided upon a farm near 
Augtista and then removed to the farm 
whereon he now lives, purchasing two 
hundred and forty acres of good land on 
sections 16 and 17. He has greatly im- 
proved and enlarged the home since that 
time and has made many other substantial 
additions to the fann in the way of good 
buildings. He is a general fanner and 
stock-raiser and each year he derives from 
his labors a goodly living, owing to his 
careful management and well directed ef- 
forts. Unto him and his wife have been 
born three children : Etta and Effie, 
twins, born in 1878; and Damon, bom 
in 1886. All were born in Augusta town- 
ship. Effie is the wife of Arland Web- 
ster, who resides near Bowen, Illinois. 
Damon wedded Dollie De.xter. and li\es 
in Augusta township. Mr. Timasheske 
came to America a poor boy, but he read- 
ily adapted himself to the changed condi- 
tions of the new world, mastered the lan- 
guage and has worked his way upward 
through his energy and ability, stimu- 
lated bv a laudable ambition. He has 



also been greatly assisted by his estima- 
ble wife, who has indeed been a faithful 
companion and helpmate to him on life's 
journey. In the early days of his resi- 
dence in this country he was ver)- lone- 
some and strongly desired to return to 
his native land, but he persisted in his 
purpose of establishing a new home in the 
new world and is today most loyal in his 
patriotism for his adopted country, where 
he has found good opportunities that 
have led to his success. Mr. Timasheske 
has recently purchased residence property 
in .Vugusta and now resides in that place. 



HEXRY FARXWALT BLACK. 

To win the respect of one's fellowmen 
is to live worthily and to enjoy the friend- 
ship of those with whom he comes in con- 
tact and is an indication of consideration 
and kindliness on the part of the individ- 
ual for his fellowmen. Such was the 
career of Heniy Farnwalt Black, who 
did much to promote the good and pros- 
perity of his county, while advancing his 
private business interests. Viewed in any 
relation of life his was an honorable ca- 
reer and one of which his family have 
every reason to be proud. He was born 
in Milton, Northumberland county, 
Pennsylvania, October 26, 1823, and was 
there reared to manhood, coming to the 
west in 1849 when about twenty-si.x 
years of age. He spent some time in 
Galena. Illinois, after which he made his 



5/8 



BIOGRAPHICAL RETIEU' 



way to tlie pineries of Wisconsin, and was 
there engaged in tlie lumber business for 
six years. In T857 lie located in Dal- 
las City, Illinois, and the following year 
removed his family to his new home. He 
continued in the lumber Ijusiness in this 
place for thirty years, or until itS.SS. when 
on account of failing' health he retired. 
In iSgo he removed to Ness City, Kan- 
sas, where he built a grain warehouse and 
was furthermore connected with the com- 
mercial and financial interests of that 
place as ])resideut of the I^'irst National 
Bank. At length, how^ever, failing health 
compelled him to retire from business al- 
together. His life was one of activity 
and enterprise, however, and his careful 
management and keen discrimination 
in business affairs combined with his dili- 
gence and close application resulted in 
the acquirement of a ver\- handsome com- 
petence, so that he was enabled to lea\-e 
his famil}" in most comfortable circum- 
stances. 

On the 15th of October, 1831. Mr. 
Black was united in marriage to Miss 
Mary Newel Bliss, at Warrensville, Du 
I'age county, Illinois, the weilding cere- 
mon_\' being performed by the Rew Silas 
Tucker. Mrs. Black was bom in Berk- 
shire county, Alassachusetts, June 15, 
i8jo, a daughter of Moses and I'olly 
(Carpenter) Bliss. In the maternal line 
.she was descended from ancestors who 
fought in the Revolutionarv war. while 
her father was a soldier of the war of 
1812. Mr. Bliss came west with liis fam- 
ily when his daughter, Mrs. Black, was 
but ten \ears of age, and the da}s of her 
girlhood were passed in ^\'arrens^■ille. 
.\n ideal marriage relation existed be- 



tween herself and her husband, their mu- 
tual love and confidence increasing as the 
years went by. They had the rare privi- 
lege of celebrating their golden wedding 
at their old home in Dallas City, which 
was then and is still occupied by their 
daughter, Airs. Charles Savage Shipman. 
Almost another year of happy wedded life 
was vouchsafed to them but on the i8th 
of September, 1902, Mr. Black at his 
home in Ness City, Kansas, depart-ed this 
life. His remains were brought back to 
Dallas City for interment and he had so 
endeared himself to the people of this 
place and Hancock county that his death 
was the occasion of uniform regret wher- 
ever he was known. He was truly a self- 
made man, for his parents died when he 
was ([uite young- and he was then thrown 
upon his invn resources. As the ^■ears 
passed b)' his watchfulness of opportunity 
and his utilization of the resources at his 
command enaljled him to make steady 
progress in the business world and each 
forward step brought him a broader out- 
look" and brighter opportunities. For 
many years he controlled prosperous busi- 
ness interests and thus left to his family 
a handsome inheritance, but moreover he 
gave to them as a priceless heritage an 
untarnished name. In his home he was a 
tender and devoted husband and a lining 
father. He was faithful as a friend and 
was generous t() a fault but his l)ene\'o- 
lence was of such a quiet and unostenta- 
tious character that man}- times only the 
recipients of his bount\- were conscious 
of it. He indeed in spirit and trutli fol- 
lowed the admonition not to let his left 
hand know what his right hand had done. 
His life work was filled with manv deeds 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



579 



of kindness and acts of mere)" which en- 
deared him to all who knew him. 

As the )ears passed by six children were 
added tn the household of ;\Ir. and Mrs. 
Black, but only two are now li\'ing. ^Vil- 
liam Henry, the eldest, died at the ag'e 
of two }'ears. Benjamin F., deceasech 
was the second in the family, and made 
his home in Dallas, where he died De- 
cember 19, 1905. Harry and Catherine 
Farnwalt were twins, and the former died 
at the age of two and a half years, while 
the latter is the wife of Charles S. Ship- 
man, of Dallas City, who is mentioned 
elsewhere in this work. Philo Carpenter. 
wh(^ died at the ag'e of twenty-nine years, 
was a graduate of Yale College and of 
the Columbia Law School of New York. 
He practiced law in Ness City, Kansas, 
where he was elected county attorney, btit 
he died at the old family home in Dallas 
City, Illinois, October 29, 1889. He had 
been attending the Triennial Masonic 
Conclave at Washington, D. C, and stop- 
ping at his old home here he passed away 
at the comparatively early age of twenty- 
nine years, and was laid to rest in Dal- 
las cemetery. Maiw C. the youngest of 
the family, is the wife of Samuel Bennett, 
of Ness City, Kansas. She was born in 
Dallas, January 9, 1862, and was edu- 
cated at Rockford. Illinois, and in New 
York city, being a graduate of one of 
the best schools of the eastern metrop- 
olis. In her girlhood days she was a 
schoolmate of Mrs. William Jennings 
Bryan, and acted as her bridesmaid, since 
which time she has entertained Mrs. 
Bryan in her own home. On the 29th of 
February. 1888. Mary C. Black gave her 
hand in marriage to George Burton, and 



after his death she was married Decem- 
])er 2'5. 11JO4, at the home of Mrs. B. l'. 
Black, in Dallas City, to .''^amuel I'.ennclt. 
a lumber and grain merchant of Xess 
City. Kansas. Mrs. Bennett went into 
the First National Bank of Xess City, 
working for a salary of ten dollars per 
month. She acted in that capacit}- for 
a year, and at the end of the second year 
bought out the owner of the bank and is 
now the largest stockholder and also presi- 
dent. She is also vice president of the 
bank at Ransom. Kansas, and owns a cat- 
tle ranch in that state. She is widely 
recognized as a thorough and capable 
Inisiness woman. She has been regent of 
a chapter of the Daughters of the Ameri- 
can Re\-(_i!ution. at Topeka, Kansas, anil 
is going to organize a chapter in Ness 
City. Mr. and ]\Irs. Black were charter 
members of the Congregational church in 
Dallas City, which was eistablished in 
1859. and Mrs. Black is now the only sur- 
viving charter member. Ft.ir many years 
her husband was tleacon in the church 
and for a cpiarter of a century was Sun- 
day-school superintendent. His polit- 
ical allegiance was given to the Repub- 
lican party but he never aspired to c:)t^ce. 
As a private citizen, however, he did 
much for public jirogress and for ci\ic 
virtue and ever co-operated in any mo\e- 
ment that was instituted for the public 
good. His life was honorable, his actions 
manly and sincere, and his motives ])ure 
and upright. Mrs. Black shared with 
her husband in all of his good work and 
is of a kindly disposition, her many good 
qualities having endeared her t(.) all who 
know her. She has ever been deeply 
thoughtful of (jthers and possesses a ready 



58o 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAAFAl' 



tact wliich arises onK' from true s\nipa- 
thy. She makes her home witli her 
daiis'hter. Mrs. Charles S. Shiinnan, of 
Dallas, and w ith her daughter, Mrs. Ben- 
nett, of X'ess City, Kansas. 



BEXJAMIN F. JOHNSON. 

Benjamin F'. Johnson, deceased, was 
one of the most distinguished residents of 
FTancock coimty, not alone on account of 
the splendid success he achie\e(l and 
which made him owner of t\vent\-three 
hundred acres of land, but also on account 
of his spirit of l.)enevolence and philan- 
thropy which prompted his bequest 
to found and maintain a school in La 
Harpe. In this he builded to his memory 
a monument more enduring than any of 
bronze or stone, for as long as the institu- 
tion endures, its founder will be honored 
by those who ha\e benefitefl by his liene- 
f action. 

Tracing back the ancestry of the fam- 
ily, it is found that early representatives 
of the name lived in New England in 
colonial days. His father, Joseph John- 
son, who was born in Maine, in 1791, died 
January 12. 1880, at a very venerable age. 
He was married to ?kliss Betsey Mussic, 
■\\ho was born in r^Iaine, and died .\pril 
16, 1876. In 1836 the\' came west, jour- 
neying in the slow stages of water travel, 
and after reaching St. Louis, proceeded 
up the ri\er to Warsaw, and thence across 
the country to La Harpe, where they con- 
ducted a hotel for a number of years. 



Mr. Johnson was a thrifty, hard-working 
man and accumulated considerable prop- 
erty-, being considered a wealthy man at 
the time of his death. L'nto him and his 
wife were born six children : Edwin R.. 
l)orii March 22. 18 14, died August 29, 
1835. A son died in infancy. Mrs. Har- 
riet O. Hughes, born December 25, 1816. 
died January 17, igoi. Augusta, wife of 
Daniel Garner, was 1)orn March 24, T8ig, 
and died August 8, 1 842. Mrs. Mary ^^^ 
Wood, born March t8, 1821, died in 
Denver. Colorado, Deceml)er 2^^. 1899. 
Joseph, born March 15, 1823. left home 
for the southwest to buy land, when a 
}'oung man and is supposed to have lieen 
murdered. 

Benjamin F. Johnson, whose name be- 
gins this article was bom in Maine, Jan- 
uary 18, 1825, and came to Illinois with 
his parents when ten years of age. He 
was a student in the La Harpe schools, 
for four \ears, after which he put aside 
his text-books and g"a\'e bis entire atten- 
tion to work on his father's farm. At the 
age of sixteen he liecame an apprentice in 
his l)rother-in-law"s blacksmith shop and 
worked there until about i84(). when he 
went to California, where for several 
years he was engaged in sheep-raising. 
He returned to La Harpe a wealthy man 
and invested his money in farm land and 
stock. His first farm consisted i^f three 
hundred and twenty acres adjoining the 
^•illage of Cohlsa, to which place he gave 
the name. He continued adding to his 
original purchase until at his death be 
was the owner of nyer twent\'-three hun- 
dred acres in \-arious parts of Hancock 
county. He also raised large herds of 
Jersey cattle and manv mules, but would 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



581 



never have hogs upon his place. He made 
his second trip to California in 1852, 
again going overland, and in later }'ears 
he made another trip with his wife, this 
time traveling hy rail. He remained for 
a vear in the Golden state and then re- 
turned to La Harpe. About tSqo he 
retired fmm acti\e business and built a 
home in La Harpe, where he remained 
until his death. 

Although he left school when quite 
young Mr. Johnson was always a great 
reader and thus became one of the best 
educated men in his township, possessing 
a wonderfully retentive memory. He 
was never an office seeker but was re- 
peatedly elected supervisor of his town- 
ship and during his long term of serx'ice 
never missed a meeting of the board. He 
lived and loved a strenuous life and his 
spacious farm, with its orchards, gardens, 
lawns and fine liuildings, was a mndel nt 
ciimfort and utility. When thus sur- 
niunded b}' all that goes to make life 
worth li\-ing he met \\ith an accident 
which rendered him a cripple. While 
dri\ing home with a load of lumber, the 
wagon overturned and he was crushed 
beneath the Iriad, his hip being badl\- 
injured. 

Having secured a legal separation from 
bis wife Mr. Johnson, after several years, 
married ]\Irs. Phoebe Green, who still 
survives him. That marriage was cele- 
brated October 19, 1874. She was Ijorn 
in La Harpe township, April 26, 1839. 
and was educated in the public schools. 
Her parents were John and Flora L. 
(Otman) Sperry, natives of Ohio, where 
thev were married, and then, in company 
with their parents they came to this 



county, casting in their lot with the early 
settlers of La Harpe townshii). After op- 
erating a rented farm for several years 
they removed to La HarjjC where Mr. 
Sperrx' resumed work at the gunsmith's 
trade, conducting a shop for a number of 
vears. Mr. Johnson, after a gradual de- 
cline, lasting about a year, passed away 
Februar_\- 18, i(>ofi, lea\ing a widow and 
one daughter by his former marriage — 
Mrs. Clara (Johnson) Laswell. for whom 
he liberally provided through the terms 
of his will during their lifetime. His 
philanthropic spirit was manifest in bis 
generous gift of one hundred and fifty 
thousand dollars for the maintenance of 
a school in La Harpe, the tuition of which 
must be free. What more fitting monu- 
ment t(i the life of one who was himself 
depri\-ed of liberal educational advan- 
tag-es and yet always bad the utmost 
interest in the schools and a high apprecia- 
tion of their value as one of the bulwarks 
of the nation. 



M. E. RANDALL. 



]\I. E. Randall, who is engaged ex- 
tensively in buying, feeding and sbipjiing 
stock, resides in Augusta township, and 
it was in this township that be was born 
in 1864. his parents being John and 
Sarah E. (Graham) Randall, both of 
whom were natives of Ohio, the former 
born in 1828, and the latter in 1838. 
Choosing agricultural pursuits as a life 
work John Randall was thus engaged in 



5& 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIFAl' 



Ohio until 1850, when lie came to Illinois 
and made ijermanent location in Hancock 
county. In 1852 he settled in Augusta 
township, living first in a lug cabin and it 
was in such a pioneer home that the 
birth of M. E. Randall occurred. The 
father usuall_\- voted for the republican 
candidates but was rather independent in 
his political views and affiliation and fre- 
quently cast his' ballot for the men whom 
he regarded as best qualified for office 
at local elections. lie belonged to the 
Methodist church, was acti\e in the ex- 
tension of its influence and served as one 
of its trustees. He tlied in iQOO and was 
buried in Augusta cemetery, while his 
widow still li\es, a resident of I'n.iwen. 
Illinois. In their family were five chil- 
dren: James, deceased: Hannah, who 
died in infancy: Laura B., the wife of 
Benjamin Garwood, of California: M. 
E. : and Mary F.. the wife of R. J. Wil- 
son, who lives near Augusta. 

In the district .schools M. E. Randall, 
began his educati(.)n and subsequent!}- be- 
came a high school student in Augusta, 
leaving that institution only two weeks 
before graduation. He reniaine<l under 
the parental roof until twenty-six years 
pf age and gave active assistance to his 
father in the work of the home farm. 
Following his marriage he purchased the 
old homestead, locating on sections 7 and 
18. Augusta township, and comprising 
one hundred and eighty acres of land. 
He also owns eight}- acres on section 8, 
and forty acres on section 16, thus culti- 
vating altogether three hundred :icres. 
He raises considerable stock, and also 
luiys and feeds, shipping from seven to 
nine carloads of stock annually, his rnar- 



ket being Chicago. C^n one of his farms 
is a fine substantial brick residence, to- 
gether with other modern in-iprovements. 

In 1890 was celebrated the marriage 
of ^I. v.. Randall and Miss Katie Kin- 
near, who was born in Pennsylvania in 
1871, and is a daughter of J. W. and 
Susan Kinnear, both of whom were na- 
ti\-es of the Keystone state. The father 
came to Hancock county with his family 
in 1885, settling in Augusta township. 
I'nto Mr. and Mrs. Randall was born one 
child, w-ho died at the age of twenty 
n-ionths, and the mother also died about 
a }-ear after her marriage, and w-as laid 
to rest in .\ugusta cemetery. In 181)6 
Mr. Randall wedded Miss Cora Hale, 
who was born in Schuyler count}-. Illi- 
nois, in 1868, a daughter of Joshua and 
Elizabeth ( Bartlow) Hale, both of w-hom 
were natives of Schuyler county. Id-iey 
were married in 1847, and Mrs. Hale 
who was liorn ( >ctobei- 27, iS2f>. ilied .\u- 
gust 24. 1887, while Mr. Hale, wdiose 
birth occurred in 1825. died ii-i \'&<)y. 
Both w-ere bin-ied in Schu}-ler county. 
His political support was gi\-en to the 
<len-iocrac\-. In their family w-ere eight 
children, of whon-i four are li\-ing: 
Letha, the widow of George Ross, of 
Augitsta township: Jesse, of Schuyler 
county: Sarah, the w^ife of John Deweese. 
of Hamilton. Illinois: Cora, now Mrs. 
Randall. B}- the second marriage of our 
subject there are tw-o sons : Claude, born 
June 5. 181)7: and Chellis, November iS, 
ii)on. 

Mr. Randall votes for the best men 
rather th;m for jiart}-. He has served as 
school director and is interested in many 
progressive measures. He was elected to 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



583 



the school board the day after he attained 
his majority and has served in that capac- 
ity to the present time. He is also sec- 
retary of the Hancock County Telephone 
Company and secretary and treasurer of 
the Illinois State Alliance, of which he 
served as president for two years. His 
acquaintance in this county is wide and 
favorable, for he has spent almost his 
entire life here and both he and his wife 
are esteemed by a wide circle of friends. 
He represents one of the old families of 
the county, his father having lived here 
during the period of the Mormon war, 
in which he was much interested. Many 
changes in the county have occurred dur- 
ing the years of the son's connection 
therewith and he has not only been a wit- 
ness of its growth and progress but has 
co-operated in many movements which 
have had direct bearing upon its welfare. 



ROBERT NETHERY. 

Robert Nethery, deceased, was a man 
of such genuine worth of character as to 
make his death the occasion for deepest 
regret wherever he was known. For 
many years he resided in Hancock county 
and is classed among the men of the past 
and present who have contributed to gen- 
eral progress and improvement here by 
upholding the legal and political status of 
the community and advancing its ma- 
terial, intellectual and moral progress. 
His parents were James and Mary (Wil- 
son) Nethery, natives of Ireland, in 
37 



which country the father died. The son 
was there born in June, 1855, and when 
thirteen years of age came with his 
mother to the United States, the family 
home being established on a farm in In- 
diana. The mother died about fifteen 
years ago, passing away in Nebraska. In 
the family were ten children, of whom 
six are living: Eliza, married William 
Wilson and resides in Indiana ; Mrs. 
Maria Stewart, of Ireland : Margaret, the 
widow of James Nethery, of Ireland; 
William, oi Wyoming; Thomas, of Ne- 
braska; and Matilda, the wife of James 
Holpa, also of Nebraska. 

Robert Nethery began his education 
in the district schools of Ireland and con- 
tinued his studies in Indiana. In his 
youth his time was also devoted largely 
to farm labor, as he assisted in the culti- 
vation and improvement of the home 
property in Indiana, remaining with his 
mother until his marriage, which im- 
portant event in his life was celebrated on 
the 1st of January, 1883, when he won 
the hand of Miss Rebecca Singleton, who 
was born in Hancock county, Illinois, a 
daughter of George and Rebecca (Wil- 
son) Singleton. Mrs. Nethery was born 
in March, 1856. Her parents were both 
natives of Ireland, and in early life came 
to America, being married in Philadel- 
phia, Pennsylvania, about 1850. The fa- 
ther was a farmer by occupation, and in 
the spring of 1853 came to Hancock 
county, where he purchased a farm near 
Adrian. There he carried on business as 
a general farmer and stock-raiser, remain- 
ing a respected and prominent resident 
. of that locality until his death, which oc- 
curred in November, 1890. His wife 



584 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllFAJ- 



sur\i\eil him for ten years, departing- this 
life in Xnxemher, i(;00. and lidtli were 
buried in Moss Ridge cemeterx'. Air. 
Singleton was a repul)Iican in his polit- 
ical views and serxed on the school board, 
being a warm friend of the cause of edu- 
cation but he did not care for otfice. 
Both parents were devoted members of 
the Presbyterian church and Mr. Single- 
ton filled several official positions therein. 
In the famiK' were se\en children, and 
with the exception of the eldest all were 
I)oru in Hancock county and all are yet 
li\ing, as f(jllows; Anna, who was jjorn 
in Philadelphia, and is the wife of John 
Bailey, a resident of Colusa. Illinois: 
Margaret, who is li\ing at the old home 
near Adrain ; Thonias, also li\iug at 
Adrian; Iilmira. the wife of Perry Hub- 
bard, of Colusa. Illinois: (ieorge. li\-iug 
at .\drian : and William, who lives at 
Nauvoo and is in the State Bank there. 

Following their marriage Mr. and ]Mrs. 
Nether)- located on a farm in Indiana, 
where they remained for three years, and 
in iScSA they came to Hancock county, 
Illinois, settling r)n a farm east of Colusa, 
where they livetl for ten years, ami which 
Mr. Xethery impro\-ed according to 
modern methods of agriculture. He af- 
terward removed to Carthage township, 
where he made his home upon the farm 
for three years, and in iSf;() he took up 
his abode in the city of Carthage, where 
he erected a lieautiful residence on Main 
street. Pie and his wife jilanned their 
town residence and it is a \-ery convenient 
and attractive home. Mr. Xethery con- 
tinued to reside in the county seat until 
his demise, which occurred January ly. 
1903, his remains being interred in Moss 



Ridge cemetery. He voted with the Re- 
])ul)licau party, ami as e\ery true Amer- 
ican citizen should do. kept well informed 
on the (|uestions and issues of the day 
but he did not desire office as a reward 
for part}' fealt\'. He held membershi]) 
in the Presbyterian church, to which his 
wife also belongs and was deeply inter- 
ested in church work and its various ac- 
tivities. In a re\'ie\v of his life it will 
be seen that he was a man of untiring 
industry and enterprise and that his own 
energy, amljition and honest}' constituted 
the foundation u[)on which he builded the 
superstructure of his success. In addi- 
tion to the home place in Carthage he left 
to his famil}' one hundred and sixty acres 
of good farni laud well improved, in Car- 
thage township, and Mrs. Xether\' alsr) 
owns a (|uarter secti(jn and another tract 
of eightv acres in Prairie township, to- 
gether with two hundred acres of land in 
Dallas townshii). Three of the eighty- 
acre tracts were inherited l)v her from 
her father. She also owns a lot and 
two houses, which she rents, in the south 
part of Carthage. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Xethery w^ere born 
two sons, twins, James W. and Cieorge 
\\\. both in the high school. Airs. Xeth- 
er}' is a lady of quiet, courteous demeanor, 
greatly lieloved li}' her old neighbors in 
the countr\' and also in Carthage. She 
is held in high esteem Iw all with whom 
she has come in contact and she is a rep- 
resentative of one of the proniinent and 
honored pioneer faniilies of the county. 
Pier landed possessions are now extensive 
and valuable and bring to her a handsome 
income, enabling her to eujov all of the 
comforts and nianv of the luxuries of life. 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



583 



LE\\'IS F. .MILLER. 

Lewis F. Miller, who follows the oc- 
cupation of farming near Bowen. his 
home being in Chili township, was born 
in Schuyler county, Illinois, in 1864, a son 
of August and Dora (Yaap) Miller. The 
parents were Imth natives of Prussia. 
The father born in i8j8. and the mother's 
birth occurred in 1837. He devoted his 
life to general agricultural pursuits and 
on coming to the L'nited States in 1861, 
settled in Littleton, Schuyler county, Illi- 
nois. His political support was given to 
the Republican party and he remained 
one of its stanch champions until his 
death, which occurred in igoi. his re- 
mains being interred at Littleton. His 
widow still sur\ives. In their familv 
were nine children, of whom live are vet 
li\-ing: Paulina, the v\ife of .Vndrew 
Hughes, a resident of Schnvler countv, 
Illinois: August, li\-ing at Table Gro\e. 
this state: Lewis, of this review: Frank, 
of Littleton, Illinois ; and Laura, at home. 

The public school system of Schuyler 
county afforded to Mr. Miller of this re- 
view his educational pri\-ileges and he 
remained upon the old homestead until 
he had attained his majorit}', earlv be- 
coming familiar with the duties and labors 
of the home farm. He was married 
Januar}' i, i88y, to Miss Mar\- Burrdw s. 
whose birth occurred in Vermont, Illinois, 
in 1867, her parents being Benjamin and 
Rachel Ann (Dawson) Burrows, natives 
of Illinois. Her father, however, repre- 
sented an old Pennsylvania family and 
by trade was a carpenter, which pursuit 
he followed in order to provide fi;)r his 
family that numbered two children, the 



elder being Malinda. the wife of James 
Slnan. who resides at Long Beach, 
California. 

For ten years after their marriage Mr. 
and Mrs. Miller li\ed upcm a farm in 
Schuyler countw and in 1800 remi.n-ed to 
Chili township, Hancock county, where he 
purchased one hundred and twent_\- acres 
l}'ing on secti(3n 21. This was a well 
improved property- and he has carried on 
the work of further development. Ijeing 
numbered among the able and prosperous 
general farmers and stock-raisers. His 
li\-e stock interests are an im]:)ortant 
branch of his business and contribute 
largely to his annual revenue. He de- 
serves considerable credit for what he has 
ac(|uired and the success to which he has 
attained in a Inisiness world, for he was 
in limited financial circumstances at the 
time of his marriage and is now comfort- 
abl}" situated in life. 

I'nto Mr. and Airs. Miller have been 
l)orn two children but they lost one. 
Their sur\i\'ing son is Ciuy. who was 
born on the 15th of Xo\-emI)er, 1899. and 
is now a student in the high school of 
Bowen. Mr. Miller is a Mason in his 
fraternal relati<.ins and he and his wife are 
faithful and consistent members of the 
Christian church. His ])oIitical support 
is given to the Re]nil)lican party and he 
has serx'ed as road commissioner, while 
since attaining his majority he has been 
a member of the school board. Both he 
and his wife are people of genuine per- 
sonal worth with a wide and favorable 
acquaintance in Chili township. Both be- 
long to the Order of the Eastern Star 
and while they have man}- friends within 
that organization they are also greatly 



586 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



esteemed by those who know them outside 
of the lodee. 



JAMES EATON JOHNSTON, M. D. 

Dr. James Eaton Johnston, who in the 
practice of medicine and osteopathy has 
become recognized as one whose labors 
have been of the utmost vahie to the peo- 
ple of his locality, was born in Philadel- 
phia, Pennsylvania, July 28, 1845. a son 
of James E. and Cynthia (Belfield) John- 
ston. The father's birth occurred in 
Glasglow, Scotland, in September, 18 12, 
\\ hile the mother was born in Notting- 
ham, England, in 18 14. Mr. Johnson 
was a millwright by trade and operated 
a planing mill. He also operated the 
first machine that ever made tongued antl 
grooved flooring. He was a leading wit- 
ness in the famous Woodworth-Planer 
patent right infringement case, in which 
Rufus Choate was the most pnnninent 
attorney and in his plea brought tears to 
the eyes of all who heard liim. Both 
Mr. and Mrs. Johnston came to Amer- 
ica in childhood, the former locating in 
Philadelphia, and the latter in Baltimore. 
Removing to the west they resided in 
Springfield, Illinois, from 1855 until i860, 
when they went to St. Louis, Missouri, 
where Mr. Johnston was connected witli 
lumber interests being foreman of va- 
rious large planing mills. His wife died 
in Keokuk, Iowa, in 1876, while his 
death occurred in St. Louis, in 1878. He 
was a man of intense patriotism and did 
great good as a home-guard in St. Louis 



at the time of the Civil wai. He was out- 
spoken in defense of the Union and did 
everything in his power to support the 
cause. His wife held membership with 
the Presbyterian church and was a most 
earnest christian woman. In their family 
were five children : James E. ; Wilfred 
Hall, who died at the age of two years : 
Jane and Anna M, E, who are living in 
Chicago, the latter being bookkeeper for 
a large barrel and stave business in that 
city ; and Walter Lincoln, who resides in 
Portland, Oregon, and is credit man and 
bookkeeper of John Deere Plow Com- 
]1an^■, of Muline, Illinois, who have a 
liranch at Portland. 

Dr. Johnston attended the public 
schools of Spring-field, Illinois, and when 
but a youth of si.Kteen years he enlisted 
at St. Louis, Missouri, in the hospital 
corps, for a period of one year, serving" as 
nurse and surgeon's assistant and being 
the youngest of one hundred employes in. 
the City General Hospital, at the corner 
of Fiftli and Chestnut streets in St. Louis, 
where he remained for sixteen months. 
During that time he was detailed as nurse 
on the steamer, D. A. January, which was 
fitted up by patriotic citizens of St. Louis 
and sent with supplies to Grant's army at 
Vicksburg. He returned with some 
twelve hundred sick and wounded on the 
boat. He afterward remained in the hos- 
pital much of the time until the expira- 
tion of his term. He had always had a 
desire to take up the study of medicine 
and his hospital experience strengthened 
this. While in the government service 
he had to dress wounds under a physi- 
cian's instruction, having a regular num- 
ber of patients. At one time the hospital 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



587 



was in great danger of fire but he and 
three or four others quickly extinguished 
the ilames without creating any excite- 
ment among the patients — an incident 
which displayed his abiHty as one well 
fitted to deal with emergencies. He, 
however, was se\"erely burned on his 
hands. Before the war closed he enlisted 
in the ^Missouri ■Militia for home guard 
duty and was thus engaged for two years. 
In the second year the troops were sent 
out after Price. Subsequently he re- 
mained in St. Louis and assisted his fa- 
ther in business and also attended a com- 
mercial college there. 

On the 17th of December, 1867, Dr. 
Johnson went to Keokuk, Iowa, where for 
a year and a half he was employed as time 
keeper and assistant bookkeeper on the 
government canal. Leaving there he im- 
mediately accepted a position as shipijing 
clerk and later bill clerk, of the Des 
Moines Valley Railroad, at Keokuk, and 
during sixteen }"ears was in the employ 
of railroads there, holding responsible po- 
sitions, most of the time as local cashier, 
handling large amounts of money. In 
1889 he was enabled to carry out his 
long cherished desire of preparing for 
the practice of medicine, and he was grad- 
uated from the Cliicago Homeopathic 
College, in March, 1891. He located for 
practice at Hammond, Indiana, where he 
remained for one and a half years, at the 
end of which time he took up the study 
of osteopathy at Kirksville, Missouri, 
since which time he has practiced along 
that line. He spent a brief period in St. 
Louis, and in July, 1895, located in War- 
saw, being the only osteopathic practi- 
tioner in Warsaw. As the vears have 



come and gone he has done much for hu- 
manity as a practitioner, employing both 
homeopathy and osteopathy in his efforts 
to alleviate human suffering. He was 
ver}^ successful and his cures in the latter 
department of the healing art seem al- 
most miraculous, and during 1900 he pur- 
sued a post-graduate course in Chicago. 
On the 26th of April, 1905, he received 
the Ad Eundem degree from the Hahne- 
mann Medical College, of that city. He 
is a memljer of the Homeopathic Medical 
Societies of Chicago, State of Indiana 
and State of Illinois, and is constantly 
broadening his knowledge and promoting 
his efficiency through reading and investi- 
gation. 

On the 7th of November, 1882, Dr. 
Johnston was married to Miss Mary A. 
^^'illiams, a native of Warsaw, and a 
daughter of Captain John R. and Ange- 
line A. Williams. The)' have no children 
of their own but are rearing a nephew, 
who is now eight years of age. Dr. and 
Mrs. Johnston are members of the Pres- 
byterian church and in politics he has al- 
ways been a stalwart republican. Fra- 
ternally he is connected with the Knights 
of Pythias, and for eight years has been 
clerk of the Woodman camp. No. 340, 
holding a certificate of efliciency from the 
head camp clerk of ^^'oodmen. He is a 
man of kindly disposition, generous al- 
most to a fault and has the reputation in 
his community of living for others. He 
possesses a cheery manner and a disposi- 
tion that enables him to shed around him 
much of the sunshine of life and he has 
always been most helpful to those with 
whom he has come in contact. While in 
the railroad service he was instrumental 



:;88 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVJE]]' 



in slartinj;' nmre tli;m ;i half (Ir)zen \iiutlis 
iipnii tlie u])\\ar(l mad ami thev are now 
(iccu])_\iiit^' lionoraljlc pusitiims in cminec- 
tinii with i-ailrnad wnrk-, lie also eilu- 
cated and reared his N'ounger Ijrother. wIid 
is now (iccup}-ing- a good position in Port- 
land. (.)rcgiin. He has alsn worked for 
the general inipro\-ement of his town and 
cdmmunit}- and is secretary of the War- 
saw ]mpro\-ement Association. He has 
been correspondent to various newspa- 
pers and in this connection has become 
well known. He was for a number nf 
years medical examiner of \\ arsaw cam[), 
Xo. 340. ^ilodern W'ondmen of America, 
and is at the present time medical exami- 
ner I if the Prudential Insurance Company 
of America, nf Xewark. New Jersey. A 
man of liberal views, of advanced ideas, 
and of Itroad humanitarian ])rinciples. he 
is always preaching in his life work the 
gospel of good cheer, of advancement and 
progress, and m 1 man is more honored or 
more deserving the respect of his fellow 
citizens than Dr. James E. Johnston. 



ADOLPH SIEGRIST. 

Adolph Siegrist, deceased, was for 
many years one of the prominent repre- 
sentatives of agricultural interests in Ap- 
panoose township, and his death was 
deeply deplored by his many friends 
throughout Hancock county, as well as 
by the members of bis own household. 
He was a native of Switzerland, his natal 
year being 1841. He was a son of Ru- 



dol])li and .Mary (Aiusler) Siegrist. who 
emigrated from the land of the Alps to 
America at an earl_\' i\;\\. settling first in 
Ohio, where tlie\- remained for a few 
}'ears and then renioxed to Xauvoo, 
Illinois. 

Adolph Siegrist was l)ut a \-oung lad 
when be was brought h\ bis parents from 
the old country to Illinois. He entered 
the common schools during the residence 
of his parents in Ohio and attended school 
to some extent after the removal to Xau- 
\oo. In i^fi.:;, howe\er. in response to 
the Country's call for aid during the Civil 
war be offered his serxices to the govern- 
ment, enlisting as a member (}f Company 
A. Second Regiment of Illinois Artillery, 
and going to the front he served until the 
close of hostilities, having been a loyal and 
faithful soldier. 

L'])on bis return from the war he re- 
turned to the home farm, where he as- 
sisted bis father in the operation of the 
farm until his marriage, Xovember 15, 
1S72. to Miss Theresia Klinglemiller. a 
nati\-e of .Austria, born December 29, 
1850. a daughter of Wolfgang and Eliza- 
beth ( Sachlun-er) Klingmiller. Her 
parents came to Xau\-oo in 1853 from 
Jonesboro, where they had spent the win- 
ter pre\-ious, having come to that city 
from their native land. The father 
bought a farm in Sonora township, on 
which be located, and here his death oc- 
curred in June, 1894, while his wife had 
died many years before, she having passed 
awa)- in 1854. the year after their arrival 
in Illinois. 

Following his marriage Mr. Siegrist 
located on land in Appanoose township, 
which be rented, of which twenty acres 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



589 



\ras situated on section 23. and fort\' 
acres on section 26, making- in all a tract 
of sixty acres. He rented this tract for 
about six xears. and at the end nf that 
time, having prospered in his agricuittu'al 
interests, he was enabled to ])urchase the 
farm, and here he cnntinued liis farming 
operations uiUil his death, which occurred 
November 11, i88(S, from paralvsis, 
which was contracted during his service 
in the army. L'uto him aud his wife had 
I)een born seven si>ns and two daughters, 
as follows: Carl Henry, of Appanoose 
townshi]) ; John, a resident of Lee countv, 
Iowa: Ida, the wife of .Mliert Xestle, li\'- 
ing on her father's old home jjroperty : 
Joseph, at lutme: William, rd Xiota, Illi- 
nois: Minnie, Edwartl, L'harles aud 
\\'alter, twins, all at home with their 
mother. 

In his i)o!itical \'iews Mr. Siegrist was 
an earnest re])ublic;ui, unfaltering in his 
allegiance to the part}- yet not acti\-e as 
an office seeker. In his religious faith 
he was a Lutheran, while his fraternal re- 
lations were with the (irand .\rnn- of the 
Republic, at Xiota. He was a man of up- 
right and honorable principles, ever loyal 
in citizenship and faithful to the ties ni 
friendship, and thus his death was the 
occasion of deep regret throughout the 
coniiuunity in which he had so long lived 
and labored. 



HIRA^I KOOXTZ. 

Hiram Koontz, deceased, who. coming 
to Hancock county at an early day, opened 



up a new farni which he dexelojjed and 
culti\-ated successfulh- for nian\- years, 
was born in rortage countv, ( )hio, De- 
cember 14, 1841, his parents Iieiug Wil- 
liam and Catherine ( Stanljaugh ) Koontz. 
The father was a farmer aud plasterer 
and came to Illinois in the earl\- '50s, 
settling- at Camden, Schuyler county, 
where the_\- lived for many years. There 
the mother died in August, 1876, while 
the father's death occurred in Astoria, 
this state, in 1889. liotli were members 
of the L'nited Brethren church. Their 
family nun-ibered sixteen children, of 
whom three are Uxiug: William, a resi- 
dent of Camden: Dora, the wife of Jo- 
seph Dunham, of I'ittsrteld, Illinois: and 
David, of East St. Louis, Illinois. 

Hiram Koontz was a young lad at the 
tin-ie of the ))areuts' removal to Illinois 
and his education was largely acquired 
in the public >chools of Camden. \\'hen 
not bus\- with his text-liooks he assisted 
his father in the work of the farm and 
remained with his jjarents until nearly 
twent}--one }-ears of age. He spent a 
year and a half in .St. Louis, Missouri, 
where he learned the trade of a broom 
maker ;uid later he engaged in farming 
for a \-ear or n-iore at Camden. On the 
expiration of that period he settled oh a 
farm on sections 10 aud 11 in Augusta 
township, which he purchased from his 
father, comiM"ising two hundred and one 
aud a half acres of laiid that was then 
covered with timber. He cut awa>- the 
trees, took out the stumps and placed all 
of the improvements upon the property, 
transferring it from a wild tract into one 
of rich fertility, frorn wdiich he annually 
gathered goods crops. He w-as a general 



590 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



farmer, carrying on his business with 
good success. In his work he displayed 
close application and unremitting dili- 
gence, which are always substantial ele- 
ments upon which to build prosperity. 

On the 30th of May, 1874, Mr. Koontz 
was married to Miss Ethalinda Miller, 
who was born in Millwood, Knox county, 
Ohio, December 8, 1849, a daughter of 
Michael H. and Mary Ann (Garrett) 
Miller. Her father was born in Cham- 
bersburg", Pennsylvania, February 8, 
1819, and died in Dallas City, Illinois, 
March 26, 1906, at the age of eighty- 
seven years. In early life he learned the 
tailor's trade and visited every state in 
the Union before settling at Millwood. 
Ohio. He wedded Miss Mary A. Gar- 
rett. September 19, 1843, and they be- 
came the parents of seven children, of 
whom two died in infancy, the others 
being: \\'illiam A., now of La Harpe, 
Illinois ; Elizabeth, the wife of Marion 
\A'alker, of Dallas City; Ethalinda, now 
Mrs. Koontz ; Jacob, who resides in Dal- 
las Citv : and Anna, the wife of L. K. 
Symmonds, of Dallas township. In 1854 
Mr. Miller removed with his family from 
Ohio to Dallas City, Illinois. He had 
pre\'iiiusly served as postmaster and cor- 
oner at Millwood and his political alle- 
giance was given to the democracy. In 
Dallas City he filled the office of justice 
of the peace. He likewise had a military 
record, having been appointed captain of 
Company C, of the First Rifles of the 
Second Brigade during the ^tlexican war 
but the command was never sent to the 
front. In 1902 he was converted and bap- 
tized. His wife, who was bom in Martins- 
burg. Knox county, Ohio, in 1826, was a 



daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Schaff- 
ner) Garrett, in whose family were ten 
children, of whom two are living, Mrs. 
Miller, and \Villiam, who resides in the 
Indian Territory. Mr. and Mrs. Miller 
lived together as man and wife for sixty- 
two years and at his death he left a widow, 
twenty grandchildren, ' nineteen great- 
grandchildren and three great-great- 
grandchildren. He was buried in Dallas 
City cemetery and thus departed this life 
a good man honored by eveiwone where- 
ever known. 

Mr. and Mrs. Koontz ])ecanie the par- 
ents of seven children, all of whom were 
born on the farm in Augusta township, 
where she now resides. These are : \\\\- 
liam, born July 30, 1875; Clara, Decem- 
ber 24, 1876; Lottie M., June 25, 1879; 
Laura Ellen, January 18, 1881 ; Lewis H., 
January 7, 1883 ; Daisy E., October 20, 
"1884: and Jesse A., July 3, 1888. Of 
this number- three have passed away. All 
were educated at Augusta and the living 
members of the family are yet at home. 

Mr. Koontz voted with the Republican 
party and regarded it as the duty as well 
as the privilege of every American citi- 
zen to cast a ballot in support of the 
measures which he deemed most con- 
ducive to good government. He did not 
seek nor desire office, however, as a re- 
ward for party fealty. He held member- 
ship in the Methodist church of Augusta, 
of which his wife was also a devoted 
member and his christian faith was one 
of the strong elements in his life. More- 
over he was a most enterprising man who 
worked hard and long in order to secure 
a good home for his family, and at his 
death, which occurred on the 19th of Au- 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



591 



gust, 1889, he was enabled to leave to his 
family a comfortable competence. He 
was respected and esteemed wherever 
known and most of all was best liked 
where best known — a fact which indi- 
cates that his life was upright and honor- 
able. He had many friends who as well 
as his wife and children deeply regretted 
his death. Mrs. Koontz still lives upon 
the home farm and owns two hundred 
and forty-one and a half acres of excel- 
lent land, from which she derives a good 
income. She likewise owns town prop- 
erty in Plymouth and she is devoting her 
life to the careful rearing of her family 
who are a credit to her name. 



S. H. ALDRIDGE. 

S. H. Aldridge, filling the position of 
postmaster at Plymouth, is also engaged 
in the insurance and real estate business, 
and as an official and business man has 
made a creditable record. He was born 
in Windsor. Shelby county. Illinois. 
March 23. 1857, and is a son of Dr. 
Hugh Hunter and Mary Jane (Harlan) 
Aldridge. The ancestry can be traced 
back to Geoffrey Aldridge. who wedded 
^lary Jones, a lad}' of Irish birth. His 
paternal grandfather. Joel Aldridge, was 
born in Petersburg, Virginia, February 
22. 1794. and wedded Mary Ann Hunter. 
also of that place, on the 24th of April. 
181 6. They were farming people, and 
in 1830 removed to Kentucky, whence 
in 1835 they went to Macoupin county, 
Illinois. Dr. H. H. Aldridge was born in 



Petersburg, Virginia, February 6, 1S17, 
and was reared in Kentucky. He came 
to Illinois when about twenty-one years 
of age, and engaged in carpentering in 
Macoupin county. He was married in 
Sangamon county, Illinois, in 1848, to 
Miss Mary Jane Harlan, who was born 
in that county, and it was subsequent to 
his marriage that he took up the study of 
medicine and engaged in its practice. He 
lost his first wife in 1863, and later he 
married Miss Elizabeth Edwards, a na- 
tive of Illinois, whose father was county 
clerk of Coles county, this state. By the 
first marriage there were six children, of 
whom four are now living: Hattie, the 
wife of James A. Price, who is living 
near Windsor. Illinois; Illinois L., the 
wife of John P. Rose, who also resides 
near Windsor: S. H., of this review : and 
Georgia M., who is a trained nurse in 
Brooklyn, New York. Unto Dr. Ald- 
ridge by his second marriage there were 
born four daughters: Florence X.. Ina 
yi.. Adella ]M., and Sue D., only one of 
whom. Florence N., who is Mrs. W. B. 
Brown, of ^^'oods county, Oklahoma, 
with whom the mother is now living. 

S. H. Aldridge acquired his education 
in the public schools of his native town 
and afterward became connected with the^ 
drug trade there, in which he continued 
until about eighteen years ago. when he 
came to Plymouth. Here he established 
a drug store, conducting the business until 
1897, when he was appointed postmaster 
of Plymouth, in which capacity he has 
since sen'ed, having been reappointed. 
He has also engaged in the insurance and 
real estate business, and as a land agent 
has secured a good clientage. 



592 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl 7/i/r 



111 1885 Atr. Aldridj^e was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Alaudc M. P^Iowers, who 
was born in Ohio, in 1857, a daughter of 
Benjamin Flowers, wlio was a native of 
Ohio. The father was a miller, farmer 
and engineer, and lived and died in Wind- 
sor, Illinois. His family numbered five 
children, of whom four are living: Ilat- 
tie, now a resident of Ohio ; Leila, the wife 
of Amos Alesser, an ex-sheriff of Coles 
county, Illinois, and a retired farmer; 
Airs. Ahlridge; Lydia, the wife of ( ieorge 
AlcCain, who is part owner of an elevator 
in Coles county, 'Illinois : and Augustus, 
whn is clerking in Alattdon, this state. 
The death of Mrs. Aldridge occurred in 
July, 1887, and her remains were laid to 
rest in the cemetery at Windsor. She 
left one daughter. Maude K. Aldridge, 
whn was graduated in June, 1906. from 
the I'lym.iuth high school. On Thanks- 
giving day of 1892 Mr. .Mdridge was 
married to Miss Lena Parker, who was 
born in Ohio, in 1870, and is a daughter 
of Willis and Eliza Parker, natives of 
Ohio. Her father is now deceased. ;ind 
the mother .spends a part of her time with 
Mrs. Aldridge, who is the voungest of a 
family of five cliildren. the others being: 
Etta, the wife of L. V. Brown, of Pl\-- 
mouth; Xora, the wife of DeForest Hub- 
bard, of Chicago; Ambrose, living in 
Richmond, Indiana; and Raleigh, a resi- 
dent of Logansport, Indiana. By his 
second marriage Air. Aldrige has had two 
children, both born in Phanouth : Alurrel, 
who was four years of age in July, 1906, 
and Maurine, who was two years of age 
in Decemlier, 1906. Mrs. Aldridge is a 
member of the Congregational church. 
Theirs is a ])leasant and attractive resi- 



dence on Virginia street in Plymouth, and 
Air. Aldridge is one of the prominent 
men of the town, taking an active interest 
in all thai pertains to its growth, devel- 
opment and substantial im])ro\ement. He 
possesses a generous .spirit and kindl\- dis- 
position, and is recognized as a man of 
much abilitv. 



TRUMAX PLAXTZ. 

Truman Plantz, a resident of War.saw 
and engaged in the [iractice of law, was 
born in k'nltoii county, Xew York, Xo- 
vember 17, 1800, and came to \\"arsaw 
at the age of six vears. 

His parents were Peter W. and Jea- 
nette ( Higbee) Plantz, who removed with 
their family tn this state, where they re- 
sided for many _\-ears and here the father 
died in 189C), at the age of sevent}'-eight 
years. 1 'eter W. Plantz was an attorney, 
practicing in the state of Xew York, but 
ne\-er followed the profession actively 
after coming to the west, his attention 
Ijeing gi\en to ci\il engineering. His 
wife sur\i\ed him until 1901, dying at 
the age of seventy-seven }-ears. In their 
family were five children : Oliver, who 
died in infancy; Charles B., who is chief 
train dispatcher for the Toledo, Peoria & 
\\'estern Railroad, resides in Peoria, Illi- 
nois: P'annie AT, the widow of Charles 
S. Green, residing in \\'arsaw ; William, 
who died in 1879, at the age of twenty- 
one vears; and Truman. 



HAXCOCK COUNTV. ILLIXOIS. 



593 



'J'ruman Plantz was educated in tlie 
public schools of Warsaw and after put- 
ting aside his text-books, devoted eleven 
years to railroad work, acting at differ- 
ent times as telegraph operator, baggage- 
man, brakeman and conductor, filling the 
last mentioned piisiti(_)n during the last 
seven years of his connection with the rail- 
road ser\-ice, with the Tijledo, Peoria & 
Western Railroad, fn 1890 he withdrew 
from that position, ha\ing determined to 
become a memlier of the bar. In the 
meantime he had taken up the stud}- of 
law. and for about six months pursued his 
reading in the office of D. F. Miller, Jr., 
of I-veokuk, Iowa. 

In 1891 he was admitted to the bar 
at Springfield, and at once entered into 
the practice of law in Warsaw. He was 
for some time a member of the firm of 
Plantz & Hartzell, and afterwards of the 
firm of Hooker, Plantz & Hartzell. He 
is now the senior partner of the firm of 
Plantz & Lamet. \h. Plantz is the gen- 
eral attorney for the Modern Woodmen 
of America, the largest fraternal benefi- 
ciary society in the United States, having 
Ijeen elected to the office in March 1903. 
He became a member i:)f this order in 
1895, joining at Warsaw and has held 
the office of Consul in the local lodge and 
was appointed and served as one of the 
law committee of the society for six years 
prior to becoming general attorne\'. 

Mr. Plantz is also a member of the 
Order of the Railway Conductors. He 
has been prominent and influential in local 
political circles and for several years was 
alderman of this city. He has also been 
mayor for three terms, retiring from the 
ofifice about 1898. The fact that be was 



twice re-elected is an indication of his 
caijabilit}' and the confidence reposed in 
him b}- his fellow townsmen. He was a 
candidate for congress on the democratic 
ticket in 1892 and 1894 and is now a 
member of the democratic state commit- 
tee, hor the past ten vears he has been 
president of the board of education, the 
cause of education finding in him a stal- 
wart ad\'ocate. who has done effecti\'e 
work in behalf of the public sclioi.)ls. 

On the 1 8th of August, 1890, Mr. 
Plantz was married to Miss Helen 
Dallam, a daughter of I'"rancis and Anna 
M. Dallam. They had Ijorn to them one 
child, Truman, who is a student in the 
Warsaw schools. ]\Irs. Plantz died Xo- 
\-eniher 15, 1904, at Warsa\v. Mr. 
Plantz is kind, unaffected ami approach- 
able and everv comer has a claim upon his 
attention. 



CARTHAGE FREE PUBLIC 
LIBRARY. 

This institution was founded in 1893 
through the efforts of a few women of 
Cartbag'e, organized as the Columbian 
Library Association and ha\ing a dollar 
anil a half in their treasury. Mrs. \\'il- 
liani C. Hooker, the president and an 
enthusiast in the work, called a meeting 
of the citizens at the home of Mrs. 
Amanda E. Shultz. At this meeting 
Ex-Mayor A. \\'. OTiarra encouraged 
the women to continue their efforts. For 
several months receptions and market 
(lavs were held. Dr. E. M. Robbins. 



594 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



mayor, being appealed to for help, ap- 
pointed a board of directors as follows : 
Messrs. M. P. Berry. A. N. Cherrill, C. 
J. Scofield and D. E. Alack and Mesdames 
William C. Hooker. S. L. Botts, Mary 
Robbins, Elizabeth Cherill and Mrs. 
Duane Pennock. Mrs. \\'illiam C. Hook- 
er was made president of this board and 
held the position until her death in Feb- 
ruary. Il)00. 

M. P. Berry offered to give the sum of 
five hundred dollars toward starting" a 
public library, providing a like sum to 
be given by the citizens. In a short time 
six hundred and twelve dollars were 
subscribed to insure Air. Berry's gift. 
The library, now Ijeing an assured fact, 
was opened to the pujjlic March lo. 1894. 
with two thousand one hundred and thir- 
ty-six books on the shelves. Two courses 
of lectures were arranged for, several of 
our prominent men and women giving 
time and talent toward the success of this 
enterprise. A third course was given by 
AI. P. Berry on his trip to Europe. The 
different churches were offered free of 
charge for these lectures and accepted by 
the Carthage Librar}- Association. The 
first year of the librarv's existence was 
spent in a room owned ])y John Culk'in 
and given by him free of rent. The new 
city hall being completed soon after this, 
the library moved into two rooms up- 
stairs furnished by the cit}'. Airs. AI. P. 
Berry was elected to fill ATrs. Hooker's 
place as president of the Carthage Li- 
brary Association .and held office until 
her death. November 6, 1902. Novem- 
ber, 1900, the library was moved and 
]iermanentl\- located in the lower room 
of the citv hall. Air. AI. P. Berrv having 



oft'ered to fit up this room, providing the 
city make it the home of the library, and 
it now has very pleasant cjuarters. 

The library now consists of forty-four 
hundred volumes, the average number 
loaned per week being two hundred. 
The circulating" department is open everj- 
Saturday afternoon from one to five and 
from seven to nine p. m. The reading 
room is open every evening during the 
week from seven to nine o'clock. The 
reference rooms and current lite'rature of 
this room are free for the use of all who 
may desire to come to the library. Lega- 
cies have been received by the librai-y 
as follows: August 9, 1898. from the 
Swartz estate, one hundred and forty-six 
dollars and twenty cents: November 10, 
1900, one thousand dollars by the will of 
^^'illis Bernethy: in 1902, thirty-five dol- 
lars by the will of Judge Chellis Hooker, 
and July 6, 1906. five hundred dollars 
was left by Mrs. Elizabeth Cherrill to the 
g"eneral fund. The city by appropriation 
provides for the running expenses of the 
library. The books are free to the resi- 
dents and non-residents can purchase 
membership tickets at two dollars per 
year. The Carthage Library Association 
still continues its work for the libraiw 
with Mrs. A. W. O'Harra as president, 
she having" held this position since Airs. 
Berry's death. Airs. Duane Pennock is 
and has been librarian ever since the li- 
braiy has been opened. Although she 
has never received a veiw large compen- 
sation for her services. \q\ she has been 
faithful and untiring in the discharg-e of 
her many duties and her efforts have 
aided ven' materially in making the li- 
brarv what it is todav. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



595 



C. J. ROBINSON. 

C. J. Robinson, in whose business in- 
tegrity and enterprise are found the secret 
of his success, is now conducting a gen- 
eral merchandise store in Pontoosuc, and 
is accounted one of the leading business 
men of the village. A son of William 
and Mary Ann (Howard) Robinson, his 
birth occurred in an old log house in Dal- 
las townshii), July 5, 1S73. His parents 
were also natives of the same township. 
The father, who was born in 1849, was a 
farmer by occupation and served in the 
Civil war as a member of the Sixty-fifth 
Regiment of Illinois Volunteers. Both 
he and his wife are now living at Colusa. 
In their famil_\' were nine children : \\'\\- 
liam H., deceased; C. J., of this review; 
Leonette, the wife of \\'illiam B. Thaner, 
of Mason City, Illinois ; Emma, the wife 
of Clarence Dry, of Burnside, Illinois ; 
Clara, wdio married John Lamb, of Pon- 
toosuc, Illinois ; Mintie, who died at the 
age of thirteen years: Mary A., the wife 
of George Lamb, formerly of Pontoosuc, 
but now of Colusa ; Gladys, at home ; and 
Christina, who died in infancy. 

C. J. Robinson attended the Pontoosuc 
scliools from the age of nine vears until 
nineteen years of age. Then his parents 
moxing to Colusa, he attended the Camp 
Creek school, where he studied book- 
keeping under the direction of his 
mother's cousin, Dwight Hubbard, until 
twenty-one years of age, and remained at 
home during that time. He then took 
up his abode in the village of Pontoosuc 
and secured employment in the Snake 
Den stone quarries where he was em- 
ployed in the fall of 1894. On Decem- 



ber 2. 1904, he secured a clerkship in the 
store of Charles Price, of Pontoosuc. A 
short time afterward he became a clerk in 
the Star shoe store in Fort iMadison, Iowa, 
On the 8th of April, 1895, he opened in 
Pontoosuc a branch store fur the firm of 
Rollosson Brothers, of Dallas City, and 
continued as manager until the 13th of 
June, 1900, when he purchased the store, 
which he has since conducted with con- 
stantl}- growing success. It is now one 
of the leading stores in the village and he 
has built up a good trade, which is con- 
stantly increasing. He carries a large 
line of carefully selected goods, endeavors 
earnestly to meet the wishes of his patrons 
and by reason of fair prices and honorable 
dealing has won a goodly share of the 
[patronage. 

In the spring of 1898 Mr. Robinson 
was married to Miss Ella jNI. Congrove, 
who was liorn in Ohio, August 19, 1879, 
and is a daughter of A. V. and Caroline 
(Harper) Congrove, both of whom are 
natives of Ohio. Her father was ownier 
and proprietor of a threshing machine, 
which he operated for twenty-seven sea- 
sons in Hancock county and he is now 
running a huckster wagon for his son- 
in-law, Mr. Robinson, with whom he 
li\'es. His wife died about 1896, when 
forty-six or forty-seven years of age. In 
their family were five children : Hilas, 
now living in Bendena, Kansas; Lorena, 
the wife of Casper Clark, of Dallas City, 
Illinois; E. H., of Bendena, Kansas; Ari- 
zona, the wife of Fred Urban, of Pontoo- 
suc ; and Mrs. Robinson. 

Our subject and his wife now have a 
pleasant home at the corner of Mercer 
and Fifth streets, which property he owns. 



596 



BIOGRAPHICAL RE] lEW 



Tliey arc imw ])arciUs of twd children: 
Millie Beatrice, burn in Pontoosuc. June 
2. 1898: and William H., born February 
7, 1902. Mr. Robinson is a ixpublican, 
active in the ranks oi the party and he has 
served as \-illage treasurer and alsd as 
villas'e clerk. He belunos to the Modem 
\\ oodmen camp, which he joined on its 
organization and for fuur or five years 
thereafter he served as its clerk. He like- 
wise belongs to the Illinois Bankers' LJfe 
Association, and his wife is a member of 
the Christian church, also the Royal 
Neighbors. Both are representatives of 
families which ha\e creditable military 
histories. John A. Roljinson, an undo 
of our subject, ser\ed throughout the 
Civil war, while Franklin Pierce, an uncle 
of Mr. Robinson, was in the Spanish- 
American war, Ijeing one of the Rough 
Riders of Colonel l\o(ise\elt. He died in 
Wichita, Kansas, December i, 1900. 
Major Robinson, the grandfather of C. 
J. Robinson, was active in the ]\'Iormon 
war of 1844. The faniil_\- is an old and 
prominent one of this |)art of the state 
and from pioneer times the representa- 
ti\es of the name lia\-e l)een loval to the 
Ijest interests of the communit}- and have 
Co-operated in manv mo\-ements restilting 
in its material nroo-ress. 



DE WaXT C. WOOD. 

De \\'itt C. \\'ood, who for many \-ears 
has resided in Hancock county and is 
now li\dng retired in Augusta, was Imrn 



in Orange county. Xew Vork. about for- 
t_\- miles from X'ew York city on the 8th 
of March, 1827, a son of Jesse and Jane 
(Tunison) Wood. The father was a na- 
ti\e of New York state and throughout 
his entire life followed farming, spending 
his last years upi)n the farm where his 
birth occurred. He had then reached the 
age of eight_\-three years and nine 
months. His wife, a native of Xew Jer- 
sey, was a daughter of (larrett Tunison. 
who ser\'ed as a sergeant in the American 
.\rm\- in the Re\olutionar\- war Mrs. 
Wood also dieil u]ion the old hom.'steid 
farm in ( )range county. She was tlie 
mother of thirteen children, of whom two 
are now li\ing. 

De Witt C. Wo()d acc|uired his edu- 
cation in the schools of his nati\e town- 
ship and in the acadenu' at Chester. Xew 
A orlc. and when liberal a(l\aiUages h:id 
well f(ualified him for life's ])ractical and 
responsible duties he resumed work upon 
his father's farm, where he remained for 
se\eral }'ears. He then turned his atten- 
tion to railroading as a brakeman on the 
lM"ie Railroad, occupying that position for 
fourteen months, when he Ijecame fore- 
man on a construction train. He con- 
tinued in that ser\ice until 185^;. when 
he came to Illinois attracted l\v its o]i- 
portunities and business development of 
the new and growing west. Locating at 
Joliet he worked on the Chicago & Alton 
Railroad, making a cut of iwenty-two 
feet. He afterward retmaied to the Em- 
pire state in 1854, but later in that year 
ag^ain came to Illinois and was train 
baggageman from Chicago to St. Louis 
on the Chicago & Alton Railroad, occu- 
p\-ing that position for almost a year. 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



597 



Again he w.ent U> New York and for 
tweh'e years thereafter worked upon his 
father's farm. Tims he resided in his 
native state ahiKjst continuously for for- 
ty-two years, after which he again came 
to llhnois, arriving in 1869 in the viUage 
of Augitsta, where he now resides. Here 
he has been engaged principaHy in gar- 
dening and has well cultivated gardens, 
the products (jf which find a ready sale 
on the market liecause of size, (juality 
and flavor in addition to the honorable 
business methods of "Sir. Wood. A life 
of industry has bri:)Ught to him a fair 
measure of success. 

In 1849 Mr. Wood was married to 
Aliss Elizabeth Hallock, who was born 
at Sugarloaf, New York, and died leav- 
ing two children. Charles H. died of 
heart failure when twenty years of age 
while attending the services of the Chris- 
tian church in Augusta. Elizal)eth is the 
wife of Frank Nation, a resident of Chi- 
cago and they ha\'e three children. Ralph, 
Clinton and Charles. Mrs. Elizalieth 
Wood died and was buried at the oUl 
Imme [ilace in Xew York. For his second 
wife Mr. Wood clmse Miss Jane Cogan, 
who was born in Troy, Xew ^'o^k. and 
was a daughter of John and Ann ( Foy) 
Cogan. both of whom were nati\'es of Ire- 
land, whence they came to the United 
States on their wedding trip. Thev In- 
cated in Xew York city, where they re- 
sided for some time and afterward re- 
moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 
Both parents, however, passed awa\- in 
the Empire state, the mother being killed 
by the cars. Mrs. Wood was educated in 
Xew York and was one of a famil}- of 
nine children, three of whom are ^et 



living. By her marriage she became the 
mother of two children. Daisy and Wini- 
fred. The former was born in .Vugusta 
in the house in which Mr. WOod now re- 
sides. She is a teacher in the public 
schools here, having followed the pro- 
fession for seven years, subsequent to her 
graduation from the high sc!k)o1. She 
also possesses considerable artistic talent 
and does veiy good work in pastel paint- 
ing. Winifred, also born in the home in 
which she is living, accpiired her early ed- 
ucation in the schotjls of Augusta and 
afterward attended the X(5rthern Indiana 
Xiirmal School at Valparaiso. Indiana. 
She is now clerk in the large department 
store of F. M. King', of Augusta. 

j\lr. Wood is a republican from princi- 
ple but does not seek office as a reward for 
partv fealty. He is well known in the 
town where he resides, hax'ing long made 
his home here and the family is one of 
social ])rominence. occup_\-ing an enviable 
position where culture and intelligence 
are received as passports into gootl 
societ\'. 



WILLIAM G. WEBB. 

William ( i-. Weblj is a nati\e nf .Vjipa- 
noose township where he still makes his 
home. His birth occttrred January 5, 
7848. and he is the second son in a family 
(if three sons and one daughter, whose 
parents were \\'illiam and Harriett ( Bald- 
win ) Webb. 'Idiis was the father's second 
marriage. In his I)iiyh(Hi(l da}s William 
G. Webb remained u]ion the home farm 



598 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



and from an earl)' age was compelled tu 
work in the lields. When but a young 
lad he would rake and bind grain and do 
all kinds of tasks incident to the raising 
of crops. As his age and strength per- 
mitted he undcrto(.ik greater responsibili- 
ties and more arduous duties in connection 
with the farm work and he thus early 
became familiar with agricultural inter- 
ests in e\ery department. His school 
privileges were somewhat limited but he 
has become a well informed man through 
reading, observation and experience in 
later years. He remained at home until 
twenty-four years of age, when he was 
married to Miss Laura V. Davis, the wed- 
ding being celebrated on the 28th of 
February, 1872. Mrs. Webb was born in 
Coltnnbiana county, Ohio, July i, 1852, 
and was about three years old when she 
accompanied her parents on their removal 
to Hancock county. She, too, acquired 
a common-school education, while spend- 
ing her girlhood days in the home of her 
parents, John T. and Elenore (Burton) 
Davis, the former a native of Maryland, 
and the latter of Ohio. Her maternal 
grandparents were \A'illiam and Rebecca 
(Stoddard) Burton. The marriage of 
Mr. and Mrs. Webb was blessed with a 
family of seven children : Elenore May, 
who was born November 22, 1872, and 
is the wife of Samuel Gnann, of Appa- 
noose township ; Albert Erwin, who was 
born February 7, 1874, and is living in 
the same township ; Florence Laura, who 
was born February 9, 1876, and is the 
wife of Henry Siegrist, of Appanoose 
township; Josephine Harriet, who was 
born August 7, 1878, and is at home; 
Vincent Giles, who was born January 7, 



1887, and died January 22, 1898; Orville 
C. \\ ayne, wlio was born February 4, 
1890, and is yet with his parents; and 
Sydney Thomas, who was born June 21, 
1892, and completes the family. 

It was subsequent to his marriage that 
Mr. Webb invested his earnings in eighty 
acres of land on the south half of a quar- 
ter section, upon which he had previously 
lived. It was an improved place, at one 
time occupied by the Mormons and all of 
the buildings which he there found have 
been replaced by more commodious and 
modern structures. The residence is a 
substantial frame one of seven rooms and 
there are good barns and other outbuild- 
ings. ]\Ir. Webb at once undertook the 
task of developing and improving his 
place and the fields are now richly tilled. 
so that the threshing season is a busy 
time upon the \\'ebb farm, while in the 
later autumn good crops of corn are also 
gathered. He likew'ise raises shorthorn 
cattle, Poland China hogs and Shropshire 
sheep. Following his father's death Mr. 
Webb inherited eighty acres of land on 
section 35, Appanoose township, and he 
also bought eighty acres, of which one 
half is on section 34, and the remainder 
on section 33, Appanoose township. This, 
however, he sold to his son, Albert E. 
Webb, in the fall of 1899. Still actively 
engaged in the management of his farm, 
he is a business man whose alert and en- 
terprising spirit has been manifest in his 
capable conduct of his interests as the 
years have gone by. He was early 
trained to habits of industry and economy 
and these proved important factors in his 
success in after years. A faithful mem- 
ber of the Presbyterian church, he has 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



599 



served as elder since 1903. He belonos 
to Temple lodge. No. 222. Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows, at Xauvoo, and ti 1 
the Modern Woodmen camp there. 
Interested in politics to the extent of 
giving hearty and earnest snpport to the 
principles which he believes are most con- 
ducive to good government, his fellow 
townsmen have recognized his devotion 
to the public good and have elected him 
to some local offices. For twelve \ears 
he served as commissioner of liigh\va}-s 
and as collector for one year, in which 
connection his duties have been ]iri>mptly 
and faithfully performed. 



GEORGE H. SLIXGERLAXD. 

George H. Slingerland owns and I'p- 
erates a fann of one hundred and si.xty 
acres on sections 15 and 10, Augusta 
township. He was born in Sloansville. 
Schoharie county. New York, Novem- 
ber 14. i<S49. and his parents. Henry and 
Maria { Machin) Slingerland. were like- 
wise natives of the same locality. The 
mother was a daughter of Thomas 
Machin. who defended the interests of 
tlie colonies as a captain in the Re\-olu- 
tionary war. In 1856 the father Ijrought 
his famiK' to Hancock countv. Illinois, 
where he followed the occupation of 
farming, to which he had also given his 
attention in the Empire state. He died 
in the early '80s, while his wife survived 
untjl 1896 and both were buried in .\u- 
gusta cemeter}'. 
38 



George H. Slingerland is the only one 
of their fi\e children now living. He 
was a lad of six years when brought to 
this county and his early education was 
acquired in Augusta, while later he con- 
tinued his studies in Union Classical In- 
stitute and L'nion College. Schenectady, 
X'ew York. He continued under the 
parental roof until of age and then start- 
ed out in life on his own account. On 
the T3th of January. 1885. he married 
Jennie Reynolds, who was born in Xe- 
iiraska in 1859. a daughter of David and 
Elizabeth ( Lock) Reynolds. Her fa- 
ther, a nati\'e of New York, came to Illi- 
nois in 1855. He devoted his life to 
school teaching and fanning and passed 
away in 1872. his remains being laid to 
rest in Greeley, Colorado. His widow, 
who was born in Schuyler county. Illi- 
nois, is nc:)w 1i\"ing in Kansas. Their 
children were; Hattie. now the wife of 
John McEarlan, of Colby, Kansas: and 
Jennie, the wife oi our subject. The 
great-grandfather and two great-uncles 
of Mrs. Slingerland were valiant soldiers 
of the Revolutionary war. 

Following- their marriage Mr. Slinger- 
land settled on a farm in Augusta town- 
ship, comprising one hundred and sixty 
acres on sections 15 and 10. Here he 
has since engaged in tilling the soil and 
raising stock. He is a reijublican but 
without aspiration for office, and fra- 
ternally he is a Mason. Knight of Pythias 
and Woodman. In all these orders he is 
a valued factor, for his life is in harmony 
with the principles and tenets of the dif- 
ferent societies. In a review of his life 
it will be seen that he merits the compli- 
ment implied in the term a "self-made 



6oo 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



man," for all that he possesses has been 
obtained throue-li his own labor. 



ABNER MURPHY. 

Abner Murphy, whose memory is cher- 
ished in Augusta, where he made his 
home, by many friends who long enter- 
tained for him warm regard and respect, 
was born in Adams county, Ohio, No- 
vember 15, 1822, and died in this village 
September 11, 1898. He was the young- 
est in a family of eleven children born 
unto Robert and Elizabeth (Clifford) 
Murphy, the former a native of Penn- 
sylvania and the latter of Ohio. The fa- 
ther was a farmer by occupation and be- 
came one of the early settlers of Adams 
county. Ohio, where he lived until his 
death, his wife also passing away at the 
old homestead in that county. Both were 
well advanced in years, the mother hav- 
ing reached the venerable age of ninety 
years when called to her final rest. 

Abner Murphy acquired his education 
in the place of his nativity, after which 
he engaged in teaching in the district 
schools in his native county. He re- 
mained a resident of Ohio until about 
twenty-seven years of age, when, in 1850, 
he came to Illinois and was engaged in 
teaching for a number of years in Brown 
and Schuyler counties. 

In i860 Mr. Murphy was united in 
marriage to Miss Bethania Billiter, who 
was born in Butler county, Ohio, a 
daughter of John and Mary (Stroup) 
Billiter. both of whom were natives of 



North Carolina, whence they removed to 
Kentucky, remaining in this state for a 
short time, while later they resided in 
Butler county, Ohio, where the father 
engaged in farming for a number of 
\ears. He then removed with his family 
to Clay county, Indiana, where he also 
engaged in agricultural pursuits and 
some years later he came to Illinois, lo- 
cating near Camden, where he engaged in 
farming until his death, which occurred 
when he was sixtj-five years of age. The 
mother survived him for a number of 
years and passed away at the age of sev- 
enty-five. 

Subsequent to his marriage Mr. Mur- 
phy spent a year in Missouri, after which 
he returned to Illinois and came to Au- 
gusta in 1876. having in the mexuitime 
lived in various places. He followed 
farming in Adams county, the greater 
part of his land extending over the bor- 
der line into that county although his 
home was in Hancock county. He re- 
mained there for about four years before 
coming to Augusta and he owned eighty 
acres of land, which he sold before tak- 
ing up his abode in this village, where 
his remaining days were passed. For 
about thirteen years his brother and sis- 
ter. Kiibert and Rebecca Murphy made 
their home with him until they were 
called to their final rest about two years 
before his demise. Shortly before com- 
ing to Augusta Mr. Murphy of this re- 
view purchased a home in the northern 
part of the village, where his widow still 
resides and here he lived retired in the 
enjoyment of a well earned rest. He 
made an addition to the house and trans- 
formed it into a verv comfortable home. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



60 1 



Mr. Murphy was a man of sterling 
business integrity and industrs' and was 
always true to his convictions as a citi- 
zen and faithful to his professions as a 
believer in the Christian faith. In his 
family he was devoted to the welfare of 
the members of his household and was 
considerate of all who knew him in ev- 
ery relation of life. The poor and needy 
found in him a warm friend, whose sym- 
pathy was often manifest by his assist- 
ance. He held membership in the Ma- 
sonic fraternity, being a charter member 
of the blue lodge at Camden, Illinois, 
and throughout his entire life he mani- 
fested the beneficent spirit of the craft. 
His political allegiance was given to the 
democracy and for one term he held the 
ofiice of supervisor of Augusta township. 
His remains were interred in the ceme- 
tery at Augusta and his. death was deeply 
deplored by all who knew him, because 
he had ever displayed the sterling traits 
of character which win warm friendships 
and strong regard. 



THOMAS CRAWFORD. 

Thomas Crawford devoted his life to 
general farming and stock-raising and 
while carrying on his business interests 
developed a character that made him an 
exemplary citizen and a man whom to 
know was to respect and honor. He 
guided his life by high principles, was 
kind-hearted, generous and enterprising, 



and at all times and under all relations 
commanded the respect and esteem of 
those with whom he was associated. 
Born in Nicholas county, Kentucky, 
July 8, 181 2, he was a son of William and 
Alzira (Doughty) Crawford. The father 
a Kentucky farmer, went to Adams coun- 
ty, Illinois, in 1831, and lived in Quincy 
until the spring of 1832, while later he 
entered land in Wythe township, Hancock 
county, for a dollar and a quarter per acre. 
He lived in a log house and knew all of 
the experiences and hardship of pioneer 
life. Indians were still seen in the neigh- 
borhood and there was much wild game, 
including deer. He was a man of brave 
and resolute spirit, as manifest in his pio- 
neer life. His death occurred in Mis- 
souri in 1869, while his wife passed away 
in 1846. He was buried in Wilco.x town- 
ship and his wife in Walker township in 
a private burying-ground known as the 
Hatchett burying-ground. In their fam- 
ily were seven children. The parents 
were most highly esteemed as worthy 
pioneer people, who contributed in large 
and substantial measure to the early de- 
velopment of the county and whose in- 
fluence was ever given on the side of 
right, progress, justice and truth, 

Thomas Crawford was educated in the 
public schools of Kentucky and when 
eighteen years of age accompanied his 
parents on their removal to Illinois. In 
1839 he wedded Jane M. Stockton, a 
native of Tennessee and a daughter of 
Samuel and Sarah Stockton, who were 
also born in that state and have now- 
passed away. In their family were eleven 
children. The father was a soldier of the 
war of 1812. Mrs. Crawford died in 1847, 



6o2 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI'IEIV 



leaving five cliildren, of whom two are 
now living': Lanra A., the widow of 
L'riah C. Seaton and a resident of Colo- 
rado, having one clanghter, Jessie, who 
is a trained nurse in that state: Alzira V.. 
who is the wife of John K. Stockton, of 
Colorado, by whom she has three chil- 
dren; Sarah, who married H. O. Knox 
and died in 1875. On the 25th of March-, 
1849, Mr. Crawford wedded Serepta J. 
Doughty, who was born in Kentucky in 
1829, a daughter of James and Mary 
(McMahan) Doughty, natives of Ken- 
tucky. Her father, a farmer by occupa- 
tion, located in Wilcox township, Han- 
cock county, Illinois, in 1843 and his 
original home here was a log cabin, but 
as the years passed he prospered and be- 
came owner of a comfortable modern 
residence. Both he and his wife were 
members of the Christian church. Their 
famil)' num])ered seven children, but only 
two are living: Mrs. Crawford; and 
Ann, the wife of Benjamin F. Howes, of 
Bragmer, Missouri. 

l""ollowing his first m;wriage Mr. Craw- 
ford entered land in Walker township on 
several difTerent sections and became an 
extensive proptery holder. He had one 
hundred and sixty acres in his home place, 
which he improved, transforming it into 
a \ery fine farm. As his financial re- 
sources increased he kept adding to his 
property until at one time he owned the 
greater part of Sutter. He displayed 
keen discernment in his investments and 
was a man of excellent business ability 
and executive force. He never inherited 
anything liut was \ery enterprising and 
progressive and with the assistance of his 
estimable wife, who was indeed a great 



helpmate to liim, he advanced from a 
humble financial position to one of 
atfluence. 

L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Crawford were boni 
nine children, all natives of Walker town- 
ship : Mrs. Mary Jane Andrews, the eld- 
est, lives with her mother and has four 
children : Clarence, Claude, Bay, and 
Harry. James F. is postmaster of War- 
saw. Margaret Ella was the wife of 
Acpilla J. Doughert}', who was consul to 
I'eru, South America, and was in the in- 
ternal revenue office at Peoria. Illinois. 
His wife died November 15. i88t. while 
his deatli occurred in 1904. Virgnfia 
Crawford died in 1859. at the age of three 
years. William T. is assistant postmaster 
;it Warsaw. John Coleman operates the 
farm for his UK.ither. Fannie is the wife 
of Leon W. Ijcrry, a jeweler of Carthage, 
and tliev ha\'e three children : h'reda, 
Kenneth and Leonard Coleman. Cora 
' M. is at home, and Charles C. is a drug- 
gist of Warsaw. 

.\bout 1874 Mr, Crawford built for his 
family a, comfortable and commodious 
brick residence upon the farm in Wilcox 
township. He was, howexer, not per- 
mitted to enjoy Ins new home for he died 
before it was completed, passing away 
March 2^, 1875. In politics he was a re- 
publican and served as justice of the 
[)eace. He was also an enrolling officer 
in the Civil war. He was one of the early 
Masons of this part of the state and in 
his life exemplified the beneficent spirit 
of tlie craft. He was a temperate man 
and at all times discouraged the excessive 
use of into.xicants. In his btisiness af- 
fairs he was strictly honorable and reliable 
and was never known to take advantage 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



603 



of the necessities of another in a business 
transaction. Generous by nature, kindly 
in (Hsposition and warm-hearted, he 
would rather be imposed upon than U) in- 
jure another, and his hfe record proved 
that wealth and an honored name may be 
won simultaneously. He became one of 
the prosperous landowners of the county 
and though he attained wealth he never 
allowed it to effect in any way his re- 
lations toward those less fortunate and 
was ever ready to respond quickly to the 
call of the poor and needy. In 1S66 he 
became a member of the Christian church 
of Wythe township and his religious faith 
was at all times manifest in his life and 
in his relations with his fellowman. Mrs. 
Crawford yet resides upon the home farm 
and is the owner of more than five hun- 
dred acres of valuable land in this count)', 
her husl)and having left her a \erv de- 
sir.'ihle com])etence. 



THO^klAS ?^IcFARL.\XD. 

When an individual jjasses on the liigh- 
way of life others, who perhaps started 
out in advance of him or hail more ad- 
N'antageous environments it is interest- 
ing to examine into his life record and 
know the elements which ha\'e contrib- 
uted to his success. In a review of the 
life history of Thomas McFarland we 
note that in early youth his opportuni- 
ties were limited and without financial 
assistance he entered upon the field of 
business activity wherein as the }'ears ad- 



vanced he won a verv desirable compe- 
tence that now enables him to live re- 
tired. He made judicious investments in 
property and is the owner of large land 
interests, including fi\e hundred and 
eight acres in Prairie township. He like- 
wise has farm property in Kansas and a 
home and business in Carthage, and his 
property interests are the visible evidence 
ol a life of industry and energ\-. 

Mr. McFarland was liorn in Clermont 
county. Ohio. ]\Iay 7. 1S37. and his ])ar- 
ents. John and I'hebe i Smith ) McFar- 
land. were likewise natives of that state, 
the mother Itorn June 16, 1816. They 
were married September 16. 1834. The 
father was a farmer and cooper, who in 
i8.|2 brought his family to Illinois, set- 
tling on a farm in .Kdams countv. He 
cleared land in order to have a space 
large enough u])on which to l.)uild a log 
cabin, .\fter a brief jieriod he was called 
upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who 
died on the Joth of June. 1844. ami he 
soon afterward left the original farm and 
removed to another farm in .Adams coun- 
t\'. In later \'ears he took up his abode in 
.Mendon. Illinois, where he died in i8(^[. 
and was l)uried. while his wife was laid 
to rest in Adams c>iinit)'. His political 
allegiance was given to the democracy 
but he held no office nor did he seek po- 
litical preferment. By his first marriage 
there were five children: b^avid, who 
was born October 13, 1835, and is li\ing 
in -\ppanoose county, Iow;i : Thomas, ot 
this review; Elizabeth Jane, who was 
bf)rn October 22, 183Q, and is the wife 
of Mr. Ganzert, of Walnut Creek, Cali- 
fornia : Ephraim, who was born Novem- 
ber I, 1841, and died December 23. 1844: 



6o4 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



and Josephine, who was born March 20, 
1844, and is the wife of Dr. James S. 
Akins, of Quinlan, Oklahoma. 

The pubhc schools afforded Thomas 
McFarland the early educational advan- 
tages he enjoyed. He was only about 
five years of age when the family removed 
to Illinois, and was seven years of ag'e at 
the time of his mother's death. He then 
went to Hancock county with Mr. and 
Mrs. George Walker, who were relatives 
of his mother anil who provided him 
with educational privileges and clothing 
until he attained his majority. He after- 
ward earned the money which enabled 
him to spend one year in the seminary at 
Warsaw, and subsecjuently he engaged 
in farm !ab(^r by the month in Hancock 
county for a year. In 1863 he bought a 
fami of sixty acres in Carthage town- 
ship, where he remained for a year, after 
which he took a trip of eight months tn 
the gold mines in Virginia City, Mon- 
tana, leaving Carthage on the i8th of 
February, 1864. Having returned to 
Hancock county he has since given his 
attention to agricultural pursuits. After 
owning and selling several farms in Car- 
thage township he invested in farm land 
on sections 2 and 13, Prairie township. 
ha\ing two hundred and twenty-six acres 
on section 2, and two hundred and forty 
acres on section 15. He made his home 
on section 2 until September, 1888, when 
he took up his abode in Carthage. He 
still gives his supervision to his farming 
interests, however, and in addition to 
cultivating the fields is also engaged in 
stock-raising, employing men to care for 
the fields and the stock. He now lives at 



Xo. 36 North Adams street, where he 
purchased property. 

On the 15th of Januaiy, 1862, Mr. 
McP'arland was married to Miss Maria 
Louise McColm, who was born in Cler- 
mont county, Ohio, March 15, 1843, a 
daughter cif John and Nancy McColm. 
The mother died December 10, 1850, 
and the father. May 23, 1853. He was 
a farmer by occupation and spent his 
last days in Ohio. In their family were 
five children : Erastus, who was born 
Jamian- 4, 1838, and is living in Car- 
thage; David R., who was born Febru- 
ary 15, 1839, and is deceased; Melissa 
Jane, who was born June 2, 184 1, and 
is the wife of Allen Glancy, a resident 
of Batavia, Clermont county, Ohio; 
Mrs. McFarland: and Albert Asbury Mc- 
Colm, who was born January 10, 1848, 
and lives in Chino, California. Mrs. Mc- 
Ivirland (lc])artc(l this life April 25, 1899, 
amid the deep regret of many friends, 
and her remains were interred in Moss 
Ridge cemetery. There had been six 
children born of this marriage, all natives 
of Hancock county. John Dennis, born 
December 23, 1862, died March 6, 1863, 
and was buried in the Walker cemeteiy 
in Walker township. Albert Homer, 
Iiorn March i, 1864, married Miss Anna 
McColm and lives in Ottumwa, Iowa. 
Charles Thomas, bom November 21. 
T867, married Frances Pomroy, lives at 
h'abius, Missouri, and has four children. 
Roy, Mary, Ida and Wilbur Thomas. 
Jennie Rachel, born May 17, 1869, mar- 
ried Edward Harris, lives at Herrick, 
South Dakota, and has three living chil- 
dren, Thomas, Lucia and Cleophas, 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



605 



while Ruth and Harold are deceased. 
Ethel Louisa May, boni May 17, 1872, 
is the wife of David Bluebaugh, of Kan- 
sas City, Missouri, and has two chil- 
dren, Ray and Blanche. Jesse Edward, 
bom November. 7, 1882, married Elsie 
Belle Vail, April 5, 1904, and has one 
son, Thomas McFarland, who was born 
March 3, 1905. in Prairie township, the 
parents living on one of our subject's 
farms in that township. The mother of 
Mrs. Thomas McFarland was a devoted 
member of the Christian church and died 
in that faith. She was a home-loving" 
woman and devoted to her family, and 
her efforts and her many excellent traits 
of character won her the kindly regard 
o\ all with whom she came in contact. 
On the nth of July, 1900, Mr. McFar- 
land married Miss Fanny Jane Gentrj', 
who was bom in Pilot Grove township, 
Hancock county, October 7, 1865, a 
daughter of John Thornton and Harriet 
Jane (Shreve) Gentry. Her father was 
bom in Madison, Stokes county, North 
Carolina, October 26, 1821, and in 1835 
went with his widowed mother to Mon- 
roe county, Indiana, where he settled on 
a farm. On the 30th of September. 1863, 
he came to Hancock county, settling on 
a farm in Pilot Grove township, where 
he died suddenly on the 14th of Januaiy, 
1873, his remains being interred in Mc- 
Kay cemetery. Mrs. Gentry was bom 
in Monroe county, Indiana, June 12, 
1 82 1, and on the 26th of March, 1846, 
was married. She died at Carthage, 
January 9, 1903, and her grave was 
made in Moss Ridge cemetery. In the 
family were six children : William 
Richard, who was bom in Monroe coun- 



ty, Indiana, January' 17, 1847, and was 
a railroad agent at Hamilton, Illinois, 
died there September 7, 1881. Joshua 
Newton, born December 15, 185 1, in 
Monroe county, Indiana, is now living at 
McMinnville, Oregon. Mary Catherine, 
born in Monroe county, Indiana, August 
7, 1854, died October i, 1838, and was 
buried in her native county in the Ver- 
nal Baptist church cemetery. John Mc- 
\"icar Shreve Gentry was born in Mon- 
roe county, March 16, 1858. Anna Har- 
riet, born July 26, 1863, is the wife of 
Linus Cruise, of Carthage, Illinois, who 
is represented elsewhere in this volume. 
Fannie Jane, the youngest of the family, 
is now the wife of Thomas McFarland. 

In his political affiliation Mr. McFar- 
land is a democrat and has served as col- 
lector of Prairie township and as road 
supervisor. His wife belongs to the Mis- 
sionary Baptist church, with which she 
united on the 23d of September, 1894, 
and she is also a member of the Woman's 
Home and Foreign Missionary Societies. 
The family residence is at No. 36 North 
Adams street, which property was pur- 
chased by Mr. McFarland. He also 
owns a lot at No. 17 Main street oppo- 
site the Shoreham Hotel and one hundred 
and sixty acres of land in Kansas in ad- 
dition to his valuable farming properties 
in Prairie Grove township, while his 
wife owns sixty acres of land in Pilot 
Grove township. In 1888 he made a 
trip to Europe for the purpose of pur- 
chasing horses and secured fourteen 
while in England and some in France. He 
bought English, Norman and one hack- 
ney and was absent for about two months, 
durihg which time he visited Liverpool, 



6o6 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriEir 



Lundon, and Paris, rctuniiiig b\- the wav 
dl" the St. I.awi'enee and Thnnsand 
Islands. His is a ciminiendable business 
record, showing what can lie accom- 
plished by energy and determination, for 
he is now in possession of \alnal)le prop- 
erty interests although he started out in 
life empty-handed. He is a gentleman 
of ]jleasant manner, while his wife is an 
intelligent lady of literan' tastes and both 
ha\e a host of warm frieufls in Carthage. 



OEORGE W. YETTER. " 

Ge()rge \\ . \'etter is the owner of a 
valuable farm property nf three hundred 
acres on section 13, Carthage townshi]), 
and with its modern equipments is a mon- 
ument to the skill and enterprise of the 
owner, wlmse well directed acti\it)' has 
been the source nf his success. He was 
born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, 
January 26. t835, and was only two years 
of age when lirought to Illinois Ijy his 
parents, William and Lydia (Ruck) Yet- 
ter, who settled in Hancock county and 
are mentioned on another page of this 
work in connection with tlie sketch of S. 
R. Yetter. 

At the usual age Ceorge W. Yetter 
began his education in the common 
schools of Carthage township and con- 
tinued his studies in the city schools. 
When not busy with his text-books he as- 
sisted in the work of the home farm, re- 
maining there until about se\-enteen \ears 
of age although he lost his fatiier two 
years before. Leaving the old home place 
he worked for one year at tlie carpenter's 



trade but not finding it a ccnigenial pur- 
suit he sought and obtained employment 
as a farm hand and worked by the month 
in that way for a year. Ambitious to 
engage in farming on his own account Ik 
next rented eight}- acres of land in Car- 
thage township, which he culti\ated ami 
imjjroxed for four years, during which 
time his indefatigalile aiergy and frugal- 
it}- had brought liim capital sufficient to 
justify his purchase of eighty acres of land 
on section 15, Carthage township, consti- 
tuting a part of his present honiestead. 
About twent}- acres at that time had lieen 
placed under culti\-ation Ijut he soon 
turned the furrows in the fields and in 
course of time gathered abundant har- 
\-ests. He also erected a good substantial 
dwelling and other buildings and has con- 
tinuously lived upon this farm since mak- 
ing his purchase in 1865. The years have 
witnessed his prosperity, resiilting from 
carefully directed labor and good business 
sagacit}' and he has added to his acreage 
from tin-ie to time until he is now the 
owner of a \-aIuable property of three hiui- 
dred and fort}--se\en acres, nearl}- all of 
which has been placed under a l-iigh state 
of cultivation. Practically all his life he 
has engaged in general fanning and stock- 
raising, keeping good grades of cattle, 
horses and hogs upon his place yet not 
making a specialty of blooded stock. 
Whatever he undertakes he carries for- 
ward to successful completion and in this 
largelv lies the secret of his success. 

In 1862 Mv. Yetter chose as a com- 
panion and heljjmate on life's journey 
Miss Mary A. Briley. who was born in 
Ohio and came to Illinois with her par- 
ents when a voung child. She was a 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



607 



daughter of i'eter and Mary Briley. na- 
tives of Maryland, and the father, who 
was an agriculturist, engaged in farming 
in Hancock township up to the time (if 
his death. His widow survived him and 
died in Appanoose township but their 
daughter, Mrs. Yetter, was educated in 
the common schools of Hancock town- 
ship, and by her marriage has become 
the mother of five children and the famil_\- 
circle yet remains unbroken l;)y the hand 
of death. Calvin 1\., the eldest, born in 
Carthage township, resides upon and op- 
erates the old home place. Lewis (i. re- 
sides on section 15. Carthage township, 
where he owns se\enty-fi\'e acres of land 
and who is hulding the office of school 
director, married ^lary Harter Kim- 
brough, a daughter of William Kim- 
Ijrough and the\' lia\e two children. Ber- 
tha and E\a. Elizabeth Yetter is the 
wife of Ashford f'errv. a farmer (if Car- 
thage township, owning one hundred and 
twenty acres of land on section 14. which 
he i)urchased of liis father-in-law. They 
ha\'e three children. Herschel, Howard 
and Mar)-. William R. resides at home. 
Estella is the wife of James Kimbmugh. 
a teamster of Carthage. The wife and 
mother died upon the old home place 
February 22. 1905. at the age of sixty- 
nine years. She was a w(iman of man_\' 
excellent traits of heart and nn'nd and 
was held in highest esteem b\' all who 
knew her. In her famih' she was a de- 
\'oted and loving wife and ninther and 
all who knew her fdund in her a faithful 
friend. 

Mr. Yetter hdlds membership in the 
Methodist Episcopal church and takes an 
active part in its work and the extension 



of its influence. l"or manv vears he has 
acted as trustee of the church and is still 
filling that position. In politics he is a 
republican and has held the dffice of road 
Cduimissioner, while for a long period he 
has served as school directer. Xo move- 
ment for the general good seeks his aid 
in \ain and his efforts have been a valued 
factor in general improvement. He has 
witnessed the greater part of the growth 
and development of Hancock county, 
which was largeh' a wild prairie during 
the [)eriod of his early reC(.illection. He 
has seen this changed into richh' culti- 
\'ated farms and has done his full share in 
the line of agricultural improvement, aid- 
ing in making this one of the richest farm- 
ing flistricts in the great state of Illinois. 



HO.\. CH.VRLES COOKE. 

Death often remoxes from our midst 
those whom we can ill afford to lose, and 
there was a feeling of unixersal regret 
when Charles Cooke was called from 
this life, for in Hancock countw where he 
long resided, he made a most creditable 
record as a representative of agricultural 
and commercial interests, and also as a 
factor in ]iublic life. In all relations he 
was u|)right and honorable, and his in- 
fluence was far-reaching and henelicial. 
-\ nati\'e of Southfield. Michigan, he was 
l)orn October 24. icS^j, .and was a son of 
Dr. Xoah and EIizal)eth Cooke, His 
father was a native of Massachusetts and 
the mother was also born in the east. Dr. 



6o8 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



Nuah Cooke devoted his life to the work 
of the Presbyterian ministry and also en- 
gaged in the practice of medicine and sur- 
gery.' After the death of his first wife 
he resided in Hancock county, Illim.iis, 
until his death, which occurred in Bowen 
about thirty-five years ago. His remains 
were interred in Chili cemetery. In the 
famil}- were- five children, but only one 
is now living, namely, Camillus Cooke, a 
resident of Truckee, California. One 
daughter of the family became the wife 
of a Congregational minister at I'aysnn, 
Illinois. 

Charles Cooke was a young lad when 
broug'ht to Illinois, his education being 
acquired in the schools of this ,'^tate. His 
opportunities in that direction were some- 
what limited, but in later years he read 
broadly and thought deeply and as the 
result of his investigation, his experience 
and his observation he became a well in- 
formed man. He was reared under the 
parental roof and when he attained his 
majority he went westward to California, 
where he was engaged in surve}'ing for 
gold. It was in that state that he made 
his real start in business life. For eight 
years he remained in the mining districts 
and then returned to Bowen, Illinois, 
where he invested his capital in a busi- 
ness enterprise, becoming proprietor of a 
lumberyard and agricultural implement 
store. He also owned a fami of one hun- 
dred and sixty acres of good land bef(.ire 
he went to the west, and following his re- 
turn he devoted a portion of his time and 
energies to agricultural interests. He 
carried on general farming and stock- 
raising and likewise continued in the lum- 
ber trade and in the sale of agricultural 



implements, being thus closely associated 
with farming and commercial pursuits 
until his death. He erected a beautiful 
residence in 1871 on a part of what was 
then his fann and is now in the southern 
portion of Bowen. The home is most 
beautifully and tastefully furnished and is 
still the property of Mrs. Cooke, who 
also owns one hundred and seventeen 
acres of the farm. 

On the 17th of April, 1872, <xxurred the 
marriage of Mr. Cooke and Miss Itiez 
Amelia Patchen, who was born in Chili 
township, Februaiy 4, 1854, a daughter 
of Levi G. and Catherine (Gumbellj 
I'atchen. Her father was born in Dutch- 
ess county, New York, August 16, 1822, 
and the mother's birth occurred in New 
York city May 18, 1826. Levi Patchen 
was a farmer by occupation and came to 
Hancock county, Illinois, in 1845, set- 
tling in Chili township, where he pur- 
chased land from the government and 
built a log house on the prairie there, liv- 
ing in true pioneer st)-le in the early 
days. He contributed in substantial 
measure to the development and progress 
of the county as it emerged from pio- 
neer conditions and took on all the evi- 
dences of advanced civilization. For 
many years he successfully carried on 
general agricultural pursuits and then re- 
tired to Bowen, where he spent his re- 
maining" days in the enjoyment of a well 
earned rest. \Mien coming to the west 
he and his wife lost all of their goods 
and clothing and their possessions at the 
time of their arrival consisted only of the 
clothing they wore and about a dollar in 
money. As the years passed, however, 
they prospered, and when called from this 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



609 



life were in possession of a ver}' comfort- 
able competence. 

In his political views Mr. Patchen was 
a stalwait democrat and his fellow citi- 
zens, recognizing his worth and ability, 
called him to public office. He served as 
justice of the peace, was highway com- 
missioner and for many years was school 
director, and in all of these offices dis- 
played capability and fidelitv that won 
him warm commendation. Unto Air. and 
Mrs. Patchen were born twelve children : 
Olin. who resides in Oklahoma ; Sarah 
Maria, the wife of Samuel Garnett, of 
Rock Island. Illinois; Alvah, who li\es 
at Chandler. Oklahoma ; Daniel, who is 
located at Lewiston, Missouri; Franklin 
J., a practicing physician at Albuquerque. 
New Mexico; Inez A., now the widow of 
Charles Cooke, and a resident of Bowen ; 
Anna Augusta, the wife of Rev. Henry 
\'. Tull. a Congregational minister lo- 
cated at Jonesboro, Arkansas ; Frederick 
B., who lives at Bowen; Lillian, also of 
Bowen; Charles W., who is a resident 
of Colorado Springs, Colorado ; and Ida, 
the wife of George B. Oder, of Kansas 
City, Missouri. The parents were mar- 
ried in 1844, and fr>r more than half a 
century traveled life's joumev together. 
The death of Mr. Patchen occurred 
March 5. i8g8. while his wife survived 
until March 12. 1905, and was laid to 
rest by his side in the cemetery at Bowen. 
She was a member of the Methodist Epis- 
copal church and both were g^ood and 
upright people, deserving the warm re- 
gard and friendship which was extended 
them. They were among the early resi- 
dents of Illinois, and no pioneer did more 



to improve the county and pave the way 
for the privileges and blessings which 
the inhabitants now enjoy than did Levi 
Patchen. He was an honest man under 
all circumstances. He possessed, more- 
over, great energy and was a public- 
spirited citizen. He never upheld evil 
of any kind but on the contrary stood for 
righteousness and progress and was es- 
pecially interested in the training of the 
yciung. He also befriended any institu- 
tion or influence that would help young- 
people and he was generous in his sup- 
port of the church. In his later years he 
was a regular attendant at church serv- 
ices and Ills life was ever honorable and 
upright. In manner he was jovial and 
pleasant and was a most companionable 
gentleman, uniformly respected and loved 
by his neighbors and friends for his sin- 
cerity and his true manliness. His wife 
was tjue of the charter members of the 
]\Iethodist Episcopal church and in her 
life exemplified her faith and belief. 

Following their marriage Mr. and 
Mrs. Cooke at once began housekeeping 
in the residence which she still occupies 
and there seven children came to bless 
their home, namely: Jessie E., who at- 
tended school at Grinnell, Iowa, and is 
now tlie wife of Dr. D. D. Xine. of Bow- 
en, by whom she has two children, HeV- 
bert C. and Madaline J. ; Freddie, who 
died in infancy; Ralph W., who is a 
graduate of the Illinois College at Jack- 
sonville, and is secretary of the Young 
Men's Christian Association at Chicago, 
being deeply interested in the work ; Inez, 
the wife of Duane Bennett, of Bowen, 
Illinois; Mary, who died when only two 



6io 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IEir 



weeks old: Edimind, wlm is atlendiiii;' 
college at ChaniiJait;!!. Illinois: and ( iay- 
lord, deceased. 

Mr. Cooke i;;"a\e his ])()litical sui^pnrt 
to the Republican party, hut was without 
aspiration for oftice. He was truly a 
self-made man and deserved all the praise 
that that term implies. Without special 
family or pecuniary advantages t(.) aid 
him at the outset of his career he worked 
Ills way steadily upward, anil was much 
esteemed and res])ected l)y young and old. 
rich ;ind po( ir. lie ])ossessed a kmdly. 
charitahle nature, and was a regular at- 
tendant at the services of the Congrega- 
tinnal clim'ch, of winch his wife is a de- 
\-oted member, lie was alwa_\s much in- 
terested in the wnrk of the Sunday-sclnHil 
as a teaclier therein and was verv liberal 
in giving to the church. Me possessetl 
sterling qualities that combined to make 
an u])righl, noble n.ian. ljelie\'ing in ed- 
ucation, he ga\e his children good ad- 
vantages in that directinn. In earh' da\'s. 
while engaged in mining, he made se\- 
eral trips to California and was alwa\s 
interested in that state, so that in the 1;U- 
ter part of his life he freipientK' traxeled 
to the Pacific coast, kinking after the in- 
terests of his brnther's mine there and 
also greatly enjoying his sojnurn in that 
sunny clime. The death of .Mr. Cimkc 
occurred on .\]>ril _'N. iSi^j, and he left 
behind a \alued name as well as a cnm- 
fortable competence for his famih'. I lis 
memory is cherished In' all wlm knew him 
and he had many friends in the commu- 
nity. His children seem to ha\e inherited 
many of his good traits and are standing 
nobly l)y the side of their ninther. wlm is 
a lady of sweet and kindly dispi isiti' in. 



now living witli her daughter a.nd son-in- 
law, I)r. and Mrs. Xice. 



HON. JOHX W. .M.VRSH. 

Hull. John W. Marsh was at the lime 
of his demise the oldest practitioner at 
the 1)ar of Hancock county, having for 
hft\-rt\e \e;u-s been a representative of the 
legal ])rofession at \\'arsaw. A student 
I if law in the nfhce of Judge Logan, a 
partner nf Aljrahani Lincoln, the con- 
temporar\- in practice of many of the dis- 
tinguished lawyers of the middle and lat- 
ter half of the nineteenth century, he at 
all times commanded the respect anil en- 
joyed the friendship of those with wlmm 
he was associated in his professional la- 
bors, for his strong mentality and intel- 
lectual energy made him their eciual on 
the mental plane. He, too, ]:)erhaps might 
ha\e attained marked prominence in po- 
litical circles had he li\ed in a conimu- 
nitv where his party was in power aiul 
had not his ambition lieen in the line of 
his ]iriifcssii 111, which he regarded as 
abundantly worthy of his best efforts. 
He felt, too, that deep interest in local 
affairs, which led to his hearty co-opera- 
timi in movements for general progress 
•and impni\ement and many tangible prin- 
ci]iles were brought forth, his eft'orts in 
this direction leading to nmst cmnmend- 
able results. He li\-ed in the county for 
si.\t}'-four years, which period virtually 
co\ers its history and he was familiar 
with its development in e\ery phase. 
Born in Xew Brunswick, on the 20th of 
.\ugust, 181 5. John \\". Marsh w'as a son 



MA.XCOCK COUNTV, ILUXUIS. 



6ii 



of Benjamin 1'". and Rutli (Wctmore) 
Marsh. The father was l)orn at Wcath- 
ersfiekl. Vermont. Decemljer ii, 1792. 
and when a VDnng man went io Xew 
Brunswick. After the outl)reak of the war 
of 1812, which cut off all communication 
between the Englisli pro\ince and the 
United States, he (hd not hear from Iiis 
home for three years. .\t St. Jolms he 
entered mercantile life and crmtinued ac- 
tively in Inisiness there until 1833. ^^^ 
became a successful dealer in merchandise 
and a very successful man. During his 
residence in Xew IJrunswick he married 
Miss Ruth W'etmore. wlmse parents were 
Tories and were lo}-al tn the crown of 
England. Following the rexulution they 
went to Xew Brunswick, and the govern- 
ment of England recompensed them in 
part for the property which had been con- 
fiscated during the Revolutionar\- war 
in the United States. The old W'etmnre 
home was at R}e. Xew York. 

In Xew Brunswick Benjamin 1'. Marsh 
was an influential business man but feel- 
ing that he wished to live again under 
the old flag he returned to the United 
States, in 1832, spending the first winter 
thereafter in St. Louis, Missouri. Dur- 
ing that period he examined the coun- 
try on horseback, eventually reached old 
Fort Edward and taking u]) his abode in 
one of the old houses there, he purchased 
a farm of se\'eral hundred acres, wdiere- 
on he erected a house in the spring. He 
then brought his family to Hancock coun- 
ty and the name of ]Marsh has been in- 
separately interwoven with the histor}' of 
this part of the state since the spring of 
1833. The father improved and develop- 
ed a farm and built a residence, which 



he occui)ied until the time nf the Ci\il 
wai'. In ante helium davs he was a 
strong whig and upon the dissolution of 
the party joined the ranks of the Repub- 
lican party, which was formed to ])rc- 
vent fin-ther extension of slavery, lie 
was ;i stanch advocate of the Uni<in cause 
and was interested in local itolitical prog- 
ress although ne\er an aspirant for office 
himself, h'or some \ears. howexer, he 
was county .school commissioner, having 
charge at that time of the .school lands. 
He was also one of the carK- members 
of the .Masonic fraternit\- in this portion 
of the state. He died in Warsaw, in 
iS(i4. while his wife passed awav in 1S37. 
In their family were seven children, who 
reached adult age: Charles Carroll ; 
John \\'.\ Sophia, the deceased wife of 
Cyrus l-'elt ; Elizabeth, the decea.sed wife 
of Chruincev Richmond: Charlotte, who 
married James l.uzadder; Caroline, the 
wife of Henry Richmond: Colonel Benja- 
min 1-". Marsh, who for m;iny years was 
;i distinguished representati\e of this dis- 
trict in congress; Arthur W. The last 
named, together with his brother, lienja- 
min, enlisted for ser\ice in the ."^^econd 
Illinois Cavalry, and .\rthur was killed 
while serving as colonel of the One Hun- 
dred and Eighteenth Volunteer Infantry. 
.Mrs. M.arsh was a member of the I^pisco- 
pal church, and her husband contriliuted 
generouslv to its sup])ort. 

John Wellington Marsh ac(|uired his 
preliminary education in St. Johns. Xew 
Brunswick, and subsequently was grad- 
uated from Kenyon College, in Ohio, 
which he entered as a sophomore in the 
class of 1836, being graduated with vale- 
dictorian honors in the class of 1839. In 



6l2 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEir 



the meantime his parents had removed 
from New Brunswick to St. Louis and 
as stated, became residents of Hancock 
county in the spring of 1833. At that 
time Warsaw had not been laid out and 
the only families here were those of ]\Iark 
Aldrich, John R. Wilcox and Isham 
Cochran. For many years the family- 
home was maintained up<_>n a farm four 
miles east of Warsaw ami at the time of 
his death Judge Marsh still owned a por- 
tion of the original farm, on which stands 
the old log house which was a pretentious 
structure when erected. Mr. Marsh 
shared with the family in the usual ex- 
periences and hardships of life on the 
frontier, f(jr Illinois was then on a bi.irder 
of civilization. He assisted in the 
arduous task of developing new lantl and 
turning the first furnnvs in the fields until 
he entered college and following his 
graduation, having determined upon a 
professional career, he went to Spring- 
field, Tllinois. where he became a law 
student in the office of Judge Logan, a 
partner of Abraham Lincoln. In fact 
it was while he was in the office that the 
])artnershi|) was formed and under the 
direction of those two distinguished law- 
yers he gained his first knowledge of the 
principles of jtu'isprudence, while Judge 
Logan and Judge Trumbull were among 
those who e.xamined him when he was 
finally admitted to the bar. 

Judge Marsh entered upon the active 
practice of law in Carthage in 1842, and 
for fifty-five years was recognized as 
one of the ablest members of the Han- 
cock county bar, exceeding, at the time of 
his death, in years of practice as well as in 
abilit\-, ;ill who were connected with the 



bar of the county at that time. He was 
regarded as one of the most able lawyers 
of this section of the state, standing 
among the leaders of the profession in 
western Illinois. He was retained as 
counsel on many of the important cases 
and met with remarkable success. When 
he accepted a case he Ijent every energy 
toward winning it but he never sacrificed 
right and principle to do so. His ad- 
dresses always showed thorough and 
painstaking preparation and at once in- 
dicated that he was master of the situa- 
tion. He was a man of keen power of 
perception and of analytical mind, which 
enal)led him to cpiickly discover the weak 
])oints in an opponent's argument and at 
once attack his position thereon. He was 
thi.>r(.iughly versed in the fundamental 
principles of common law and was never 
at a loss to cite an authority or precedent. 
His style of address was dignified, candid 
and straightforward with never an at- 
tempt to juggle with a jury or entrap the 
court. It has been said that in his ad- 
dresses the listener was first interested, 
then captivated and finally convinced that 
ever_\- word of the argument was in aid 
of justice. 

Judge Marsh was never an aspirant for 
oftice yet was always interested in the 
great questions involving the weal or woe 
of the nation. He became a republican 
on the organization of the party and 
while strong in his convictions and 
lirompt and effective in maintaining them, 
he did so without being offensive to those 
who differed from him. In 1855 he was 
a candidate for circuit judge in a district 
with an abnormally large democratic ma- 
jority and while unsuccessful, he greatly 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



613 



reduced that majority and made a strong 
canvass although defeated. About 1886 
he was nominated and elected county 
judge but was defeated for a second term 
because of the very strong democratic 
strength in Hancock county. As a jurist 
he made a splendid record, his decisions 
being strictly fair and impartial and based 
upon a comprehensive knowledge of the 
law and correct adaptation thereof. 

On the 27th of November, 1849, Judge 
Marsh was married to Eudocia Baldwin, 
a daughter of Epaphras B. Baldwin, and 
their married life was a most happy one. 
In 1854 they removed to Warsaw and 
Judge Marsh remained a resident of that 
citv until his demise. He passed away 
July 12. 1897, leaving a widow and live 
children, but one daughter, Miss Cara 
I'otwin, has since departed this life. 
Those still living are : Mary. Eudocia ; 
Mrs. Helen S. Bardens, of Warsaw, Illi- 
nois ; Adele Rose, the wife of A. H. Mac- 
Gregor. of W'arsaw ; and John Wetmore 
Marsh. Two sons and two daughters 
of the famil}' had died in infancy. The 
family have occupied a beautiful home 
in Warsaw since 1876 and in addition to 
this property Judge Marsh owned val- 
uable farm lands in this section of the 
state, having placed his money in the 
safest of all investments — real estate. 

While his life was a busy one and his 
profession made heavy demands upon his 
time and energies, Judge Marsh yet 
found opportunity to aid in many move- 
ments having direct benefit upon the wel- 
fai-e and progress of his city and county. 
•He became one of the original members 
of St. Paul's Episcopal church and from 
its earlv existence was a member of its 



vestry and for thirty years was senior 
warden. He contributed generously to its 
support and often acted as lay reader dur- 
ing the absence of a regular pastor. For 
years he was chancellor of the Ouincy 
diocese. At the time of his death he was 
serving as a director and vice president 
of the Warsaw free public library, and 
he was a member of the city council from 
i860 until 1862, and afterward a member 
of the board of education. All of those 
interests which are a matter of civic pride 
and virtue received his endorsement and 
co-operation and his public-spirited citi- 
zenship stood as an uni|uestiuned fact in 
his career. He was an interested witness 
of the epochal events in Hancock county's 
history and in many cases was an acti\'e 
participant therein. Pioneer life in its 
^•arious phases was familiar to him and he 
likewise passed through the trying period 
of the Mormon troubles, his office in Car- 
thage at that time being a meeting place 
for the anti-Mormons, who molded their 
bullets there. He was an active member 
of the L'nidu League in the days of the 
Rebellion and his aid could be counted 
upon to further the material, intellectual 
and moral progress of the community 
throughfiut the sixty-four }'ears of his 
residence in Hancock county. 

The ^^'arsaw Bulletin in its editorial 
upon his death said : "The death of 
Judge Marsh elicited a universal expres- 
sion of sorrow. Known to all, respected 
by all, the one feeling was that of regret 
and sympathy — regret at the loss of such 
a citizen and sympathy for the family 
who have thus been bereft of a kind, 
thoughtful, considerate husband and 
father, for Judge Marsh was character- 



6i4 



BIOGRAPHICAL RE I IE 1 1 ' 



istically a home man, — a man who was 
intensely devoted to his wife and chihh-t-n 
and spent his unemployed hours with 
them. * * * * In his public life 
Judge Marsh was careful and conscien- 
tious in the dischars^e of e\'erv dut\'. In 
his prixate life he was uprii^ht and hon- 
orable. In ex'ery relation he was irre- 
proachable. Of e\eii temperament, he 
lived a gentle, blameless life, and dying 
lea\-es a blessed heritage to those nearest 
and dearest, and an e.xample of pure, clean 
citizenship that may be emulated by 
others with pr(_>fit to the communit)'. 
Such a life builds for all time, and the 
world is the better f<ir his ha\'ing li\-e(l 
it it." In all places and under all cir- 
cumstances he was loyal to truth, honor 
and right, justly \'aluing his own self- 
respect as infinitely more profitable than 
wealth, fame and position. In those finer 
traits of character which combine to form 
that which we call friendship, which en- 
dear and attach man to man in uKist inti- 
mate bonds, which triumph and shine 
brightest in the hour of adversity — in 
these qualities he was royally endowed. 



ISAAC McCOY JMARTIN, M. D. 

Dr. Isaac McCoy Martin, who is the 
second oldest medical ])ractitioner of La 
Harpe in years of continuous connection 
with the ])rofession in this place, was 
born in Macomb, Illinois, September 9, 
1853, ;j son of Joseph ]\Iorris and Hen- 
rietta Cirard ( Westfall ) :\Iartin, both of 
whom were nati\-es of Miami county, 
Ohio. The father was born Tannarv 6, 



1823, and was a .son of Abiah and Cath- 
erine ( Wilson) Martin, of Miami county. 
Henrietta G. Westfall was born March 
18, 1823, and was a daughter of Le\i 
and Margaret (Pettit) \\'estfall. Both 
Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Aiartin were reared 
in Boone county, Indiana, and were mar- 
ried in the town of Lebanon. They re- 
sided for a time at Thorntown, where 
Mr. Martin followed the carpenter's 
trade. They left Indiana in one of the 
oldtime moN-ing wagons, which were the 
only means of travel across the countr_\- 
at that da_\-, and took up their abode in 
ALicomb. Illinois, about 1850. For man}- 
}-ears Mr. Martin carried on lousiness 
there as a contractor and builder, ha\- 
ing a large patronage and erecting many 
of the substantial structures of the town 
and surrounding- country. He continued 
in actix'e connection with liis trade until 
his tleath, which occurred February 21, 
1893. \\ ben in the prime of life he was 
one of the prominent and inlluential resi- 
dents of the town, serxed in \'arious pul> 
lic offices and se\eral times acted as 
ma_\'or. He and his wife were among the 
charter members of the Cniversalist 
church and ahvays took an interest in its 
work. Mrs. Martin still resides in Ma- 
comb, making- her home with her dai^'h- 
ter, Mrs. Henrietta .\. Campbell, and is 
the oldest surviving member of the L^ni- 
versalist church there. In their faiuih' 
were four sons and four daughters. 

Dr. Martin, of La Harpe, is the fifth 
in order of birth. He w-as educated in 
the Macomb schools, being- graduated 
from the high school, and in early man- 
hood he engaged in teacliing. He rdso 
took up the study of medicine while in 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



615 



Macomb and in 1876 he went to Eyota. 
Minnesota, where he engaged in stnd)- 
ing and practicing with his uncle, Dr. I. 
M. W'estfalL After two years he re- 
turned to Macomb, where he engaged in 
teaciiing school until he entered Hahne- 
man College, of Chicago, from which 
he won his diploma on the 24th of Feb- 
ruary, 1881. He located for practice at 
Macomb, where he resiiled until 1887, 
since which time he has been practicing 
in La Harpe, being the second oldest 
practicing physician here. 

In September, 1883, Dr. Martin was 
married to Elsie Taylor, who was bom 
at Mt. Sterling-, Illinois, a daughter of 
Colonel Samuel E. and Nancy ( AlcCor- 
mick) Taylor, who were residents of Col- 
chester. Her father was captain of Com- 
pany E, Sixteenth Illinois Volunteer In- 
fantry, but was transferred to the One 
Hundred and Ninteenth Illinois Volun- 
teer Infantry as Lieutenant-Colonel, en- 
listing from Mt. Sterling at the time of 
the Civil war. Mrs. Martin was edu- 
cated in the schools of Ouincy. B)- this 
marriage there \\ere two children : Mor- 
ris Carl, bom July 27, 1884: and Edgar 
Scott, born June 3, 1886. The}' are now 
associated with their father in the publi- 
cation of The La Harpe Times in La 
Harpe. The wife and mother died July 
30, 1888. On the 5th of December, 1889, 
Dr. Martin married Clara A. Locke, who 
was born in Blandinsville township, Mc- 
Donough county, Illinois, and was edu- 
cated in the public schools of La Harpe, 
her parents being George and Mary E. 
(Webster) Locke, natives of Michigan. 
There are two daughters of this mar- 
riage: Maiy E., born Atigust 17, 1891 : 
39 



and Esther Pearl, born November 23, 
1898. 

Dr. Martin is a member of the Uni- 
versalist church and is a republican in 
i:)c)litics, being prominent in the local 
ranks of the party. He was city clerk of 
Macomb for five consecutive years, from 
1882 until 1886, inclusive, and since his 
remo\-al to La Harpe has served as city 
attomey in 1890-91, tax collector in 
1894-95 and in 1905 was elected alder- 
man from the first ward for a two years' 
term. He has also been a member of 
the board of education for ten years and 
has been its president for two years. His 
fraternal relations are with the Independ- 
ent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modem 
Woodmen of America, the Mystic Work- 
ers, the Ancient Order of United Work- 
men and the Knights of Pythias. 



ANDREW J. GRIFFITH, M. D. 

Andrew Jackson Griffith, now deceased, 
was one of the pioneer physicians of Han- 
cock county, following his profession here 
when such a service demanded great per- 
sonal sacrifice because of the unsettled 
condition of this part of the state. Later 
he became widely known in banking cir- 
cles and at all times he stood as a high 
type of American manhood. 

Dr. Griffith was born February 4, 1820. 
in the eastern part of Ohio, where his 
parents were temporarily located. He 
was a son of Llewellyn and Hannah 
(Hope) Griffith. The parents were of 
Welsh ancestry and had formerly been 
residents of Fasten, Pennsylvania. Fol- 



6i6 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJIEW 



lowing- tlie birtli of their son tliev re- 
turned to Philadelphia and Llewellyn 
(iriffith there followed the wagxm-making" 
trade during the youth of the Doctor but 
later removed with his famil}- to Berna- 
dotte, Fulton county, Illinois, w'here his 
wife died. Su])sequently lie came to Car- 
thage to make his home with his son and 
here spent his remaining cUu's. 

Dr. Griffith acquired his early education 
in Philadelphia and later continued his 
studies in lllinoi;, hut subsequently re- 
turned to Philadelphia, where he became a 
student in Jefferson Medical College, tie 
almost completed the course there but be- 
fore the time of graduation came again to 
the west and pursued a collegiate course 
in the St. Louis Medical College. He lo- 
cated for practice in Hancock county, 
settling first at Fountain (ireen. where he 
soon secured a large countr_\- jiractice. 
riding over an extended section of the 
countr}-. Li 1854, howe\er, he remcjved 
to Carthage and almost immediately won 
renown as an able physician, his busi- 
ness reaching large proportions. He con- 
tinued in active practice until late in the 
'60s, when he retired from professional 
ranks to become one of the founders of 
the Hancock National Bank, of which he 
served as vice president for a number of 
years, occupying" the position at the time 
of his death. 

Dr. Grififith married Miss Margaret 
^NlcClaughry of this county, a daughter 
of I\Tatthew McClaughry, a pioneer of 
Illinois from New York. Mrs. Griffith 
still survives her husband, wdio died 
March 19. 1884. He was a inember of 
the Masonic fraternity and in his practice 
had ample opportunity to exemplify the 



beneficent and helpful spirit of the craft. 
\\'itli the imjjrovement of Carthage he 
was acti\el\- connected, being deeply inter- 
ested in everything pertaining to its wel- 
fare and progress. He was one of the 
original committee for the organization 
of the Carthage College and assisted in 
r.iising the fund to erect the first build- 
ings, also gi\-ing the grounil for the col- 
lege campus. He was one of the first 
Ijoard of directors and also at the head 
of building committee when the first liuild- 
ing, now known as Main building was 
erected. He continued a most helpful ad- 
\ocate and worker in behalf of the 
college and remained the head of the 
Ixiard until within a short time of 
his death and in addition to his labor he 
contributed liberally of his means to its 
sup])ort. His life was at all times of 
intense usefulness to his fellowmen and 
his name liecame a svnonvm for improve- 
ment and development in public matters 
in this county. He commanded the re- 
spect of all Ijy his genuine, personal 
worth and his death was the occasion of 
deep and widespread -regret. 



CHARLFS H. VAN AERNAM. 

Charles H. Van Aernam is the owner 
of good farming' property in Hanc(Kk 
cmmty and has resided at his present 
place of residence in Montebello ttiwn- 
ship since 1854. He was born in Lewis 
countv. New York, June 16, 1848, his 
])arents being Anthony and Susan 
(W'ardwein \'an Aemam, both of whom 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



617 



were natives of Xew York. Tlie grand- 
father, \\'illiam Van Aernam, was also a 
resident of the Empire state. The ma- 
ternal grandparents were Dennis and L\- 
dia (Church) Wardwell. the former a 
native of Pennsylvania and the latter of 
Ohio. In the year 1842 Austin Ward- 
well, a brother of Dennis \\ ardwell. came 
to Hancock county, settling in INIonte- 
bello township. He tciok part in the 
Mormon war under the command of Col- 
onel Smith, who afterward served in the 
Civil war. Leaving the east, Anthony 
Van Aernam and his family started for 
Illinois, making the journey by railroad 
to Chicago, whence they proceeded to 
Rock Island and dinvn the Mississippi 
river to Keokuk, where thev arrived on 
the 2d of October. 1854. In Montebello 
township Mr. Van Aeniam purchased 
eighty acres on section 22. It was wild 
land and there were still deer and wohes 
in the county, while all kinds (if wild 
fowl could be had in abundance, showing 
that the work of improvement had scarce- 
ly been begun and that many conditions 
and evidences of pioneer life were still 
to be seen here. ^Ir. Van Aernam built 
a house, sixteen by twenty feet, and put 
other improvements upon his place. 
\\'ith characteristic energy he began cul- 
tivating the soil and as the years passed 
and he prospered in his undertakings he 
added to his possessiotis until he owned 
two hundred and forty acres of rich and 
productive land at the time of his death, 
which occurred on the 23d of August, 
1904. His wife passed away December 
■23. 1893. In their family were four 
sons: George. Charles H., William and 
Ransom. 



Charles H. \'an Aeniam made his 
lK)me with his parents until twenty-one 
years of age and acquired his education 
in the public schools, while the periods of 
vacation were largely devoted to fanu la- 
bor. On attaining his majority he went 
to Audubon county, Iowa, where he was 
engaged in trading in land and also in 
the stock business. Five years later he 
returned to his h(jme place in this town- 
ship and has since lived here. After 
about fifteen years he sold the property, 
which up to tliat time he had owned and 
cultivated, to his brother. He had a 
tract of eighty acres adjoining the home 
place and which had been inherited from 
his father, from whom he also received 
the personal property. On selling his 
original farm 'Sir. Van .\ernam pur- 
chased his brother William's fann of 
eighty acres. He has altogether two 
hundred and forty acres of rich and pm- 
ducti\e land, making him one nf the sub- 
stantial agriculturists of the community, 
and to his work he brings intelligence and 
enterprise that have resulted in the ac- 
quirement nf a handsome property. He 
has a barn, thirty by one hundred and 
twenty feet, a scale house and other mod- 
em e(|uipments. and the well developed 
pnipertv returns to him a gratifying in- 
come. Having never married, he makes 
his home with his brother Ransom. His 
political views are in accord with repulj- 
lican principles and although he is not 
a politician in the sense of office seeking, 
he keeps well informed on the questions 
and issues of the day. 

Ransom D. Van Aernam, rated with 
the representative and prosperous fann- 
ers of Montebello township, was born in 



6i8 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



Lewis county. Xew Yurk. April i6, 1852. 
and was cducateil in the district scliools 
of Hancock county. He was reared in 
the usual manner of farm lads and the 
histor)' of his familx' is given in connec- 
tion witii that of his brother, Charles H. 
Van Aernam. which appears above. He 
lived upon the home farm until twenty- 
two years of age and on the 17th of 
April, 1873, he was united in marriage 
to Miss Robenia Morrison, who was b<.irn 
in Glasgow. Scotland, October 7. 1853. 
her parents being John and Robenia 
(Glenn) ^Morrison. The mother died 
during' the infancy of her daughter and 
the father afterward wedded Mary Robin- 
son, a native of Scotland. In the }ear 
1865 he brought his family to America, 
settling at Hamilton in Hancock county, 
Illinois, where he lived for a year and 
then removed to Montebello township. 
He matle his home in Iowa for five vears 
with his daughter, Mrs. V^an Aemam. 
and afterward returned to Hamilton, 
wdiere he passed away on the 9th of Au- 
gust, 1885. His second wife still sur- 
vives and is now residing in Kansas. 
I\Irs. Van Aernam pursued her educa- 
tion in the common schools of Scotland 
and of Hancock county, Illinois, having 
been about ele\'en }ears of age when she 
came with her father to the United States. 
Two years after their marriage Mr. and 
Mrs. Van Aernam removed to Audubon 
county, low'a, and for seven years he 
rented his father's farm there and engaged 
in its cultivation and improvement. He 
afterward removed to Villisca, Montgom- 
ery county. Iowa, where he purchased a 
house and lot and made his home for 



twent}- years. He was in the emphj}- of 
a hardware and implement firm for seven 
years during that period and for one year 
had charge of the county bridge work. 
He still owns property- in Villisca, but 
in 1902 removed to his portion of the 
home place, comprising eighty acres. He 
has in his possession the first eighty-acre 
tract which his father secured on coming 
to ]\Iontebello township. On the farm is 
a barn, thirt}' b}' thirty-si.x feet and six- 
teen feet posts, which has replaced a 
barn that was destroyed by fire in 180)5. 
He has a corn crib, granary and wag("in 
shed and also a tool house, and thus his 
farm is well equipped, being supplied with 
all modern accessories and conveniences. 
Mr. Van Aernam also owns property in 
Hamilton, having purchased two vacant 
lots there in the spring of 1906. 

L'nto our subject and his wnfe ha\e 
been born three children. William A., 
born .Ma_\- _'0, 1874. married Anna Niell, 
c)f Iowa. In Xo\em])er, 1902, he cut his 
knee with a corn knife and later blo(.)d 
poisoning set in. resulting in his death on 
the 29th of that month. Frankie A., 
born August 16, 1875, died of diptheria 
in June, 1888. Jessie May, born in 1890, 
died July 4, 1895. Mr. and Mrs. \'an 
Aerman joined the Methodist Episcopal 
church in the winter of 1882 and she is 
now a member of the Ladies' Aid So- 
ciet}'. The family has long been well 
known in this county and the Van Aernam 
brothers are prominentlv connected \\ith 
agricultural pursuits, being known as en- 
terprising and relialjle business men. ami 
are held in the highest esteem by all who 
know them. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



619 



AUGUST C. \MLKE. 

The gentleman whose name introduces 
this record is one of the worthy citizens 
that Germany has furnished to Hancock 
county, and through his energy and well 
directed labors he has worked his way 
steadily upward until he is now in pos- 
session of a x'aluable tract of land. His 
birth occurred in Alecklenburg, of the 
fatherland, February i. 1861, a son of 
Carl and \\'ilhelmina (Wolgast) Wilke. 
The paternal grandfather bore the name 
of John Wilke, while the maternal grand- 
father of our subject was John Wolgast. 
Carl Wilke was born in the fatherland. 
September 29. 1828, and was there mar- 
ried, April 20. i860, to Miss \\'ilhelmina 
Wolgast. whose birth occurred jMarch 
4, 1830. They remained in their native 
country until 1871. when the father, hear- 
ing favorable reports concerning the ad- 
vantages to be found in the new and 
growing country, decided to cross the 
Atlantic, and accordingly in that year 
took passage on a sailing vessel which 
landed in New York, from which place 
they traveled by rail tn Dallas, this state, 
and from that place the father made his 
way to La Harpe township, where lie 
rented a farm, dii which the famij}' took 
up their abode and which continued to 
be tlieir iiome for ele\en A'ears. Having 
prospered in his undertakings during 
these years, Air. Wilke then felt justifieil 
in purchasing land and establishing a 
home of his own. and accordingly bought 
one hundred and fifty-four acres on sec- 
tion 35, of which all except fourteen acres 
was cultivable land. He carried on the 
work of general farming from year to 



year and as the result of his careful man- 
agement added to his income annually, so 
that when he was called from this life he 
left to his family a valuable estate. His 
death occurred Januar}' 22, 1906, when 
he had reached the advanced age of sev- 
enty-eight years, and his remains were 
interred in the La Harpe cemetery. His 
widow continues her residence on the 
homestead property, which is now being 
managed by her si;)n. Ludwig. In the 
famih- are three sons and one daughter, 
of whom our subject is the eldest, the 
others being: William C, who was born 
May 10, 1862. and is a resident farmer of 
Bushnell, Illinois; Louisa, who was born 
April 28, 1864, and is now the wife of 
Ransford Bennett, of Durham township ; 
and Ludwig, who was born August 2~, 
1868. and is operating the home farm. 

As a companion and helpmate for life's 
journey August C. Wilke chose Miss Em- 
ma Bedker. whom he wedded November 
30, 1882. She is a native of Beaver Dam, 
Wisconsin, born April 5, 1861, and ac- 
Cjuired her education in the schools of that 
place. She is a daughter of William and 
-\Iary (Kmi;) Bedker, natives of Ger- 
many, while the paternal grandfather, 
Carl Bedker. and the maternal grand- 
parents, Jochim and Mary (Hoot) Kurt, 
were likewise natives of the fatherland. 

Following his marriage Mr. Wilke re- 
mained with his parents on the home 
farm, assisting in its operation for five 
years, and he then removed to a farm 
which he rented in La Harpe township 
for four years, after which, having saved 
a capital sufficient to justify the purchase 
of land, he invested Inis money in one 
hundred and sixtv acres, of which one 



620 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



hundred and tifteen acres are located on 
section 25, La Harpe township, and the 
remainder is situated on section 36. He 
then removed his family to the new home 
and is here engaged in general farming 
and stock-raising, having placed one hun- 
dred and twenty acres under a high state 
of cultivation, while the remainder of 
the farm is devoted to pasturage. Since 
locating on the place Mr. W'ilke has made 
many improvements, including wire 
fences, the erection of barns and sheds for 
the shelter of grain, stock and farm ma- 
chinery, and he recent!}' erected a fine 
residence, modern in its equipments and 
accessories, to which the family remo\ed 
on the 1st of January, of the present year. 
There is a fine orchard on the place con- 
taining difTerent varieties of fruit trees, 
from which good crops are gathered in 
their season. 

L'nto our subject and his wife have 
been born a son and daughter : Louis C. 
W., born February 6, 1884, and Mayme 
E., bom February 22, 1888, both at home. 
Mr. Wilke is a republican in his political 
views and affiliations and he holds mem- 
bership with the German Methodist Epis- 
copal church in La Harpe township. He 
takes a helpful interest in educational af- 
fairs, having served as school director 
continuously since 1894. Having ac- 
companied his parents from the father- 
land when only ten years of age, he has 
here spent the greater part of his life, and 
enjoyed the educational advantages of 
this country, although he had attended 
school to some extent in Germany. He 
was early trained to habits of industry 
and economy, and possessing a strong 
determination to win success he applied 



himself diligently to his work ant! has 
a\ailetl himself of every opportunity that 
presented itself whereby he might ad- 
\ance until he is- today numbered among 
the prosperous and progressive agricul- 
turists of this section of the state, and all 
the success that he has achieved has been 
won through his own efforts. Both he 
and his wife are highly esteemed peoplo 
and enjoy the warm regard of a large 
circle of friends. 



WILLIAIM J. RIGGINS. 

William J. Riggins, who is engaged 
in Imsiness as a contractor and builder 
of La Harpe, was born in La Harpe town- 
ship, Hancock county, in December, 1836. 
His paternal grandfather was John Rig- 
gins and his father was Wright Riggins, 
who was a native of North Carolina and 
wedded Marj' Bradshaw, whose birth oc- 
curred in Warren county, Illinois, while 
her father, Joel Bradshaw, was a native of 
Tennessee. In the year 1828, Wright 
Riggins went to McDonough county, Illi- 
nois, and was numbered among its pioneer 
settlers who journeyed toward the ever 
receding west and aided in the reclama- 
tion of a wild and unimproved district 
for the purposes of civilization. The In- 
dians were still numerous in the state and 
he aided in defending the frontier in the 
Black Hawk war. Even prior to this 
time he had lived for several years in 
Illinois, for when he removed from North 
Carolina he took up his abode in Madiscin 



HAXCOCK COUNTY, ILLIXOIS. 



621 



CDunty and later li\ed in Alorgan county, 
Illinois, where he worked. After spend- 
ing about three years in McDonough 
county he settled in La Harpe township, 
Hancock county, in 183 1. and purchased 
about eight hundred acres of land from 
the government, securing his title to the 
same from the land office in Ouincy, Illi- 
nois. All was wild and uiicultivated and 
about two hundred acres of it was cov- 
ered with timber. He took up the task 
of breaking the sod and improving the 
farm, having the first improved farm west 
of La Harpe. For man)- \ears he was 
successfully and actively engaged in gen- 
eral agricultural pursuits, bringing his 
farm under a high state of cultivation 
and finding that through care it could be 
made into a productive place, the well 
tilled fields yielding bounteous harvests. 
He continued to reside upon the farm 
in this county until his death, which oc- 
curred in January. 187C). while his wife 
passed awa}' in April, 1844. 

William J. Riggins is the only surviv- 
ing member of a family of three daugh- 
ters and four sons, of whom one son and 
one daughter were older than himself. 
He was reared amid tlie environments 
and surroundings of pioneer life and be- 
gan his education in a little log school- 
house, while later he attended school in 
La Harpe. He spent his boyhood days 
with his parents and from the time of 
early spring planting until crops were 
gathered in the late autumn he aided in 
the work of the fields. He was thus en- 
gaged until twenty-one years of age, when 
he started out in life on his own account 
and completed his arrangements for hav- 
ing a home of his own by his marriage 



in October, 1858. to Miss Eliza Ann 
Peck, who was born in Galloway c<junt\'. 
Ohio, in 1833, and was a daughter of 
Peter Peck. L'nto this marriage were 
born seven children : William Riley, 
who died at the age of twenty-four years ; 
Pernila, the wife of Jacob Hesh, of Mc- 
Donough county, Illinois ; Roena Belle, 
who became the wife of Samuel Owings 
and died in the spring of 1896, in Han- 
cock county ; Arab, the wife of Gillard 
Tilton, of La Harpe, Illinois; Wesle_\-. a 
carpenter, of Peoria, Illinois; Edwin J., 
also a carpenter, residing at Peoria ; and 
Abigail, the wife of A. B. Barlow, an en- 
gineer on the Toledo, Peoria & Western 
Railroad. The wife and mother passed 
away in August, 1871. and Air. Riggins 
was again married on the 3d of Decem- 
ber, 1873, his second union being with 
Miss Amelia Bush, who was born Feb- 
ruary II, 1844, in Cumberland county. 
Penns}l\'ania. and acquired her educa- 
tion in the common schools of that state. 
Her parents, John C. and Henrietta 
(Schmidt) Bush, were both nati\"es of 
Germany. The children of the second 
marriage are: Carolina, at home: James 
Albert, who died at the age of twenty 
}-ears ; and Ernest AX'ea^-er, who died in 
infancy. 

Following his first marriage Mr. Rig- 
gins located upon one hundred acres of 
the home farm, which he purchased from 
his father and there he resided continu- 
ously until September, 1876, when he sold 
that property and bought one hundred and 
sixty acres of land in Pontoosuc township, 
Hancock county, making his home there- 
on for a decade, or until September, 1886, 
when he also sold this farm. He then pur- 



622 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



chased one acre of land in La Hari)e, on 
which he erected his present residence. 
having since made it his home. He also 
built four other houses but has sold all 
except the one which he now occupies 
and one which he rents. On remo\ing 
to La Harpe he purchased a butcher shop, 
which he conducted for two years and 
then became identified with building op- 
erations as a carpenter and contractor. 
He still continues actively in this line of 
business and has erected a number of the 
important structures of La Harpe an<l 
vicinity. He also bought four lots in 
Peoria and has built two houses thereon. 
Mr. Riggins is a democrat in his po- 
litical affiliation and has served as super- 
visor and also as assessor. In the 
spring of 1906 he was elected as mayor 
of the city of La Harpe to fill the va- 
cancy caused by the resignation of C. 
A. Knappenberger. He has led a life 
characterized by industi"y and carries 
forward to successful completion what- 
ever he undertakes. He has always 
lived in this section of the state and the 
fact that many who have known him from 
his boyhood to the present are numbered 
among his stanchest friends, is an indi- 
cation that he has displayed many sterling 
traits (if character as the years have gone 
bv. 



EDWARD BRINES. 

From an earl_\- period in the develop- 
ment of Hancock county to the present 
time Edward Brines has been numbered 



among its residents and is now living 
in Augusta. He was born in Schuyler 
county, near Rushville, Illinois, October 
29, 1829, and has therefore attained the 
seventy-sixth milestone on life's journey. 
He was only two years of age when his 
parents removed with their family to Wa- 
bash county, Illinois, where the father 
engaged in farming, and in the public 
schools there the son acquired his educa- 
tion and in the summer months assisted in 
the labors of the farm. He resided there 
until twent_\-one years of age, performing 
the ^•arious tasks incident to the raising 
of the crops and the care of the stock. 
In the fall of 1850 he returned to his na- 
ti\e C(junty, where he engaged in farm- 
ing (in his own account, cultivating a 
tract of rented land. He there resided 
until the spring of 1874, when he came 
to Hancock county and took up his abode 
in Augusta township, about three and a 
half miles southeast of the .village of Au- 
gusta. Here he also rented a farm until 
the spring of 1878, when he located in 
Augusta, where he has since resided. He 
has been totally blind for the past twenty 
years but has learned to do some kinds of 
work, such as caning chairs and occu- 
pies much of his time in this way. 

Mr. Brines was married on the 21st 
of August. 1 85 1, to Miss Mary Jane 
Currv. who was born in Kentucky, 
whence she came to Illinois with her par- 
ents when six }-ears of age, the family 
home being established near Rushville, 
where she was reared and educated. The 
family resided on a farm about two miles 
east of Rushville and there she remained 
until her marriage. Unto Mr. and Mrs. 
Brines were born eight children. Nancv 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



(>^S 



Susan, the eldest, is the widow of John 
N, Stark, who was a farmer of Augusta 
township. She now resides in Cahfornia 
and has two children, Earl, of Chicago, 
and Kitty, who is the wife of Neal Thron- 
son, of Minnesota, and has three children, 
Elvira, Norma and Newman. George 
H. Brines resides in Kansas, where he fol- 
lows farming and merchandising in At- 
tica. He married Miss Ollie Alanson and 
has three children, Haeey, Carl and 
Helen. Charles Brines died at the age of 
four years, Edgar at the age of three, Ma- 
bel at the age of two and three other chil- 
dren died unnamed in infancy. 

]\Ir. Brines exercises his right of fran- 
chise in support of the men and measures 
of the democracy but never sought or 
desired office, preferring always to give 
his undivided attention to his business 
interests and until blindness overtook him 
he led a \-ery busy and useful life. Both 
he and his wife are members of the Chris- 
tian church and are well known in Au- 
gusta, being classed with the worthy and 
respected citizens here. 



GEORGE IvLIXEFELTER. 

George Klinefelter, devoting his time 
and energies to general agricultural pur- 
suits in Chili township, was born in Penn- 
sylvania, in 1852. and is one of the four 
children and only living representative 
of the family of John and Rebecca (Wor- 
rell) IClinefelter. The father's birth oc- 
curred in Mount Bethel, Northampton 



county, Pennsylvania. He was a prac- 
ticing physician as was also the grand- 
father of our subject, who was a native 
of the same state. Dr. John Klinefelter 
was born in 1826, and died in 1868, at 
the comparatively early age of forty-twi; 
years, his remains being interred in Penn- 
sylvania. His widow, who was born 
September 8, 1830, came t<i Illinois after 
the death of her husband and died in 1885, 
being laid t(j rest in Chili cemeter}-. She 
was a member of the Presbyterian church 
and was a most estimable lady. Her son, 
Joseph, who died in ^tlinnesota, July 21. 
1906, was brought to this count}- f(.ir 
interment in Chili cemeter}- and was laid 
by the side (_)f his mother. Mr. Kline- 
felter had an uncle on his father's side 
who was a soldier of the Revolutionary 
war, while twn nf his uncles in the ma- 
ternal line were soldiers df the Civil war. 
George Klinefelter acquired his educa- 
tion in the schools of Pennsylvania. He 
canie to Illinois, however, in iHGy. at the 
age of fourteen years and lived with his 
mother in Chili township, Hancock coun- 
ty, until he had attained his majority. He 
early became familiar with the duties and 
labors that fall to the lot of the agricul- 
turist and throughout his entire life has 
carried on general farming. In 1877 he 
was united in marriage to Miss Alice Par- 
ker, who was born in Chili township in 
1849, a daughter of David and Sarah 
( Todd) Parker, the former born in Peini- 
sylvania in 1806, and the latter in Con- 
necticut in 1821. Her father followed 
agricultural pursuits and on coming to 
Hancock county settled in Chili township, 
where he resided until his death. He was 
in the Mormon war of 1844 and was 



624 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



connected with other events of early liis- 
toric importance. In his family were 
four children, naniel}' : Mrs. Klinefelter; 
B. F. Parker, of Chili; and two wlm 
have passed away. The father died in 
1894, while his wife departed this life 
in December, 1868. Both were members 
of the Presbyterian church and were de- 
voted Christian people. When Mr. Par- 
ker arrived in Plancock county in 1837 
it was all open prairie and Indians cnukl 
be seen daily in their tramps thruugli 
this part of the state. There were many 
wolves and herds of wild deer were fre- 
quently seen, \-enison being no unusual 
dish upon the pioneer table. There were 
many kinds of lesser game and every evi- 
dence of frontier life could here be found. 
There were few houses between Chili and 
Carthage and the work of development 
and impro\'ement seemed scarcely begun 
but Mr. Parker and other pioneer settlers 
laid broad and deep the foundation fnr 
the present development and progress of 
the county. 

For some years after their marriage 
Mr. Klinefelter and his wife lived with 
her parents. He is now the owner of 
seventy-five acres of land on section 30, 
Chili township, and he built thereon his 
present residence, together with substan- 
tial bams and other outbuildings. Fie is 
now carrying on general farming and also 
raises some stock and the work of the 
fields is carefully conducted and results 
in rich harvests. He has never had time 
nor inclination to seek public ofifice but 
has always given a stalwart support to 
the Republican party and its principles. 
Both he and his wife are members of the 
Presbyterian church and are interested 



in its work. They are esteemed in the 
community as people of genuine personal 
worth, their good equalities of heart and 
mind winning for them the friendship and 
regard of those with whom they have 
been associated. 



MAX LAUBERSHEIMER. 

Occupying a leading position among 
the prominent and influaitial farmers of 
Appanoose township, Hancock county, 
Illinois, is the subject of this sketch, Max 
Laubersheimer, wdio was bom across the 
water, his natal day being November 11, 
] 839, and the place of his nativity Rheim, 
Bavaria, Germany. When a youth of 
eighteen years he accompanied his ]3ar- 
ents, Laurence and Barbara (Ballinger) 
Laubersheimer, to the new world, their 
destination being New Orleans, in which 
citv the^• remained for only si.x months, 
at the end of which time, in the spring of 
1858, they went to St. Louis, wdiere they 
spent the succeeding six months, and in 
the fall of that year removed to Nauvoo. 
Illinois. Previous to the removal of the 
family to the United States the father 
had engaged in fanning in his native 
country and also conducted a grocery 
store there. After his arrival in Nau\'oo 
he pmxhased a house and an acre of 
ground and in this city his death occurred 
in Februarv, 1883, while his wife suni\ cd 
him for only a short period, passing 
away (^n the 31st of November following. 
Franz Schreiber's father conducted three 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



625 



very large hotels in the Alps, and after 
coming- to this countiy located for a time 
in Missouri, where he was watch-maker, 
but he later came to Nauvoo. where he 
followed his trade, and was here joined 
by his family in 1853. His death here oc- 
'ciirred in 1873. while his wife liad passed 
avva_\- (in the loth of December. 1854. In 
the family nf Mr. and Mrs. Laubershei- 
mer tliere were three sons and a daughter, 
of whom the subject of this review is the 
eldest, and he also has a half sister. 

Max Laubersheimer, on his arrival 
with his parents in New Orleans, was em- 
ployed for one month in a hotel in that 
city and for five months was a bartender. 
After the removal of the family to St. 
Louis he learned the barber's trade, which 
he followed for some time before coming 
to Nauvoo. In 1865, however, he put 
aside all business and personal considera- 
tions, and responded to the country's call 
for aid by his enlistment at Chicago in the 
Twenty-third Illinois Infantiy, being as- 
signed to duty in Company G of that com- 
mand. He participated in the siege of 
RichiiKind with the army of the Potomac, 
and was honorably discharged in August 
of that year, having sei-ved from March 
preceding. While at Richmond he was 
poisoned by mistake and for a time was 
in a serious condition and after his re- 
turn home was confined to his bed for 
three months, and he has never entirely 
recovered from its effects, having been in 
poor health ever since his service in the 
army. 

.\bout a year after his return Imme 
from the war Mr. Laubersheimer again 
resumed his trade as a barber, which he 
continued to follow until 188=;. In the 



meantime he had jiurchascd a tract of 
land of line hundred and eleven acres, sit- 
uated (in section 19. Appanoose township, 
of which only twenty acres had been 
cleared of the timber. The only building 
on the place consisted of an old log house, 
and, having made a small addition to the 
house, he made this his home until 1899, 
and this primitive dwelling was then re- 
placed by a modern frame residence, con- 
taining eight rooms and supplied with all 
conveniences for the comfort of the fam- 
ily. He has cleared about fifty acres of 
timber and has placed many modern im- 
provements on his land, and here with 
the assistance of his eldest son he is en- 
gaged in general agricultural pursuits 
and stock-raising, having fine grades of 
horses, cattle and hogs, and both branches 
of his business are proving a gratifying 
source of income to him. In former 
years he was engaged to some extent in 
the raising of fruit, mostly of berries, but 
is not now engaged in horticultural pur- 
suits. His farm is one of the attractive 
features of the landscape, being situated 
on a high point, commanding an excellent 
view of the Mississippi river, of the city 
of Fort Madison six miles distant and of 
Montrose, Iowa, three and a half miles 
distant. 

On the 6th of January, 1861, Mr. Lau- 
bersheimer was united in marriage to 
Miss Catherine Schreiber, a native of 
Switzerland, bom September 24, 1842, 
and a daughter of I'ranz and Barbara 
Ann (Weber) Schreiber. Her paternal 
grandfather was Franz Schreiber, while 
the maternal grandfather was Sebastian 
Antone Weber. Mrs. Laubersheimer ac- 
quired her education in the schools of her 



626 



BIOGRAPHICAL RET I El V 



native country and also in the schools of 
Nauvoo. Unto our subject and his wife 
have been born four sons and eight daugh- 
ters, namely : George, born October 4, 
1 86 1, and assisting his father in the op- 
eration of the home farm; Matilda, bom 
November 31, 1862, who died in infancy: 
Valentine, who was born September 1 1 , 
1864, and alsij died in infancy; Emilia A.. 
Ix.irn September 27, 1866. and is now the 
wife of John E. Schaefer, of Burlington, 
Iowa; John, who was born April 4. 1868, 
and is now engaged in merchandising in 
Nauvoo; Valentine, born July 15, 1870, 
and died in infancy; Bertha A., who was 
born October 13, 1872, and is now the 
wife of Albert Herbert, of Appanoose 
township; Sophia Adel, who was born 
April I. 1874, and is nijw the wife of 
Fr;ink A. \\'ilkins, of Sonora township.- 
Dcna, bom Septemljer 9, 1876, and is the 
wife of William Clark, of Pontoosuc 
township; ]\Iarie Edith, boni January 4, 
1878, and now the wife of Joseph. 'V. 
Boeddeker, of Niota, Illinois; Josephine 
Elizabeth, born June 20, 1880, and now 
the wife of Heniw J. Boeddeker, of Appa- 
noose township; ami Florence (iertrude, 
born May 8, 1883, and now the wife of 
Henry A. Boeddeker, of Appanoose 
townshi]). 

Mr. Laubersheimer accjuired his cdu- 
catiiin in the ci)mmon schools of his na- 
ti\e country and later pursued a six 
months' course id' stuilv in a college of 
Germany before accompanying his ]3ar- 
ents to the United States. He was reared 
in the faith of the Keimljlicau ])arty ;uid 
has taken an acti\e interest in the ranks 
of his party, having served as alderman 
of the second ward in Nauvoo. as citv 



treasurer for seven years and as school 
director for nine years, in all of which 
positions he was loyal to the best inter- 
ests of the puldic at large. Although 
starting out in life on his own account 
in a strange land, without financial assist- 
.'mce, Mr. Laubersheimer started at the 
l)ottom round of the ladder and through 
his persistency of purpose and his lauda- 
l)le ambition he has worked his way stead- 
ily upward until he occupies a foremost 
Ijlace among the leading agriculturists of 
his adoptetl county. 



SAMUEL S\\"EENEV. 

Samuel Sweeney, engaged in business 
in Carthage as a stone mason and also 
conducting a general teaming business, 
was hnrn in Preljle covuitv, Ohio, Oct(.)ber 
10, 1S46, his parents lieing George and 
Elizabeth ( Hoover ) Sweeney. The fa- 
ther was burn in Fredericksburg, Mary- 
land, and the mother near Gettysburg, 
Pennsylvania. George Sweeney was a 
farmer by occupation and on lea\ing 
Ohio, where he resided for a number of 
years, traveled across the country with 
team tn Hancock countv. Illinois, in ^S^2, 
being fifteen days upon the way. He set- 
tled on a farm in Carthage township, liv- 
ing in a log house for some time and with 
characteristic energy and purpose he im- 
])ro\ed his farm, placing it under a high 
state of cultivation. In 1870 he built a 
large mcxlcrn residence and made other 
impro\'ements, transforming the place 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



627 



into an excellent farm property, which 
he continued to cultivate until November. 
1886, when he retired and took up his 
abode in the city of Carthage. He voted 
\\\t\\ the Republican party and served 
as school director and road supervisor. 
Both he and his wife were faithful mem- 
bers and active workers in the Presby- 
terian church, in which he served as an 
elder from 1S54 until the time of his 
death, his labi>r proving a source of much 
benefit in various church activities. Pie 
died honored and respected by all. March 
27. 1891, and his wife, who was a most 
estimable lady, passed away in November. 
1889. Both were laid to rest in AIoss 
Ridge cemetery. In their famil\- were 
nine children: Jacob and William, both 
deceased : Susan, the v\'ife of Milton 
W'ieder, of Carthage: George, who is liv- 
ing in Carthage: Elizabeth, the wife of 
Henry Biery, of Carthage : Reader, who 
died in the Civil war wdiile ser\'ing in the 
Seventh Missouri Cavalry : Samuel, of 
this review: Alexander M., wIk.) is living 
in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Mary, the 
wife of Thomas Metcalf, of Carthage. 
Samuel Sweeney was educated in the 
public school called the Mount Zion 
school, north of Carthage, and wdien not 
busy with his text-books worked at farm 
labor. He lived with his parents until 
twenty-eight years of age, although for 
a short time previous he was engaged in 
farming on his own account. On the 
24th of March, 1874, he married Miss 
Alice Jordan, who w^as born in Muskin- 
gum county, Ohio, June 26. 185 1, a 
daughter of Aaron and Mergeline (Rob- 
inson) Jordan, who were likewise natives 
of the Buckeve state. The father was a 



schoolteacher and followed the profession 
of teaching in the public schools of Ohio 
for many years. He also engaged in 
merchandising there for some time and 
was a man of marked intellectual force 
and business ability. In 1859 he came to 
Hancock count}', settling near Warsaw, 
where he taught school and also engaged 
in farming until 1870. when he tO(_)k up 
his abode upon a farm near Carthage, 
there residing until his death, which oc- 
curred on the 26th of November, 1876. 
His wife had passed away June 23, 1872, 
and both were buried in Wythe township 
cemetery. Mr. Jordan in his political 
views was a stalwart republican and held 
various positions in Ohio and also in this 
CDunty, ever pro\ing faithful to the trust 
rep(.)sed in him. In his fraternal relations 
he was a Mason and Odd Fellinv and took 
a very prominent part in the work of the 
lodges in the Buckeye state. Both he and 
his wife held membership in the Presby- 
terian church and he acted as an elder 
from his twenty-first year until his death. 
In the work of the church he was very 
greatly interested and took an active part 
in advancing the growth and extending 
the influence of his denomination. His 
wife, too, shared with him in the good 
work and both were earnest Christian peo- 
ple, enjoying in imqualified measure the 
good will and respect of those with whom 
they were associated. In their family 
were ten children, of whom se\en are nnw 
living: Mary L. Jordan, who for thirty 
years engaged in teaching school in Illi- 
nois and Kansas, but is now living in 
Anthony, Kansas : Plummer, wdio died in 
May, 1867: Mrs. Sweeney; Mercy, the 
v^'ife of Benoine W^ame, who resides in 



628 



BIOGRAPHICAL RE J 'I El r 



Si mill Zanesville, Ohio; ^lerritt Jordan, 
li\in_t;- in Kansas City, Kansas; Harriet 
Jordan, wlio resides in Anthony, Kansas, 
wliere she is a successful music teacher; 
Silas R., who died in Kansas in 1892; J. 
Arthur, who lives in I'reeport, Kansas; 
Abraham and (jrace, the former lix'ing 
in .\ntliony, Kansas, with his two sisters, 
while the latter died in 1888, after having 
taught school successfulh' for seven years 
in Harper county, Kansas. 

Silas Robinson, the great-grandfather 
of Mrs. Sweeney, served with the militia 
during the Revolutionary war. and his son 
and namesake, the grandfather of I\Irs. 
Sweeney, was a soldier of the war of 
1 81 2, while two of his brothers, Isaac ami 
Aaron, also fought for the American 
interests in that struggle. Aaron Jordan, 
father of Mrs. Sweeney, had seventeen 
relati\"es in the Civil war. 

Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
Sweeney lived for four years in a log 
cabin, which his parents had built when 
they came to Illinnis. In 1878 they re- 
moved to Sumner county, Kansas, settling 
on a frontier farm forty miles from a 
railroad and sharing in the usual expe- 
riences and hardships of pioneer life. 
Thev remained for three and a half years 
in the Sunflower state and then returned 
to Hancock county, after which they spent 
a similar period upon a farm in Car- 
thage township. Later the)- resided again 
in Kansas for ten years and in 1895 they 
took up their abode in the city of Car- 
thage, where Mr. Sweeney has since en- 
gaged in teaming and also working as a 
stone mason. They purchased a pretty 
home at No. 904 Buchanan street in 190Q 
and have here since lived. They are con- 



sistent and helpful members of the I'resbv- 
terian church, in which Mr, Sweeney has 
served as an elder since 1885, while Mrs. 
Sweene}- is a popular 'teacher in the Sun- 
day-school. She was also a teacher in the 
public schools for a part of fixe years 
prior to her marriage. Mr. Sweeney 
votes with the Republican party and his 
in.terest in community affairs is that of a 
pulilic-spirited citizen. I'nto this worthy 
couple ha\-e been born six children. Mer- 
geline ¥... l:)orn in Hancock county, was 
formerly a teacher in this county but has 
lieen in the telephone exchange for the 
]iast fi\e }ears. .Hattie M.. born in Sum- 
ner county. Kansas, died there in 1897. 
(irace E., Ijorn in Sumner count\'. is a 
stenographer, bookkeeper and cashier for 
the \\ estern Electric Company, at Kan- 
sas City, Missouri, with which she has 
l)een cimnected for three \'ears, Minnie 
Alice, born in Hancock county, is also in 
the telephone exchang"e here. George A., 
l)orn in Kansas, in October, 1885, is liv- 
ing at Shawnee, Oklahoma. Carrie Helen, 
born in Kansas, is now a sophomore in 
the high school at Carthage. Minnie is 
:i graduate of the high school and all are 
members of the Presbyterian church. 

Mr, Sweeney is classed with those busi- 
ness men who are known as self-made, 
having started in life without family or 
pecuniary assistance, placing his depend- 
ence upon industr}' and enterprise to 
gain him a. living. His Christian faith 
has prompted him to follow the golden 
rule at all times in business transactions 
as well as in social relations. In manner 
he is quiet and unostentatious but pos- 
sesses sterling traits of character that 
have won him warm regard. He now 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



629 



has a comfortable home in Carthage and 
has provided a good hving for his family, 
and both Mr. and ]\Irs. Sweeney occupy 
a very enviable position in the friendship 
of those with whom they ha\'e come in 
contact. Their religious faith has per- 
meated their lives and has been the de- 
cisive factor which has governed their 
actions on man\' occasions. 



JOSIAH C. BELL. 

Josiah C. Bell, a highly respected citi- 
zen of \\'arsa\v, where he is living retired, 
was born in Tyler county. West Virginia. 
September 5, 1834. His father, William 
H. Bell, was born in Lancaster county, 
Pennsylvania, ?»Larch 5, 1801, and was 
there married, on the 12th of September. 
1826, to Miss Rebecca Coyn, whose birth 
occurred in Allegheny county, .September 
27. i8or. Following their marriage the}' 
removed to Tyler county, WVst Virginia, 
where they located on a farm, there re- 
maining until the spring of 1835, when 
the}" removetl to Ohio, settling in Monroe 
county, where the father purchased a fariii 
of one hundred and ten acres, which he 
operated until 1857, when he disposed of 
his property and came to Warsaw. Illi- 
nois,- where he lived retired throughout 
his remaining days, his death occurring- 
April 15, 1877. His wife, however, had 
preceded him to the home beyond, she 
having passed away October 22, 1858. In 
their family were seven children, five sons 
and two daughters, and three of the sons 



were \-aliant and lo}'al soldiers in the 
Ci\il war, one of the number having en- 
listed in West Virginia, a second in Ohio, 
and the third in Warsaw. 

Josiah C. Bell, the fi)urth in order of 
birth in his father's famil}-, spent his boy- 
hood and youth in the home of his par- 
ents, accompanying them 1 >n their various 
removals, and during the years of their 
residence in Ohio he accjuired his educa- 
tion in the public schools. He was there 
reared to farm life, assisting his father in 
the < iperation of the home farm when not 
Inis}- with his text-books, and thus gained 
practical knowledge of the best methods 
of cultivating the soil. During the sea- 
sons of the year when his sen'ices were 
not ref|uired on the farm he also worked 
on \Mrious boats which plied on the Ohio 
ri\er. first being employed as cabin boy, 
but b}- faithful service and capability he 
was promoted from time to time until he 
became steward of the boat. He likewise 
learned the stone-cutter's trade in the 
Bucke}e state and was employed in that 
line of work there for one year. When 
his father disposed of the farm property 
there the son, Josiah, attended to the busi- 
ness in connection therewith and then ac- 
companied his parents on their removal 
to this state, being then a }'0ung man of 
twenty-three years. 

Following his arrival in Warsaw Mr. 
Bell continued his work as a stone-cutter, 
Ijeing employed by others in this way for 
about thirteen years, or until 1870, when, 
in company with Henry Beach, he opened 
a marble yard in the village, which was 
successfully conducted until 1884. In 
that year Mr. Bell disposed of his busi- 
ness interests and made a contract to de- 



630 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



liver the mail on the Star rotite. radiating 
from the city, which position he held dur- 
ing the succeeding four years, since which 
time he has lived retired, occupying a 
pleasant home which is located on the cor- 
ner of Fifth and Jackson streets. 

As a conipaniiin and helpmate for life's 
journey Mr. IJell chose Miss Sarah E. 
French, to whom he was married on the 
28th of .\])ril. 1861. She was bom near 
Xash\ille. Tennessee. January 30. 1839, '^ 
daughter of John and Man' J. (Fowler) 
F"rench. the former b(.)rn near Nashville, 
and the latter in South Carolina. When 
Mrs. Bell was a child her parents removed 
to Missouri, and there her father's death 
occiu'red in 1850. The following year, 
1851, at tlie time of a flood caused by the 
o\-erflowing <if the Missoiu'i river, the 
family lost all their property and personal 
effects and the mother with her children 
came to Warsaw, Illinois, where she has 
since resided. 

Unto our subject and his wife have 
been born nine children, of whom two are 
deceased : Emma Jane, who was l:)orn 
April 9, 1862, is a teacher of English and 
histoiy in the Lutheran College at Car- 
thage, Illinois: Clara died in infancy. 
Flora G., the next member of the family, 
was born March 30. 1865. Carrol M.. 
who was born March 25. 1867, is an en- 
gineer, being located at Greencastle. In- 
diana. Rose E., who was bom August 
17. 1869. was engaged in teaching for 
eight years but is now pursuing a course 
in a college in Chicago to prepare her for 
work as a deaconess. Guy E.. born De- 
cember 7, 1874, is a photographer of Keo- 
kuk, Iowa. Alberta, who was born De- 
cember 21, 1876, died in infancv. The 



two younger members of the family are 
Eugenia M.. who was bom May 10, 1879, 
and Jessie Mildred, born May 16, 1881. 
Besides rearing their own family Mr. and 
Mrs. Bell have reared two children, which 
they adopted as their own, these being 
Robert Tumpaugh, who was bom May 
22, 1884, and Mildred McKinney, whose 
birth occurred February 21, 1887. 

Mr. Bell is a prohibitionist in his po- 
litical affiliation, thus indicating his views 
on the temperance question. He has 
sen-ed on the board of health at Warsaw 
for fifteen years and for two years was 
truant officer. In his religious faith he is 
a Methodist, holding membership with 
that organization in his city, and he is 
likewise a charter member of the Ancient 
Order of United Workmen lodge of War- 
saw, having become identified with the 
order September 21, 1877. 

Having spent the greater part of his 
life in Hancock county, covering a period 
of almost a half century, Mr. Bell is wide- 
ly known and commands the respect 
and good will of all with whom he is 
associated. 



JAMES F. CRAWFORD. 

James F. Crawford, well deserving of 
mention in the history of Hancock coun- 
ty, as one of its progressive and repre- 
sentative citizens, has served as post- 
master of Warsaw since 1897 and fi>r 
some years has been identified with its 
business interests. Born in this county. 
September 2, 1851, he is a son of Thomas 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



631 



and Serepta J. ( Douglity ) Crawford. 
who are mentioned on another page of 
this work in connection with tlie sketch 
of Charles C. Crawfoi'd. 

In the district schools James F. Craw- 
ford began his education, which was con- 
tinued in the Christian University, at 
Canton, Missouri. His father died soon 
afterward and as James was the eldest son 
of the family upon him devolved the care 
of his widowed mother and younger 
brothers and sisters. He remained upon 
the home farm, carefully conducting the 
work until his marriage, which was cele- 
brated October 10. 1876. Mary E. Tappe 
becoming his wife. They were married 
in Ouincy. Mrs. Crawford was born Oc- 
tober 10. 1857. a daughter of Colonel 
\\'illiam D. and Belinda ( Shinn) Tappe. 
Her father was editing a newspaper in 
Virginia at the time rif the outbreak of the 
Ci\il war and became a culonel in the 
Confederate army. After the war he re- 
moved to Illinois, where he died in 1903. 
while his widow yet resides in Ouincy. 
Their family numbered four children : 
Mrs. Crawford; William and John Lewis, 
of Ouincy ; and Mrs. Lucy Pringle. who 
is with her mother. 

In 1880 Mr. Crawford took up his 
abode in \\'arsaw, where he engaged in 
the hay and grain business until 1890. 
when he turned his attention to real es- 
tate dealing, in which he has since con- 
tinued, negotiating many important realty 
transfers. He has been a stalwart repub- 
lican since age conferred upon him the 
right of franchise and since the ist of 
October, 1897, has served as postmaster 
of Warsaw, his administration of the 
affairs of the office being prompt and 
40 



businesslike. He has also been city clerk 
and supervisor and his official service re- 
flects credit upon his party. For four- 
teen years he has been chairman of the 
republican congressional committee and is 
recognized as one of the republican lead- 
ers of this part of the state, his labors 
having been far-reaching and beneficial 
in support of the principles in which he 
believes so firmly. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Crawford have 
been born four children : Erie Thomas, 
located in Forsyth, Montana; William R., 
of St. Louis, Missouri ; James L., ste- 
nographer, and Lucy Gladys, at home. 
All of the the sons are graduates of the 
\\'arsaw schools and have received train- 
ing in business colleges. The mother and 
children are communicants of the Episco- 
pal church and Mr. Crawford was reared 
in the Christian church, although he is 
not a member. He has attained the 
Knight Templar degree in Masonry, has 
filled all the offices in the local lodge and 
has been identified with the Odd Fellows. 
Accommodating and reliable in the dis- 
charge of his official duties, genial and 
friendly in disposition, he is a popular 
man in W'arsaw and in political circles 
throughout this part of the state. 



JOHN HERBERT. 

John Herbert, wdio departed this life 
at the venerable age of eighty-three years, 
was for a long period a well known farm- 
er of Hancock county. He was born in 



632 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



Hanover, Germany, September 22, 181 1, 
and acquired a common-school education 
there. Having reached adult age, he was 
married in Germany to Miss Catherine 
Trenton, and they became the parents of 
six children, of whom two are now liv- 
ing: Hemy, who resides in Oklahoma; 
and Martin, who makes his home in Mis- 
souri. In the year 1847 ^i"- ^'^d Mrs. 
Herbert bade adieu to friends and native 
land and sailed for the new world, for 
favorable reports had been received by 
them concerning the opportunities that 
were offered in this country, and believ- 
ing that they mig'ht more readily attain 
success they crossed the briny deep. The 
death of Mrs. Herbert occurred in St. 
Louis, in 1849, resulting from an attack 
of cholera which in that year was epidemic 
in the country. 

On the 2d of December, 1850, Mr. 
Herbert wedded Miss Mary E. Derlan, 
who was born in Prussia, June i, 1S28. 
For a year and a half after his first mar- 
riage he remained in St. Louis, and in 

1852 removed to Adams county, Illinois. 
where he rented a farm for one year. In 

1853 he came to Nauvoo and purchased 
two and a half acres in the southeast 
part of the Kimball addition. There he 
lived for eight years, when he bought 
twenty acres in Nau\oo township. In 
i8(h; he became owner of forty acres in 
Appanoose trnvnship, and in 1880 he 
bought ten acres more. L'pon that place 
he carried on the work of tilling the soil 
ami cnlti\"ating fruit, having tlnxe acres 
planted to grapes, while he also had many 
peach and other fruit trees upon the place. 
He kept in touch with modern progress, 
concerning agricultural and horticultural 



interests, and not the least important fea- 
ture of his success was his unfaltering 
industry. 

L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Herbert were born 
three sons and a daughter : Frank, who 
was born February 10, 1853, and is now 
living in Appanoose township; Agnes, 
who was born December 27, 1855, and is 
the wife of William Arenz, a resident of 
Holyoke, Phillips county, Colorado; Al- 
bert, wlio was born February 22, 1861, 
and makes his home in Appanoose town- 
ship : and Louis, who was born Novem- 
ber 13, i860, and was drowned July 8. 
1878. The death of the father occurred 
February 16, 1895, when he was in the 
eighty-fourth year of his age, and his re- 
mains were interred in the Catholic ceme- 
tery at Nauvoo. He had been a life-long 
communicant of the Catholic church, and 
was a democrat in his political allegiance. 
He was thoroughly in sympathy with 
American institutions and. with the spirit 
of republican government and in the com- 
munity where he made his home he took 
an active and helpful interest in many 
movements for general progress. He was 
devoted to his family and through his 
business affairs secured to them a good 
property and comfortable competence. In 
Septemljcr, 1889, Mrs. Herbert pur- 
chased eight acres of land in Sonora 
Idwiisln'i). (in which is a residence and 
barn, and she nL>w rents this propertx' to 
John Faulkner. She still makes her 
home on the old farm which her husband 
purchased many years ago, and her resi- 
dence in the count}' covers more than a 
half century, for it was still an early 
period in the development of this part of 
the state when she accompanied her hus- 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



633 



band on his removal from Adams to Han- 
cock county. She has therefore been a 
witness of many of the changes which 
have occurred and the events that have 
taken place in the county, and desen^es 
mention in this volume as one of the 
worthy pioneer w<jmen. 



GEORGE SMITH. 



Among the residents of Hancock coun- 
ty of foreign birth is numbered George 
Smith, who was born in Banffshire, Scot- 
land, on the iith of October. 1834. He 
is a grandson of George Smith, and a 
son of David and Margaret (Duff) 
Smith. The father was a resident farmer 
of Scotland and died in his native country 
in the year 1853. His wife also passed 
away there. 

George Smith acquired his education 
in the parish schools of his native coun- 
try, was reared to the occupation of farm- 
ing and continued to assist his father in 
general agricultural pursuits until the 
latter's death. He was a young man of 
about twenty-two years when in 1856 he 
crossed the ocean to America, making his 
way to Quebec, Canada, where he worked 
at farm labor for a year. He afterward 
went to Montreal, Canada, whence he 
took a boat up the St. I^awrence river and 
across Lake Ontario to Hamilton, 
Canada. From that point he proceeded 
by rail to Detroit. Michigan, and on to 
Chicago, to Rock Island and down the 
Mississippi river to Montrose. Iowa, 



whence he continued the journey by rail 
to Keokuk. Thence he came to Mon- 
tebello township, Hancock county, where 
he worked for two and a half years by 
the month as a farm hand. In i860 he 
rented a farm, whereon he resided for 
eight years and later he lived upon an- 
other place for two years and upon a third 
farm for six }-ears. In 1874 he invested 
his earnings in eighty acres of land on 
section 14, Montebello township, Han- 
cock county. This was partially improved 
and in 1876 he added thereto eighty 
acres more. He built a house of seven 
rooms and he has put up barns and like- 
wise fences. He has now many rods of 
fine hedge fence. He has carried on gen- 
eral farming and stock-raising, making 
a specialty of cattle and hogs, and his 
well developed farm property returns to 
him an excellent income. 

On the 1 8th of August, 1854, Mr. 
Smith was united in marriage to Miss 
Margaret McDonald, who was born Sep- 
tember 25, 1833, and is a daughter of 
John and Jane (Donald) McDonald, who 
lived and died in Scotland. ]\Ir. and Mrs. 
Smith had one child, David, who was bi>rn 
in Scotland, February i, 1856, and died 
ne;ir Montreal, Canada, Februarj^ 18, 
1857. 

\A'hile in his native country Mr. Smith 
held membership in the Presbyterian 
church. He votes with the democrac}' 
and keeps well informed on the questions 
and issues of the day. He is in fact in 
hearty sympathy with the institutions of 
this republic and has never had occasion 
to regret his determination to seek a home 
in the new world, realizing the advan- 
tages that are here offered where labor 



634 



BIOGRAPHICAL REV IE] 



is not hampered by caste or class. He 
has steadily made substantial progress in 
his business career and is now in pos- 
session of a very comfortable home and 
good property. 



WILLIAM C. REIMBOLD. 

William C. Reimbold, owner and pro- 
prietor of a hotel in Nauvoo, his native 
city, was here bom November 27, i860, 
a son of Casper W. and Elizabeth (Bush) 
Reimbold, both natives of Cologne, Ger- 
many, the former a son of William and 
Christina ( Bruner) Reimbold. The fa- 
ther on coming to Hancock county in 
1849, settled in Nauvoo, where he en- 
gaged in a merchandising enterprise. 
After residing here for a number of years 
he went to New York city, there engaging 
in the manufacture of confectionery, 
which he continued for three years, and 
then went to Chicago, where he continued 
in the same line of trade for a year. He 
then again came to Nauvoo, where he con- 
ducted a confectionery store, and also 
conducted a freighting outfit until his 
death, which here occurred July 23, 1903. 
and thus passed away one of the worthy 
citizens of this city, where he had for 
many years been a factor in business life. 
He is still survived by his widow, who yet 
makes her home in Nauvoo. 

William C. Reimbold attended the 
common schools of Nauvoo to the age of 
thirteen years, and at that time became 
his father's assistant, driving a transfer 



wagon for him for several years. He 
then, in 1891, purchased the business 
from his father and conducted the busi- 
ness on his own account until March, 
1901. In the meantime, in January, 1894, 
he had purchased what was known as the 
Swartz residence, which he remodeled and 
added to, converting the place into a ho- 
tel, which he called the Oriental Hotel. 
This is the only hotel in Nauvoo and un- 
der the management of Mr. Reimbold it 
enjoys a very large trade from the trav- 
eling public, for it is an up-to-date house, 
supplied with every convenience and com- 
fort for the convenience of the patrons. 

On the 27th of October, 1887, Mr. 
Reimbold was united in marriage to Miss 
Elizabeth Hillisheim. a native of Sonora 
township, bom Sqjtember 13, 1861, and 
a daughter of Garrett and Margaret Hill- 
isheim. natives of Hanover and Bavaria, 
Germany, respectively. Mrs. Reimbold 
acquired her education in the common 
schools and by her marriage has become 
the mother of one son, ^^'illiam C. born 
Januar}- 12, 1899. 

In politics Mr. Reimbold is independ- 
ent, supporting men rather than adhering 
to party ties, while in his fraternal rela- 
tions he is a member of the Modem 
Woodmen of America, belonging to the 
lodge at Nauvoo. He possesses a ge- 
nial, kindlv manner. 



JAMES A. ROSEBERRY. 

James A. Roseberry. a prominent 
farmer and stock-raiser of Sonora town- 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



63 = 



ship, represents one of the pioneer famihes 
of Ilhn(.)is, his parents having removed 
horn Kentucky in ^lay, 1832. and lo- 
cated in Adams county, where the father 
entered land at Columbus, near Ouincy. 
He there engaged in farming until his 
life's labors were ended in death and 
there he passed away in 1881, having sur- 
vived his wife for only five days. 

James A. Roseberry, whose name intro- 
duces this record, is the eldest in a family 
of seven sons and tw(T daughters, his birth 
having occurred near Louisville, Ken- 
tucky, on the 4th of July, 1830. He was 
only two years of age when brought to 
Illinois by has parents, the family home 
being located in Adams county at Colum- 
bus, where he acquired his education in 
the common schools. He remained with 
his parents until twenty-two years of age 
and then started out in life on his own ac- 
count by eng'aging in the work to which 
he had been reared. He first operated 
rented land in Adams cimnty for twci 
years, and on the 25th of April, 1857, 
arrived in Sonora township, Hancock 
county, where he purchased eight}- acre-^ 
of land on section 34. This was unim- 
proved when it came into his possession 
but he at once set to work to develop and 
cultivate his fields. He also built fences, 
and erected a dwelling, set out fruit trees 
and otherwise improved his property. At 
a later date his first residence was replaced 
by a larger dwelling and he has now one 
of the fine country homes of this section 
of the county, and is engaged in general 
farming and stock-raising, including 
horses, cattle and hogs, of which he has 
good grades. 



On the loth of March, 1854. occurred 
the marriage of Mr. Roseberry and Miss 
Emily Jane f'ayne. a native of Adams 
county, and a daughter of Henry antl 
Anna (Pounds) Payne, natives i:)f the 
Blue Grass state. Of this marriage four 
sons and two daughters were born, 
namelv : \\ illiam. a resident of Okla- 
hiima: Annie, the wife cif Edward Utter- 
back, a resident of Kansas : Henry, of 
Osceola. Nebraska ; Everett and Lincoln, 
both (if I^.irtland, Oregon ; and Emma, 
the wife of Martin Egan, of Hamilton, 
this state. The mother of these children 
passed away in December, 1866, and in 
October, 1868, the father was again mar- 
ried, his second union being with Miss 
Marv Riiseberry, a native of Adams 
county. Illinois, and a daughter of John 
and Mary (McElhenny) Ro.seberry, The 
sur\-iving son of this marriage is Edward, 
who assists in the operation of the farm, 
while the ilaughter, Cora, became the wife 
of iM-ank Xowles, of Almira, Washing- 
tun, and died in IQ04, leaving one son 
and three daughters. 

Mr. Roseberry snppiirts the Repuldican 
partv and has seiwed as school director 
and trustee, but aside from being inter- 
ested in the educational development of 
his cummunity has taken no active inter- 
est in public office. His religious faith 
is indicated by his membership in the 
Christian church at Sonora. He lias 
worked earnestly and persistently in his 
efforts to accumulate a good property, 
for. though starting out in life without 
capital he is today in possession of an 
excellent farm on which are found all 
modern improvements, and by honesty 



636 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



and fair dealing has won a place among 
the highly esteemed residents of this por- 
tion of the state. 

Since the above was written Air. Rose- 
berry has passed away, his death occur- 
ring at the home place on October 20, 
1906, and is buried at Curry cemetery in 
Sonora township. 



THOMAS J. BAINTER. 

Thomas J. Bainter, residing in the cit>' 
of La Harpe, where he owns a nice home, 
and where he is acting as janitor of the 
Christian church, is a native of Muskin- 
gum county, Ohio, his birth having there 
occurred October 31, 1834, a son of 
George and Lucy (Heater) Bainter, both 
natives of Pennsylvania, the former bom 
August 14, 1 77 1, a son of Godfrey Bain- 
ter. The father of our subject was en- 
gaged in the manufacture of chairs in 
Ohio for many years, but both he and his 
wife are now deceased, the former hav- 
ing passed away September 13. 1849, 
while his wife survived until October 20, 
1857. The father had been married pre- 
viously, his first union being with Miss 
Lydia Sprague, who was born September 
28. 1777. and to whom he- was married 
August 9, 1796. The children of this 
marriage were: John S.. who was born 
August 12, 1797; Ellis, born October 23. 
1799: James, January 6, 1802: Sprague. 
September 17, 1804; Anson, October 8. 
1806; Calvei-y, September 20, 1808; Be- 
linda M., September 14, 1811; Maiw S.. 
April 3, 1814; and Lydia C. September 
15, 18 1 7. After losing his first wife the 



father was then married, in 1830, to Lucy 
Meater, who became the mother of our 
subject and who is the second in order of 
birth, his surviving brother being George 
\\'., who was born June 4, 1832, while 
Henry, who was born August 14, 1836, 
died at the age of six years. 

Thomas J. Bainter, whose name intro- 
duces this record, pursued his studies in 
the district schools of Ohio, and remained 
with his parents to the age of twenty-one 
years, when, leaving his native state, he 
made his way to Burlington, Iowa, where 
he remained for a time, and later contin- 
ued his journey to La Harpe, this county, 
where he was employed at farm labor un- 
til 1857. He then again made his way 
to Iowa, locating in Johnson county, 
where he was employed in a hotel for a 
year. In the spring of 1858 he once more 
came to La Harpe, where he was mar- 
rietl on the 5th of August following, Miss 
Elmira Gray becoming his wife. She was 
a native of Coshocton county, Ohio, and 
a daughter of David Gray. wIkt was born 
in the Buckeye state, June 20, 181 1, while 
her mother, who bore the maiden name of 
Henrietta Richard, was there born Octo- 
ber 30, i8t2, and on the 28th of March, 
1823, was united in marriage to David 
Gray. 

Of the first marriage of Mr. Bainter 
there were born two sons and two daugh- 
ters, all of whom survive, namely : Ron- 
aldo, who was bom May 7. 1859, and is 
now a resident of Ston- county. Iowa : 
Sarah Ellen, who was bom September 
II, 1861. and is now the wife of George 
Carter, a resident of Durham township : 
John H., born November 23, 1863: and 
Tennie A., who was born November 2'^. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



637 



1866, and is the widow of Charles Ander- 
son, residing in La Harpe. Tiie mother 
of these children passed away June 26. 
1900, and her remains were interred in 
the cemetery at La Harpe. For his sec- 
ond wife Mr. Bainter then chose Mrs. An- 
geline Scott, whom he wedded December 

25, 1901. She was born in Champaign 
county, Ohio, December 12, 1832, and 
was tlie widow of George Scott, to whom 
she was married December 24, 1858, and 
who, in i860, had gone witii a company 
to California, where he was drowned 
three years later. By this marriage 
there is one son, Isaac Scott, who was 
born in October, 1859, and is now a 
resident of Fremont county, Iowa. Mrs. 
Bainter is a daughter of Louis and Eliza 
(Anderson) Long, natives of Shippens- 
burg, Pennsylvania, the former born July 

26, 1803, a son of Sephenar Long, like- 
wise a native of the Keystone state, while 
the mother's birth occurred March 7, 
1806. L'nto Louis and Eliza Long were 
born the following named: Elizabeth 
Ann, who became the wife of James 
Smith, and died in Kansas ; Caroline, 
who became the wife of M. Porter, and 
also passed away in that state: David, 
who passed away in La Harpe ; Angeline, 
now the wife of our subject; Joseph, who 
died in Sciota, Illinois; Mrs. Lavonia 
Minnick, a resident of California; Mary 
C, the wife of Z. Birch, and a resident 
of Burlington, Iowa; Louis E., who died 
at La Harpe ; Charles, of Good Hope, Illi- 
nois: Eleanor J., the widow of L. Oakes, 
and a resident of Nebraska : Laura and 
Bathsheba, twins, who died in infancy ; 
Annette, the wife of James Marshall, of 
Whiting, Kansas ; and Henrietta, twin 



sister of Annette, and the wife of John 
Gray, a resident of Nebraska. By a sec- 
ond marriage of Louis Long there are two 
sons and a daughter: Louis, of La Harpe 
township; George, of Henderson county, 
Illinois ; and Daisy, the wife of Marion 
Huston, of La Harpe. 

Following his first marriage Mr. Bain- 
ter continuously followed general agricul- 
tural pursuits until 1895, when he re- 
moved to La Harpe, where he had pur- 
chased a house and two lots in 1892. 
Since locating here he has greatly im- 
proved the place, having set out many 
shade and fruit trees, has erected a barn 
and tool sheds, and has a nice residence, 
which stands in the midst of a well kept 
lawn, and altogether has one of the best 
homes in the city. In his political views 
Mr. Bainter is a democrat, and in his re- 
ligious faith is identified with the Chris- 
tian church at La Harpe, of which he is 
now acting as janitor. 

Mr. Bainter has resided in Hancock 
county for almost a half century and ow- 
ing to his reliable and straightforward 
dealing is accounted one of the highly re- 
spected citizens of his community. He 
has now passed the seventy-second mile- 
stone on life's journey but is still a hale 
and hearty man, beloved by all with 
whom he has come in contact. 



ROY B. ROBERTS, M. D. 

Dr. Roy B. Roberts, who is enjoying 
very gratifying success in the practice of 



638 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJlEir 



medicine for one of his years, having- al- 
ready attained a reputation which many 
an older practitioner might well envy, 
was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin, Sep- 
tember 17. 1875. His father, Dr. Charles 
B. Roberts, was born on a farm in Ohio 
in 1848. and is a graduate of the Ens- 
worth Medical College of Missouri. He 
was a minister of the Baptist church prior 
to the time that he took up the profession 
of medicine, preaching in Illinois and Mis- 
souri with great success. He now makes 
his home in McLean county, Illinois, and 
is practically retired. He married Miss 
Sarah Ellen Bulkley, who was Ijorn in 
L'pper Alton, Illinois, in 1S54. and like 
him, she is a devoted member of the 
Baptist church. In their family were 
seven children: Hazelteen Ruth, the wife 
of Harry Tilburg, of Towanda, Illinois; 
Roy B. : Luther, deceased; Alice M., the 
wife of Arthur L. Rainalter, of St. Jo- 
seph. Missouri ; Francis X., who lives in 
the Alberta district of Canada ; Lathrop 
E. and Horace B., also of Canada. 

Dr. Rolierts of this review, having ac- 
quired a good preliminary educatinn re- 
soh'ed to make the practice of medicine 
his life work and is a graduate oi the 
Ensworth Medical College of Missouri, 
and -of the Rush Medical College, of Chi- 
cago. He first practiced in Brooklyn, 
Illinois, where he remained for two years, 
and in August, 1 901, located in Augusta, 
where he has met with excellent success, 
ha\-ing a large practice in both the trnvn 
and county. He keeps in touch with 
the progress of the medical fraternity and 
is continually broadening his knowledge 
and efficiency by reading and investiga- 
tion. He has demonstrated his abilitv to 



successfully solve intricate problems con- 
nected with the restoration of health, and 
he has the regard of his professional 
brethren by reason of his conformity to a 
high standard of professional ethics. 

Dr. Roberts was married in 1902 to 
Miss Bertha A. De(iroot, who was born 
in Augusta. January 7. 1S76. and is a 
daughter of John E. and Mary Josephine 
( Davis ) DeGroot, residents of this state. 
Her father is a native of Ouincy, and is 
a retired farmer now sixty-three years 
of age. while her mother has reached 
the age of fifty-five years. In their fam- 
il\- are fnur children, and the circle yet 
remains unbroken l)y the hand of death. 
These are: ]^Iaude. the wife of Arthur 
J. Laughlin. of Macomb. Illinois: ]\Irs. 
R( )berts : Eugene, a practicing physician 
living at ^Muskogee, Oklahoiua : and 
Maliel, the wife of Frank Deiley, of Ber- 
wyn. Illinois. I\Ir. and Mrs. DeGroot 
are members of the Methodist church. 
For many years he was a dentist, engaged 
actixely in practice f(.)r a long period. Dr. 
and Mrs. Rolierts n(_nv have two children: 
Brockway DeGrott. born in Augusta. 
April 6. 1903 : and Elsie ^Monica, born 
January 26, 1906. 

Dr. R(.>berts votes with the Republican 
part)- but is not active in its ranks. He 
lielongs to the Knights of Pythias, and he 
and his wife are consistent and faithful 
members of the Methodist church. They 
are prominent socially in Augusta and 
tlieir own home is justly celebrated for 
its gracious and attractive hospitality, 
professionally and fraternally Dr. Roberts 
is popular and has made an excellent 
record as a niedical practitioner for one of 
his years. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



639 



SAMUEL H. ATHEY. 

Samuel H. Athe}-. deceased, who was 
engaged in carriage making in Hamilton, 
was born in \\'ashington county, Ohio, 
May 16, 183 1, a son of Walter and Clara 
(Goldsmith) Athey, who were natives of 
Maryland. In that state they were mar- 
ried, after which they crossed the moun- 
tains to Ohiii on horseback, spending their 
remaining days in the Buckeye state. 

Samuel H. Athey was reared under the 
parental roof and acquired his education 
in the public schools in \\'ashington coun- 
ty. He lived with his parents until the 
23d of November. 1852, and was then 
married to Miss Sarah M. Campbell, who 
was born near Marietta, \\'ood county. 
West Virginia, a daughter of Robert and 
Letitia (Wright) Campbell, the former a 
native of Ireland and the latter of Hunt- 
ington county, Pennsylvania. Their mar- 
riage was celebrated in the Keystone state 
and thev afterward removed to Virginia, 
where !Mr. Campbell purchased four hun- 
dred acres of land. He was a shoemaker 
by trade, but in the Old Dominion gave 
his attention to agricultural pursuits. 
Subsecjuently he resided for a time in Erie 
county, Pennsylvania, but afterward re- 
turned to Virginia, where he and his wife 
spent their remaining days. In their fam- 
ily were five sons and six daughters. 

After his marriage Samuel H. Athey 
and his bride began their domestic life in 
his father's old home, where they lived 
until 1855, wdien they removed to the 
vicinity of Keokuk, settling upon a rented 
farm. There Mr. Athey carried on gen- 
eral agricultural pursuits and taught 
school for a vear. He afterward went to 



St. Francisville, Alissouri, where he re- 
sided until 1864, when he came to Ham- 
ilton and purchaseil fifteen acres of land 
in the northern part of the city. Here 
he was first employed at carpentering, but 
later turned his attention to carriage 
building and was thus engaged during the 
latter part of his life. 

In the same year of his removal to 
Hamiltiin. ]\Ir. Athey enlisted for service 
in the Civil war, joining Company C of 
the One Himdred and Eighteenth Illinois 
Infantrv in the spring of 1864. He 
ser\ed until the end i:)f the war but was 
fifteen months in the hospital at Baton 
Rouge, Louisiana, and was discharged at 
Springfield, Illinois, after the close of hos- 
tilities. 

I'nto ]\Ir. and Airs, .\they were bom 
three daughters and three sc_)ns: Clara, 
the wife of A\'illiam IMorgan Oakley, of 
Ouinc\', Illin(.)is: Addie, at home; Mary, 
who became the wife of John Finley Mal- 
colm, and died at Libert}'ville. Illinois, in 
1895; Koliert. of Hamilton; and Eugene, 
who is a painter and paper hanger of 
Hamilton. The husband and father died 
March 24, 1893, when about si.xty-two 
years of age. He was a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal church and his po- 
litical views were in accord with repub- 
lican principles. He ser\-ed as constal)le 
in Lee county, Iowa, but was never an of- 
fice seeker, preferring to give his time and 
attention to his business interests. He 
led a busy, active and useful life and all 
that lie possessed was obtained through 
his own persistent efforts. In citizenship 
he ever manifested the same loyalty which 
he displayed when upon southern battle- 
fields. 



640 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



MRS. JANE L. HAWLEY. 

]\Irs. Jane L. Hawley, living in Hamil- 
ton, was born in Hector, New York, in 
May, 1831, a daughter of Jeremiah and 
Martella ( Kelly) Robinson, both of 
whom were nati\'es of New York. Re- 
moving westward, the parents settled in 
the vicinity of Connersville, Indiana, in 
1837, taking up their abode upon a farm 
there. The mother's death occurred in 
1838 and the father passed away in 1856. 
Mrs. Hawley spait her girlhood days 
under the parental roof, acquired a pulilic 
school education and was carefully trained 
in the duties of the household, so that 
she was well qualified to take care of a 
home (if her own at the time of her mar- 
riage. She left Indiana in T843 aufl went 
to McLean county, Illinois, where she 
lived with a sister, Mrs. Harriet Trow- 
bridge, until seventeen years of age. She 
afterward returned to Indiana and was 
there married in October, 1849, to Jo- 
seph Laramore. who was born in 1810 
and was a son of Daniel and Mary 
Brooks. Her husband was conducting a 
hotel in the village of Eagle, Boone coun- 
ty, Indiana, and in i85('> came to Adams 
county, settling at West Point, where he 
purchased a farm and resided until 1862, 
when he sold that property and bought 
a farm in Wythe township, Hancock 
county. He was engaged in its cultiva- 
tion and development until 1875, when 
he sold the property and bought a large 
brick house with a store front on .Main 
street in Hamilton. Here Mr. Laramore 
died in August, 1877, leaving one daugh- 
ter. Celesta, who was born in January, 
18^2, and became the wife of Trever 



Slattery. She died in 1881, leaving two 
daughters, of whom one is yet living, Iva, 
now the wife of Edward McQuarry, of 
West Point, Illinois. By a former mar- 
riage Joseph Laramore had two sons : 
'J'homas, who died at the age of forty 
years : and James, a practicing physician 
residing in Greenfield, Indiana. Having 
lost her first husband, Mrs. Laramore was 
again married in August, 1881, becoming 
the wife of George A. Hawley, who was 
born in the state of New Y'ork in 1820, 
He was an attorney at law, who practiced 
in Iciwa for man\' }ears. He had been 
married before and had one son who died 
in infancy. Mr. Hawley passed away 
M-arch 31. 1902, since which time his 
widow has been living alone in Hamilton. 
.She is well known here as a lady of many 
excellent traits of character that have 
gained for her a wide circle of friends. 



J. L. ESSLEY. 



J. L. Essley, of Dallas City, was bom 
in Washington, Iowa, on the 9th of De- 
cember, 1880, and is a son of Mark and 
Emma Essley, who are residing upon a 
farm neav Washington. They have four 
children : Estella. the wife of Lester 
Rank, a resident of Oklahoma; J. L., of 
this review : Oliver and Esther, both at 
home. 

J. L. Essley was educated in the Uni- 
versity at Iowa City, completing a busi- 
ness course there by graduation. He was 
afterward employed in a grocery store for 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



two years at Washington, Iowa, in the 
capacity of bookkeeper and clerk. On the 
nth of December, 1900, he was united in 
marriage to Miss Minnie Moss, who was 
born in West Virginia, in 188 1, and is a 
daughter of Lewis and Elizabeth (Rhea) 
Moss, both of whom were natives of West 
Virginia, and in 1891 became residents of 
Hancock county, Illinois, settling upon a 
farm in Dallas township, where they are 
now li^■ing. In their family were four 
children, all born in \A'est Virginia: Eva, 
at home; Iva, the wife of Lloyd Moss, 
living- in Arrowsmith, Illinois; and Mrs. 
Essley of this review. The last named 
was educated in the public schools of Dal- 
las City and in her girlhood days learned 
the milliner's trade. In 1901 she em- 
barked in the millinery business in Dal- 
las City, and in the spring and fall of 1904 
employed a manager to conduct her place 
in this city, while she managed a branch 
store in Lone Tree, Iowa. She has the 
largest patronage of any millinery estab- 
lishment in this city and draws her trade 
from the surrounding country as well. 
Her place of business is pleasantly and 
conveniently located on Oak street and 
she keeps an e.xcellent line of goods, em- 
ploying a trimmer from Quincy during 
-the busy seasons. Her store is indeed 
modem and up-to-date in every particu- 
l.'ir and is tastefully arranged and conve- 
niently equipped. She well merits the lib- 
eral patronage which is accorded her, her 
business being one of the leading commer- 
cial enterprises of the city. She suffered 
losses in the disastrous fire which swept 
over the city on the 17th of December, 
1905, but she at once resumed business 
as a milliner and has a good trade. 



Mr. Essley was connected with a but- 
ton factory of Dallas City for three years 
and is now with a well drilling company. 
He votes with the Republican party and 
his wife is a member of the Methodist 
church, in which she acted as organist for 
eight or nine years. Mr. Essley pur- 
chased a pleasant home on \Vest Third 
street and this worthy couple has a son, 
Jesse, who was born in Dallas City, No- 
vember 9, 1901. Botli Mr. and Mrs. Ess- 
ie}' stand well in the communitv where 
they make their home and have the warm 
regard of manv friends. 



JOHN REID WILLIAMS. 

John Reid Williams, a resident of War- 
saw, has for many }'ears been one of the 
leading factors in business life in this 
city. He was a captain on the Mississippi 
river in the old picturesque days of steam- 
boat travel upon the father of waters and 
following his retirement in 1887 he has 
made extensive and judicious investments 
in property, becoming one of the large 
landowners of this part of the state. He 
is now spending his days in well-earned 
ease, having through well conducted busi- 
ness afifairs become possessor of a very 
gratifying competence. 

Mr. Williams was born in Madison 
county, Kentucky, March 28, 18 16, a son 
of Levi and Mary (Reid) W^illiams. In 
the year 1831. the parents removed with 
their famih' to Hancock, settling three 



642 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFA'IEW 



miles below Warsaw (Hi the bluff road, 
while later they tnok up their abode on 
the prairie six miles southeast of the cit}-. 
Levi Williauis there entering une liun- 
dred and thirteen acres nf land, which was 
at that time wild and unimproved, l:)ut 
which he trrmsfdrmed into a valuable and 
])r(>ductive farm. He was a ranger up 
and diiwn the river during the Black 
Hawk war and was connected with many 
interesting events of earh' history which 
have shaped the policy and promoted the 
progress of this portion of the state. He 
lived u])Mn the nld homestead farm until 
his (leath, which occurred Xovember 2j. 
i860, when he was sixty-six years of age 
and his wife sur\'i\-e(l luitil the 2d of De- 
cember, 1872. In their family were nine" 
children, of whom three are now living: 
Rice C, who resides at Peoria: Henry, 
who is living on the nld homestead: and 
John Reid, nf this review. Those who 
have passed away are William. Thomas, 
Jane, Theresa M., Elizaljeth and two who 
died in infancy. 

John I\eid \\ illiams jjursued his educa- 
tion in the old-time subscription schoC)ls 
and was reared to agricultural pursuits. 
He de\dted the winter months to the 
master\' of the branches of learning 
taught in the early educational institutions 
of those days, while the remainder of 
the year was given to farm work from 
the time of early spring planting until 
crops were har\'estetl in the late autumn. 
During the years of his early manhood 
his attention was given to farming and 
he afterward began boating on the Mis- 
sissippi river, eventualh' becoming a cap- 
tain of ( me I >f the 1 ild-time crafts. Before 
the era of railroad traxel the river was 



the great highway between the north and 
the south and with its tributaries formed 
the source of communication for all points 
of the middle west and the gulf ports. It 
is Avithin the memor}- of many men, when 
the ri\'er crafts were "floating palaces" 
and a tri]) down the Mississippi was a 
most enjoyable occasion, for as the Imat 
proceeded slowly down the stream there 
was ample time for the forming of new 
accjuaintances, many of which ripened into 
warm friendships. There was laughter 
and music aboard and the dance was often 
a feature of the evening entertainment. 
As the boat put up at dift'erent landings 
to take on or discharge its cargo the 
negroes would perform the task of load- 
ing and unloading, keeping time to a 
r\-thmic chant or song. The Mississippi 
formed not (.)nly the highway f(.ir pas- 
senger tra\'el but also for all traffic. The 
pr<i<lucts of many great states that lie in 
the Mississippi basin were shipped by 
lioat down the father of waters and this 
method of transportation proved a profit- 
able liusiness. As before stated, Mr. 
\\'illiams became captain of a Mississippi 
ri\-er steamer and for some time his run 
\\;is from St. Louis to Keokuk. He later 
purchased an interest in the Eagle Packet 
Company, holding office of president of 
this companv while he was interested, in 
which he remained a stockholder until 
11^87, when he disposed of his holdings 
.•uid retired to private life, since which 
time he has given his attention merely to 
the supervision of his private business 
affairs. As his financial resources had 
increased he had made judicious invest- 
ments in property ;ui(l is now the owner 
of about seven hundred acres of farming 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



643 



land in Hancock county. He also owns 
considerable valuable city property and 
the old homestead, whicli was once the 
propert)' of his father. At one time he 
owned nine hundred and fifty acres of 
farming land, but later disposed of two 
hundred and fifty acres. 

Aside from his experiences on the river 
in what forms one of the most attractive 
and picturesque periods in the history of 
the middle west Captain Williams has had 
other interesting experiences and adven- 
tures. In 1852 he went to California, at- 
tracted by the discovery of gold on the 
Pacific coast and had the usual life of the 
western miner with its hardships and 
dangers during the several months which 
he spent in California ere returning to Illi- 
nois. He was also in the Mormon war 
which (jccurred in the '40s and took an 
active interest in affairs of that time. 
The Mormons, coming from the east, 
endeavored to establish a colony in Han- 
cock county, but their practices of polyga- 
my were so abhorent to the citizens of this 
part of the state that they rose against 
the sect and drove them from the state. 
Captain \\'illiams was in the suburbs of 
the city of Carthage when Joseph Smith 
and his brother Hiram, Mormon prohets 
and leaders, were shot. While acting as 
deputy sheriff he slept many nights in the 
room where Joseph Smith lost his life. 

In 1849 occurred the marriage of Cap- 
tain Williams and Miss Angeline McMa- 
han, a daughter of Andrew and Mary 
(Crawford) McMahan. Nine children 
were born of this union : Mar}', who is 
now the wife of Dr. J. Eaton Johnston, 
of Warsaw, Illinois ; Flora, who married 
Thomas F. Howard and is living with 



her father; Thomas, who resides on a 
farm in Wise township; and si.x children 
who died in early youth. The wife and 
mother passed away Alarch 28. igoi, at 
the age of seventy-two years. She was a 
native of Kentucky and came to Illinois 
with her parents the year following the 
arrival of the \\'illiams family, the Mc- 
Mahan family settling upon an adjoining 
farm, and it was upon that farm that 
Captain and Mrs. Williams were married. 
In his political views Captain Williams 
was in early life a whig and cast his first 
)iresidential ballot for William Henry 
Harrison. Upon the dissolution of the 
party he joined the ranks of the new 
Republican party, of which he has since 
Ijeen a stanch ad\'ocate. He was elected 
coroner, at one time served as deputy 
sheriff and was also constable for a num- 
ber of years, discharging the varied duties 
which devolved upon him with prompt- 
ness and fidelity. He is a member of the 
Christian church and is one of the most 
esteemed and honored citizens of W^ar- 
.saw. He is a venerable man of ninety 
years and his life has been one of activity 
crowned with success. He lived in this 
county during early pioneer times when 
many of the homes were log cabins and 
these were widely scattered, there being 
long distances betwen the farms. The 
farm machinery was primitive and the 
household utensils were equally so. Can- 
dles were in use for lighting and cooking 
was largely done over the fireplace, while 
the sickle and scythe were seen in the har- 
vest fields and the sheaves were bound by 
hand. Great changes have occurred in 
all lines of business life within the mem- 
orv of Captain W^illiams. As an honored 



644 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IEjr 



pioneer settler he well deserves mention, 
in this volume, for few have been longer 
connected with Hancock county, its de- 
velopment and progress. 



O. F. WEISENBORN. 

Ott() ¥. W'eisenborn. viewing life frtim 
the standpoint of a practical, enterprising- 
man, has won a position in business cir- 
cles that has g'ained for him simultaneiius- 
ly a good name and creditable success. 
He is today the senior partner in the firm 
of \\'eisenbom & Company, of Carthage, 
dealers in farm lands in Hancock county, 
in residence property in Carthage, and 
also in lands in New Mexico, Oklahoma, 
Kansas, Iowa and Texas. He was bom 
at Lentner, Missouri, in 1870, his parents 
being Conrad and Rebecca (Altdater) 
Weisenborn. The father, a native of 
Germany, born in 1832, was twent)- years 
of age when he came to America with his 
parents, settling near Ouincy, Illinois, at 
a place called Mill Creek. He is a farmer 
bv occupation and now makes his home 
with his children, being at present in ]\Ia- 
con. Missiiuri. His early political alle- 
giance was given to the (lemocrac)% but 
he now votes with the Repulilican party. 
For a lunnber of years he was a member 
of the police force of Ouinc}'. He holds 
membership in the German Lutheran 
churcli, to which his wife also belonged. 
She passed away in 1882, her remains be- 
ing interred in South Union cemeten' 
near Zion church in the vicinitv of Clar- 



ence, Missouri, at which time Otto F. 
Weisenborn was but fourteen years of 
age. In the family were six children, of 
whom four are now living, as follows : 
George, who is a manufacturer at Indian- 
apolis, Ind. ; Heniy C, an expert me- 
chanic of Macon, Missouri; Theodore A., 
a traveling salesman of Peoria, Illinois ; 
and Otto F., of this review. 

A graduate of the high school of Clar- 
ence, Missouri, Otto F. Weisenborn thus 
completed his education, after which he 
engaged in the operation of rented farms, 
for several years in Missouri. Subse- 
quently he spent a few years as a com- 
mercial traveler and in 1900 as the result 
of study, investigation and experiment, he 
invented a patent Avire stretcher, upon 
which he secured a United States patent in 
April, 1905. He then began the manufac- 
ture of this device, which he sold in all 
states of the Union. He disposed of a half 
interest in the business to L. A. Shipton, 
of Carthage, and later Becher Jackson, of 
Adrirni, Illinois, became interested with 
him in the business. He is still engaged 
in the manufacture of his invention at De- 
troit, Michigan, and has other patents 
pending. This wire stretcher is consid- 
ered the best on the market and took first 
premium at the St. Louis exposition in 
iQOO. Mr. W'eisenborn possesses consid- 
erable mechanical ingenuity and original 
ideas ruid has brought forth several use- 
ful de\-ices. After selling a half interest 
in his patent he entered into general mer- 
chandising in Carthage, but after a }-ear 
sold out and lived retired for a few years. 
He is now, however, engaged in the real 
estate business with ofifices in the Mc- 
Mahon block on Main and Adams streets 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



645 



in Carthage. He is associated witii 
Charles H. Gamett under the firm style 
of Weisenbom & Company and is one of 
the leading land dealers of this part of 
the state, making a specialty of Hancock 
county farm lands. He also handles resi- 
dence property in Carthage and is agent 
for the Pecos valley lands in New Mex- 
ico and also for property in Oklahoma, 
Kansas, Iowa and Te.xas. He has charge 
of Santa Fe excursions to the southwest 
and has made extensive sales of property 
not only in this county but in adjoining 
states and in Texas and Oklahoma. He 
is largely conversant with property values 
and lias thus engaged many important 
realty transfers. 

On the 26th of Februaiw, 1902. Mr. 
^^'eisenborn was married to Miss Alice 
M. ^^^^ite at her home near Bentley, Illi- 
nois. She was born in McDonough 
county, Illinois, in 1871, a daughter of 
James and Amelia (Boyd) White. Her 
parents were natives of Ohio and the fa- 
ther, a fanner by occupation, lived upon 
a farm in this state for over thirty years. 
In his political views he was a strong 
democrat. He died August 10, 1905, 
while his widow now resides with her 
daughter, Mrs. Botts. In their family 
were seven children, of whom six are now 
living: Morris, who resides in St. Marys, 
Illinois ; Laura, the wife of Robert Botts. 
living in Carthage; Martha, the wife of 
Tom Stevens, of Dallas City, Illinois: 
Jane, the wife of William Ewing, of 
Dighton, Kansas ; Katherine, the wife of 
George Crump, of St. Marys. Illinois : 
and Mrs. Weisenborn. The last named 
was a graduate of the Carthage high 
school and attended Carthage College. 



She gained a teacher's ceitificate but ne\'er 
followed that profession. She was, how- 
ever, a successful stenographer for four 
years in the law office of Miller & Wil- 
liams at Carthage. She was reared in the 
faith of the Christian church but atter 
her marriage joined the Presbyterian 
church with her husband. She took a 
deep, active and helpful interest in church 
work and prior to her marriage was a 
teacher in the Sunday-school. In 1904 
she became ill with typhoid fever and on 
the 4th of July of that year passed away, 
her remains being interred in Moss Ridge 
cemetery. Her death was deeply regret- 
ted by many friends, for by her excellent 
traits of heart and mind she had endeared 
herself to all who knew her. 

Mr. Weisenborn is a republican but 
without aspiration for office and he be- 
longs to the Presbyterian church. When 
he became a factor in business life iiis 
capital consisted of not more than sev- 
enty-five or eighty cents, but honest la- 
bor, ambition and energy have enabled 
him to overcome all the difficulties and ob- 
stacles in his path. In fact, these have 
seemed to serve as a stimulus for renewed 
effort and concentration and he is today 
in possession of a comfortable compe- 
tence. He has a fine automobile which 
he uses in his business and he owns a 
beautiful home on North Main street. 
\Vhatever he undertakes receives his en- 
tire attention and his strong purpose, ca- 
pable methods and energy constitute the 
secret of a well deserved and gratifymg 
success. He is the kind of man that gi\-es 
strength and high standing to any 
community, and because of his sterling 
qualities is held in great esteem. 



646 



BIOGRAPHICAL RIinEW 



GEORGE W. KIXKADE. 

George W . Kinkade lias at different 
times been closely associated with mer- 
cantile, industrial and agricultural inter- 
ests in Hancock county but is udw li\ing 
retired in Hamilton. He was born in 
Adams county, Illinois, September 21, 
1847, and attended the district schools 
of both Adams and Hancock counties, 
while spending his boyhood days under 
the parental roof. He is a son of Lo- 
renzo D. and Harriett (Stewart) 
Kinkade. the former born in Hardin 
county, Kentucky, near Elizabeth, and the 
latter near Evansville, Indiana. George 
W. Kinkade, the paternal grandfather of 
our subject, was born near Lynchburg. 
Virginia, while his parents, Mr. and Mrs. 
Robert Kinkade, settled in the Old Do- 
minion at a very early day and later went 
to Kentucky. They had been married in 
Ireland prior to their emigration to the 
new world. There were two brothers 
who came together from the Emerald 
Isle to tlie L^nited States, one of these be- 
ing James Kinkade, who died in 
Kentucky. 

Accompanying his parents on their re- 
moval from Virginia to Kentucky, George 
W. Kinkade, grandfather of our subject, 
was married in Hardin county to Miss 
Sarah Trainer, also a native of Virginia. 
Leaving Kentucky, he settled upon a farm 
in Clay county, Illinois, casting in his lot 
with its pioneer residents, and eventually 
he removed from Clay county to Pike 
county, Illinois, in 1844. A year later 
he took up his abode in Adams count}- 
and two years afterward settled at \\'ar- 
saw, Hancock county. In 1853 he went 



to CalliDun County, where he died in De- 
cember. 1854. His wife had passed away 
during their residence in Clay county, 
Illinois. 

Lorenzo D. Kinkade, father of our sub- 
ject, was the second in order of birth in 
a family of nine children, seven sons and 
two daughters. He accompanied his par- 
ents on their removal from Kentucky to 
Illinois and having arrived at years of 
maturity was married in Richland county, 
this state, to Miss Harriet Stewart, a 
daughter of Cornelius and Sarah (Bul- 
lard) Stewart, both of whom were natives 
of South Carolina. Soon after their mar- 
riage Mr. and Mrs. Lorenzo D. Kinkade 
removed tii Pike county, Illinois, where 
he operated a rented farm for a year and 
ill 1846 he removed to the northeastern 
part of Adams county, where he engaged 
in farming until 1852. In that year he 
came to Hancock county, settling in 
Wythe township, where he farmed 
through one summer and later he removed 
to Clarksville. Adair county, Missouri. 
There he purchased eighty acres of farm 
land which was all wild prairie, but with 
characteristic energy he began its cultiva- 
tion and development and improved the 
place, living thereon for three years, when 
he sold out and returned to Hancock 
county. Illinois. This time he setteled 
near West Point and liought fort}- acres 
of unimpro\-ed land, where he trans- 
formed into a richly cultivated tract, mak- 
ing his home thereon until 1871, when he 
sold the place to his son, George W. He 
then took up his abode in Keene township, 
Adams county, where he rented land and 
made his home until his death, which oc- 
curred January 16, 1876. His widow 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



647 



still survives him and makes her home 
among her children, three sons and three 
daughters, all of whom are living in this 
vicinity. She is a member of the Chris- 
tian church, to which ]\Ir. Kinkade also 
belonged. 

George W. Kinkade was the second in 
order of birth in a family of eleven chil- 
dren, six sons and fi\e daughters. He 
was reared to farm life, was educated in 
the public schools and lived with his par- 
ents until twenty years of age. In the 
meantime, in Februar}'. 1865, when only 
seventeen years of age, he enlisted in de- 
tense of his country, becoming a member 
of Company B, Thirty-fourth Illinois In- 
fantry. He joined the Second Brigade 
of the Second Division of the Fourteenth 
Army Corps at Quincy, Illinois, and was 
assigned to the Army of the Cumberland, 
first doing duty at Camp Butler and later 
at \\'ilmington, North Carolina, where 
he was taken ill with smallpox. He was 
then sent to the hospital at Cleveland, 
Ohio, where he was honorably discharged 
June 9, 1865. Mr. Kinkade returned to his 
father's home, where he remained until 
twenty years of age, after which he 
worked on a farm in Hancock county for 
two j'ears. He then purchased forty 
acres of land from his father and operated 
that place until 1879, when he sold out 
and removed to Breckenridge, where he 
purchased a drug store, which he con- 
ducted for five years. He then disposed 
of his store and turned his attention to the 
operation of a saw mill and the timber 
business, in which he was associated with 
his two brothers. J. A. and H. B. Kinkade. 
In 1898 he and his brother, H. B., sold 
their interest to J. A. Kinkade and the 
41 



subject of this review then rented a farm 
near Bentley, where, with his brother, H. 
B. Kinkade, carried on general agricul- 
tural pursuits for three years. The latter 
then remo\ed ti.i Hamilton, after which 
(jeorge W. Kinkade continued farming 
until 1904. when he let his son-in-law. 
R. G. Cnune, have the place. JMr. Kin- 
kade then came t(.) Hamilton and pur- 
chased the Houston property, since which 
time he has made his home in this city. 
On the 26th of June, 1869. Mr. Kin- 
kade was married to Miss Nancy A. 
Lockwood, who was born in Aurora, In- 
diana, in February, 1852, a daughter of 
Dr. I. F. Lockwood, whose birth oc- 
curred near Rochester, New York, while 
her mother, Annie M. (Riggin) Lock- 
wood, was a native of Aurora, Indiana. 
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Kinkade were born 
three children : Orlena E., who was born 
September 20, 1870. and is the wife of 
J. W. Dunsworth, a farmer near Bentley, 
Illinois; Harry L., who was born Octo- 
ber 17, 1876, and died in March. 1878; 
Cordelia I., who was born September 15, 
1879, and is the wife of Ralph G. Crume, 
a resident farmer of Hancock county. 
The wife and mother died July 23, 1881, 
and her remains were interred in the 
cemetery in Walker township. Mr. Kin- 
kade now makes his home in Ham- 
ilton, where he is pleasantly situated. 
His life has been one of activity and he 
has been thorough in all that he has un- 
dertaken, believing that what is worth 
doing at all is worth doing well. His 
tliligence and business capacity have en- 
abled him to steadily advance and he is 
now enjoying a well-merited rest, sur- 
lounded bv manv comforts of life. 



648 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFA'IEW 



DON C. S. MILLIKIN. 

Don C. S. Millikin a resident farmer 
of Montebello township, was born in 
Saco, Yorkshire county, North Carohna, 
October 13, 1843. His parents were Ar- 
thur and Lucy (Smith) Milhkin, the lat- 
ter a native of Vermont, while the for- 
mer was burn in the same building in 
which the l^irth of his son Dun i)ccurred. 
The maternal grandparents were Joseph 
and Lucy ( Mack) Smith, natives of the 
Green Mountain state, and it was their 
son, Joseph Smith, who became the dis- 
tinguished leader nf the church of the 
Latter Day Saints, and was killed to- 
gether with his brother Hiram at Car- 
thage, Illinois, in the war against the 
MoiTUons in 1S44. Arthur Millikin 
joined the Mormon church and at the age 
of fourteen years left home, going to Fort 
Leavenworth, Kansas, and on to Mis- 
souri. He was married, however, at Nau- 
voo, Illinois, to Miss Lucy Smith and they 
were visiting in Maine at the time of the 
birth of their son Don. They made their 
home in Nauvoo. being residents there 
at the time that the Momion temple was 
burned. Subsequently they removed to 
Fountain Green, where they lived for 
some time, and later they took up their 
abode in Colchester, Illinois, where the 
father owned coal lands. There both he 
and his wife passed away. 

Don C. S. Millikin is the eldest of nine 
children, four sons and five daughters, 
who attended the common schools of 
Fountain Green until the removal of the 
family to Colchester, McDonough county, 
Illinois, whence he continued his educa- 
tion there. He remained under the pa- 



rental roof until February, 1865. when, in 
response to the country's call for aid he 
enlisted as a member of Company H, One 
Hundred and Fifty-first Illinois Volun- 
teer Infantr}'. The regiment was as- 
signed to the Army of the Cumberland 
and he did duty in Georgia and other 
places in the south until honorably dis- 
charged after the close of the war. He re- 
turned to Colchester, where he worked in 
the coal mines until 1873. when he came 
to Montebello township. Hancock county. 
He li\ed upon a rented farm for three 
years and then with the capital which he 
had acquired through his economy and 
industry he made purchase of eighty acres 
of land on section 11, Montebello town- 
ship. This was in 1876 and he has since 
made his home thereon, carrying on gen- 
eral fanning and stock-raising. 

Mr. Millikin has been married three 
times. He first wedded Sophia Gridley. 
a native of Montebello township, and a 
daughter of Timothy and Roxanna (Es- 
terbrook) Gridley. By this union there 
were four children: Clara A., the wife 
of Caleb Smith, of McLean, Texas; Ar- 
thur, who died at the age of fifteen 
months: George, who died in infancy: 
and Mary F.. the wife of John Pitts, of 
Keokuk. The wife and mother passed 
away April 17, 1881, and Mr. Millikin 
afterward wedded Mary Elvie Durfee, 
who was born at Good Hope, McDon- 
ough county. Illinois, a daughter of Jo- 
seph and Sarah (McGee) Durfee. The 
second marriage was celebrated in 1886, 
and in 1899 Mrs. Millikin passed away. In 
September, 1900, Mr. Millikin was mar- 
ried to Miss Emma Smith, a native of 
Rock Creek township, but a resident of 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



649 



Montebello township, this county, and a 
daughter of James H. and Nancy (Sora- 
mers) Smith, the former a native of Han- 
cock county and the latter of Adams coun- 
ty, Ilhnois. 

In his poHtical views Mr. MilHkin is 
a stalwart repubhcan and is now senang 
as justice of the peace for the third term, 
while since 1886 he has been postmaster 
at Millikin postoffice. He belongs to the 
church of the Latter Day Saints and fra- 
ternally is connected with Monteljelln 
lodge, No. 697, Independent Order of 
Odd Fellows, at Hamilton, and the Re- 
bekah lodge there, and also with Russell 
post, Grand Army of the Republic, at 
Hamilton. He is now accounted one of 
the enterprising and leading agricultur- 
ists and citizens of Montebello township 
and is a representative of one of the most 
historic and prominent families of Han- 
cock county. 



JOHN McCRORY. 

John MCrory, now living retired upon 
a farm in Montebello township, has de- 
voted the greater part of his life to the 
plastering trade, but since 1903 has rele- 
gated all active labor to others and is 
now enjoying a well-earned rest. For 
eighty-four years he has traveled life's 
journey, his birth having occurred in 
Washington county, Pennsylvania, July 
29, 1822. On the paternal side he is of 
Scotch-Irish descent. His parents were 
Samuel and Hannah (Martin) McCrory, 



the former a native of South Carolina 
and the latter of Ohio. James McCrory, 
the grandfather on the paternal side, was 
a soldier of the Revolutionary war for 
seven years, valiantly aiding in the strug- 
gle for independence. Following the ces- 
sation of hostilities he always lived in 
Washington county, Pennsylvania, until 
called to his final rest. His son, Samuel 
McCrory, was born in South Carolina, 
but in early life accompanied his parents 
on their removal to Washington county, 
Pennsylvania. There he was married to 
Miss Hannah Martin, a native of Ohio 
and of English descent. Following their 
marriage the young couple established 
their home in Washington county, where 
they resided continuously until 1851, 
when they made their way westward by 
boat down the Ohio and up the Missis- 
sippi rives to Ouincy, Illinois. There 
they spent their remaining days with one 
of their children, passing away in Adams 
county. 

In his youth John McCrory of this re- 
view learned the plasterer's trade and con- 
ducted a large business in Pennsylvania, 
His education was obtained in the sub- 
scription schools and when his text-books 
were put aside he concentrated his ener- 
gies entirely upon his business affairs. In 
the year 1847. attracted by the opportu- 
nities of the new and growing west, he 
started by steamer down the Ohio and up 
the Mississippi rivers to Ouincy. While 
on the boat he became ill with measles 
and almost died. He was very weak 
when he arrived in Ouincy, but after 
about three weeks he was able to resume 
work at his trade. He continued to en- 
gage in plastering for a year and then 



6.;o 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IFJV 



went to Wheeling, Virginia, traveling in 
that vicinity for about three years. In 
185 1 he located in Hancock county and 
bought land near Elvaston. This he con- 
tinued to cultivate and improve for a 
time, but eventually he sold out and in- 
vested in one hundred and sixty acres, 
constituting the northeast quarter of sec- 
tion 3, also ten acres of timber in 
Sonora township. He resided in Hamil- 
ton in 1857 and in 1858 he was elected as 
one of the first alderman but would not 
c|ualify for that position. \\'hen he 
bought a farm on section 3 it was all wild 
prairie land, on which no improvements 
had been made. There he began the cul- 
tivation of the fields, turning the first 
furrows on many an acre. He built the 
first house on this place in 1854, planted 
hedge fences and erected all of the build- 
ings. He now lives to enjoy his de- 
clining years upon this farm amid the 
comforts and luxuries which go to make 
life worth living. He has always fol- 
lowed the plasterer's trade as the years 
have gone by. renting his farm to others 
and thus he was closely associated with 
business affairs until 1905. 

On the i.st of January, 185 1, Mr. Mc- 
Crory was married to Miss Joanna Pease, 
who was born in Washington county, 
Pennsylvania, and came to Illinois with 
Mr. McCrory. A year later she died, 
leaving a voung child, who was reared 
by our sul)ject and to whom he gave the 
name of Joanna P. She married Emile 
Colino and had a son, John, who lived 
with his grandfather, John McCror}^ until 
his death, which occurred when he was 
nineteen years of age. His mother died 
v.hen lie was two vears of age. 



On the 27th (jf February, 1855, Mr. 
McCrory was again married, his second 
union being with Miss Emeline Carson, 
a native of Blount county, Tennessee, and 
a daughter of Alexander and Jane 
( \\' eir) Carson, who were likewise na- 
tives of Tennessee. The children of Mr. 
and Mrs. McCrory are : Alexander, now 
living in Montebello township ; Alfonso, 
who is upon the home place ; James, living 
in Sonora township; Helen, the wife of 
Oscar Duncan, of Columbus Junction, 
Iowa ; John H., who died at the age of 
eighteen years; Edith, the wife of Jacob 
Smith, whose home is in Sonora town- 
ship : and Lottie, at home. 

Air. McCrory has long since passed the 
psalmist's span of three score years and 
ten and at an advanced age is now living 
retired, but for many years was an active 
factor in industrial life, gaining through 
his persistency of purpose and his dili- 
gence the competence which now enables 
him to live retired. He is a member of 
the Christian church and his political 
views accord with democratic principles. 
He is today one of the most venerable 
citizens of the count)' and a life of activity 
and integrity well entitle him to repre- 
sentation in this volume. 



JOHN W. MARSH, D. M. D. 

One of the leaders among the young 
professional men of Warsaw is Dr. Jubn 
W. Marsh, engaged actively and success- 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



651 



full}' in the practice of dentistr\-. He was 
born in this city July 23, 1872, a son of 
Judge John W. Marsh. His education 
was acquired in the public schools of this 
city and in St. John's Military Academy 
at Delafield, Wisconsin, from w-hich he 
was graduated in the class of i8go. He 
then entered upon preparation for a pro- 
fessional career by matriculation in the 
dental department of Washington Uni- 
versity at St. Louis, Missouri, in 1892, 
and was graduated therefrom with the 
class of 1895, on which occasion the de- 
gree of D. M. D. was conferred upon 
him. He was then connected with the 
college for one year as an instructor and 
this gave him marked advantage as a 
training for his later practical experience 
in the profession. In the spring of 1896 
he opened an office in W'arsaw^ and is now 
splendidly established in his chosen field 
of labor, being numbered among the 
leading dentists of the county. He has 
elegantly equipped offices in the Winnard 
Building, supplied with all of the mnd- 
ern appliances that facilitate the work 
and promote the efficiency of the dentist. 
He is thoroughly conversant with the 
most modem methods of practice and has 
kept in touch with the trend of thought 
and i)rogress made by the dental frater- 
nity. He belongs to Adams and Hancock 
Counties Dental Society, and is president 
of the First District Dental Society, and 
is recognized as one of the able repre- 
sentatives of the profession, the consen- 
sus of public opinion being indicated by 
the large patronage extended to him. 

On the I2th of June, 1902, Dr. Marsh 
was married to Miss Lucy Scholl Cher- 
rill, of Carthage, a dajighter of Edward 



and Susan A. (Sholl) Cherrill, well 
known residents of Carthage. Dr. and 
Mrs. Marsh have two children, John 
Cherrill and Susan Sholl. The parents 
are members of the Protestant Episcopal 
church, of which Dr. Marsh is now se- 
nior warden. He has also been a mem- 
ber of the library board of \\'arsaw for 
nine j'ears. and during this time has acted 
as secretary. A life-long republican he 
has kept well informed on the questions 
of the day and has represented his ward 
in the city council but has never been an 
aspirant for office. He belongs to War- 
saw* lodge, No. 257, Ancient Free and 
Accepted Masons, and is its present wor- 
shipful master, and on a number of oc- 
casions he has attended the sessions of 
the grand lodge. The fact that he has 
been continuously chosen to official pref- 
erment in the various organizations with 
which he is connected indicates his stand- 
ing in the regard of those with whom he 
is associated and his professional and so- 
cial prominence are both widely recog- 
nized in the city where his entire life has 
been passed. 

Since the above was written Dr. Marsh 
has moved to Keokuk, Iowa, where he is 
secretar}' of the dental department of the 
Keokuk Medical Department. 



J. E. DICKSON. 



J. E. Dickson, of Durham township, 
liears an enviable reputation in the com- 
munitv in which he lives, his name stand- 



652 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



ing for unquestionable lionesty, integrity, 
and iirmness of purpose. He is the son 
of Daniel and Mary (Shutwell) Dickson, 
his birth occurring in Durham township, 
Hancock county, December 28, 1855. 
His father was born in East Tennessee, 
May 18, 1 81 7, and the mother in England. 
Daniel Dickson was the son of Hugh 
and Margaret (Leib) Dickson, both na- 
tives of Pennsylvania, who came to Han- 
cock county in 1843, settling in La Harpe 
tonwship, where Mr. Dickson carried on 
the industry of farming for many years. 
He served in the Black Hawk war and he 
and his wife died at the advanced ages of 
seventy-four and seventy-five years re- 
spectively. The Dickson family is of 
Irish extraction, and was probably found- 
ed in the United States in the earl\- colo- 
nial period. Daniel Dickson, the father 
of our sketch, came to Hancock county 
in 1838 where he purchased one hun- 
dred and sixty acres of land in La Harpe 
township, which he farmed for some time, 
later selling it and buying a quarter sec- 
tion in Durham township. He kept add- 
ing to this as he could until he owned 
one thousand acres of fine farming land. 
He was always a successful farmer, which 
vocation he followed until 1883, when he 
sold part of his land and purchased a 
handsome residence on Third street in 
Dallas City, which is now a hotel known 
as "Park House," and also bought the 
entire block of land on which that 
hostelry now stands. He was united in 
marriage to Miss May Shutwell. of Mor- 
gan county, Illinois, in T837. To this 
union were born nine children, four of 
whom are now living: H. .S. lives in 
Waco, Texas: J. E., our subject; D. D., 



now living in Fair Oaks, California; and 
Fred J., of Dallas City. The mother 
died in 1867, and later the father married 
Miss Lucinda Adams, who still resides in 
Dallas City. Daniel Dickson was one of 
the first prairie settlers in Hancock county 
and during his life he saw the wild lands 
transformed into beautiful farms and 
homes, and its hamlets develop into thriv- 
ing cities, and progress and civilization 
carried on so rapidly that the county at 
his death on February 17, 1895, bore little 
resemblance to the county of fifty years 
before. He was an enterprising man, en- 
tirely self-made, and at the time of his 
death was a very wealthy man, his pos- 
sessions being monuments of his thrift 
and energy. 

J. E. Dickson received his early educa- 
tion in the district school. On October 
19. 1880, Mr. Dickson was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Sarah L. Bellew, from near 
Adrian. Illinois. Her birth occurred on 
April 1 1, 1862, and she was the daughter 
of Jadiah and Nancy (Grant) Bellew, 
both parents were born near Camp Point, 
Illinois, coming to Hancock county at an 
early day, where the father was a pros- 
perous farmer. They were the parents 
of seven children, three of whom are still 
living: Alice, wife of ^^'. A. Davis, of 
Des Moines, Iowa : Cora, wife of Everett 
Turney, of Chapman, Nebraska ; and 
Elmer, living in Des Moines, Iowa. 

To Mr. and Mrs. Dickson were born 
ten children, eight of whom are now liv- 
ing: Rolla, born September 3, 1881, 
married Forrest Kimmler, of Durham 
township: Vinnie A., born March 17, 
1884. and keeps house for her father; 
Lloyd, born T^inuarv 26, 1886, at home; 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



^^53 



Harry, bom September 19, 1887; Clar- 
ence, born March 17, 1889; Ruby, born 
November 16, 1890, died April 4. 1893; 
Ernest, born September 26, 1892; Ruth, 
born November 11, 1894; and ^Mildred 
and Alerlyn, twins, born April 11, 1900, 
Mildred dying October 3, 1900. On the 
15th of April, 1900, the unrelenting hand 
of death for the second time entered the 
home of Air. Dickson and claimed the 
faithful wife and mother. This was a 
great blow to the husband and children 
as well as to her many friends and neigh- 
bors. Airs. Dickson was a model mother, 
a kind and loving wife and a gentle 
woman well beloved by all who knew 
her. Her earthly remains were sorrow- 
fully laid to rest in the La Harpe ceme- 
tery to await the call of the last day. 
She was a de\-oted member of the Chris- 
tian church. After his marriage Air. 
Dickson bought a farm of one hundred 
and twenty acres on section 10, Durham 
township, upon which he has built a good 
house, and has added to his possessions 
until he now has two hundred and forty 
acres on section 10 and sixtv acres of 
good land in Texas. Besides general 
farming, at which he has been \-er}- suc- 
cessful. Air. Dickson carries on stock- 
raising quite extensively and handles 
grain. He is a man that is interested in 
local afifairs of his county and township, 
doing everything in his power to advance 
the cause of education and the well-being 
of the community at large. The confi- 
dence which his contemporaries place in 
his ability and judgment is evidenced by 
the position of trust and responsibility 
which they bestow upon him. He is an 
ardent member of the Democratic party. 



taking quite an active interest in the wel- 
fare of that party, especially in this coun- 
ty. He has served as assessor, collector, 
and justice of the peace, being elected on 
the democratic ticket to these offices and 
rendered upright, conscientious and high- 
ly satisfactory service in these capacities. 
He has repeatedly served as school di- 
rector in his dictrict, and fraternalh' is 
connected with the Alodern Woodmen of 
America. 

He believes in giving his children ad- 
vantage of such facilities as the time 
affords, his oldest son being educated in 
the Carthage College, in the La Harpe 
Academy, and in the school at Crbana, 
Illinois. His daughter also attends the 
La Harpe seminary. Air. Dickson is 
considered one of the foremost men in 
Durham township, has a verj' quiet and 
kind disposition and yet is firm, exceed- 
ingly energetic, and above all truly honest, 
and the kind of man that gives strength 
and high standing to any community. 



EDWIN BROWN. 



Edwin Brown, occupying a farm in Ap- 
panoose township, where he is engaged 
in general farming and stock-raising, was 
born in Jefferson county, Iowa, his natal 
day being October 8, 1850, a son of Da- 
vid and Alartha (RudisilH Brown. His 
mother was bom in Ohio but it was in 
Iowa on the 8th of Januar>% 1846, that 
she gave her hand in marriage to David 
Brown. Here the father carried on gen- 



654 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI'IEIV 



eral agricultural pursuits until 1850, when 
he removed to Dallas, Illinois, where his 
death occurred February 23, 1856. The 
mother still sur\'ives and makes her home 
in Niota. She has now reached an ad- 
vanced age and is a sufferer from 
paralysis. 

Edwin Brown is the younger of two 
children bom unto his parents, his sister 
being Helen, who was born June 21. 1848, 
and is now the wife of George Skyles, 
and resides in the western part of Ne- 
braska. Mr. Brown attended the com- 
mon schools of Iowa in his youth, and 
during the periods of vacation and in the 
summer months aided his father in the 
work of the home farm, receiving prac- 
tical training which later enabled him to 
carry on work of this character on his 
own account. He is now operating one 
hundred and twenty acres situated in Ap- 
panoose township, of which fifty acres 
is pasture land, while the balance is de- 
voted to the raising of grain. In addi- 
tion to his fanning pursuits he raises 
stock to quite an extent, and both 
branches of Iiis business are proving a 
profitable sc)urce of revenue. 

Mr. Brown chose as a compani(_)n antl 
helpmate for life's journe_\- ^Nliss Flor- 
ence Di)olittle. to whom he was married 
November 3, 1880. She is a native of 
Appanoose township, and is a daughter 
of Amzi and Sarah M. (Welch) Doolit- 
tle. natives of New York and Tennessee 
respectively. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Brown 
ha\-e been bom two sons : Frank, bom 
June 8, 1883, and Jnhn, born October 
TT, 1888, both witli tlieir parents. Mr. 
Brown gives his political support to the 
Democratic party and lias served as school 



director of his township. He has ever 
been diligent and persevering in all that 
he has undertaken and through industry 
and economy is working his way upward, 
being classed among the progressive ag- 
riculturists of Flancock county. 



BENJAMIN F. THATCHER. 

Benjamin F. Thatcher, representing 
the agricultural interests of Hancock 
county, was born Januaiy 7, 1861, in 
Adams county, Ohio. His father, like- 
wise a native of the Buckeye state, was a 
blacksmith by trade and served as a val- 
iant soldier during the Civil war, enlist- 
ing as a member of the Seventieth Ohio 
Regiment. He died in a southern hos- 
pital during- his service at the front. The 
mother bore the maiden name of Rowan- 
na Palmer, and was also bom in Adams 
county, of the Buckeye state. By her 
marriage she became the mother of seven 
children, four sons and three daughters, 
of whom our subject is the sixth in or- 
der of birth. 

Benjamin F. Thatcher acquired his ed- 
ucation in the common schools of his 
native state and spent his boyhood and 
youth under the parental roof. For a 
time after leaving home he lived with a 
family by the name of Shaffer in Darke 
county, Ohio, and on attaining his ma- 
jority, in company with George W. 
Holmes, lie went to Kearney, Nebraska, 
where he was employed in various ways 
for six ^•ears, a part of tliat time being 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



655 



spent on a ranch there. It was during his 
residence in the west that he was mar- 
ried, July 13, 1885, to Miss Ella Nelson, 
who was bom in Hancock county, but 
was then making her home in Buffalo 
county, Nebraska. She is a daughter of 
Elisha and Elizabeth (Wade) Nelson, 
both natives of Illinois, while her pater- 
nal grandfather, George C. Nelson, and 
the maternal grandparents, Greenberry 
and Margaret (Scott) Wade, were bom 
in Kentuck}^ 

Following his marriage Air. Thatcher 
remained for several years in the west 
but in 1892 returned with his family to 
Hancock county, the journey being made 
with team and wagon. He arrived in 
La Harpe township in May of that year 
and in the following September went to 
Ottumwa, Iowa, being employed for sev- 
eral months on the construction of a rail- 
road there. He then returned home. 
where he engaged in agricultural pur- 
suits, leasing land until 1900, subsequent 
to which time he purchased a tract of 
fifty-three acres, located on section 36. La 
Harpe township. There were few im- 
provements upon the place when he took 
possession but he has erected good build- 
ings, set out an orchard, containing apple, 
peach, plum and cherr}' trees, has fenced 
the place, and altogether has an excellent 
faiTn property, of which fortv acres are 
devoted to general farming, while the re- 
mainder is fine pasture land, in which are 
seen good grades of stock, including Po- 
land China hogs and Polled Angus cattle. 
He also raises poultrA% making a specialty 
of the Plymouth Rock breed, and he finds 
this branch of his business is proving vtry 
profitable. 



Unto our subject and his wife have 
been born two sons and three daughters, 
namely : George Da\'id, who w as bom 
May 5, 1886; Millie May, bom April 10, 
1888; Claud C, July 13, 1893; Lillie 
Goldie E., April 28, 1900; and Dorothy 
F., October 10, 1903. While Mr. Thatch- 
er supports democratic principles he is not 
active in the work of the party, preferring 
to give his undivided time to his busi- 
ness interests. He holds membership 
with the Christian Union church at La 
Harpe. Starting out in life on his own 
responsibility without capital he has 
worked his way upward from a hunible 
financial position and whatever success he 
has achieved is due entirely to his own 
well directed labors and strong purpose. 



NOAH McCORD. 



Noah ]\IcCord represents the rich, agri- 
cultural district of Hancock county, where 
he is carrying on general farming and 
stock-raising. He is a native son of this 
county, his natal day being February 8, 
1854, a son of John W. and Nancy (Man- 
ifold) McCord, both natives of Tennes- 
see. In their family are four sons and 
four daughters, of whom our subject \* 
the seventh in order of birth. 

Noah McCord acquired his education 
in the Bradshaw district school near his 
father's home, and during his boyhood 
and youth assisted his father in the op- 
eration of the home farm, remaining with 
his parents until his marriage, Septem- 



656 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



ber 27, 1877, at which time Miss Frances 
Long became his wife. She is likewise 
a native of Hancock county, her birth 
having here occurred January 6, 1858, a 
daughter of David and Mildred (Child- 
ress) Long, the former a native of Ohio, 
and the latter born in Fountain Green 
township, this county. Her father accom- 
panied his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Louis 
Long, on the removal to Henderson coun- 
ty, this state, in the year 1840, and her 
parents w'ere married in this county, thus 
becoming early settlers of this portion oi 
the state. The father passed away Oc- 
tober 22, 1895, while the mother survived 
until October 14, 1896, when she, too, 
was called to her final rest, having reached 
the age of fifty-three years, her birth hav- 
ing occurred in 1843. 

Following his marriage our subject 
rented a farm in McDonough county, tu 
which he t(_iok his bride, their home being 
in Hire township. One year latter he re- 
moved to another farm, this being lo- 
cated near La Crosse, and he there con- 
tinued his farming operations for si.x 
years, subsequent to which time he re- 
moved to La Harpe township, Hancock 
county, where he operated rented land 
during the succeeding six years, and 
through his industry and economy at the 
end of that time he was enabled to invest 
in property, becoming possessor, in 1892, 
of one hundred and sixty acres of land, 
lying on section 10. This was a partially 
improved tract but since Mr. McCord has 
taken up his abode here he has made many 
modern and substantial improvements. 
He has added to the original residence 
so that he now has a modern country 
home, and has also erected barns and 



sheds, has fenced the place with wire fenc- 
ing, and has set out a good orchard, 
from which he gathers good crops of 
fruit in season. In 1902 he added to his 
original holdings by the purchase of an 
eighty-acre tract lying on section 9, and 
in 1905 added a second eighty-acre tract 
!)ut in the spring of the present year he 
disposed of eighty acres, so that he now 
has two hundred and forty acres, and his 
is one of the finely improved and pro- 
ductive tracts of this section of the state. 
In addition to his agricultural pursuits he 
also engages in the raising of cattle, horses 
and hogs, and this branch of his business 
is proving a profitable source of revenue 
to him. 

In the family of Mr. and Mrs. McCord 
have been born four children, of whom 
two died in infancy. Those who survive 
are: Mabel, born January i, 1882, the 
wife of Roy E. Hancock, engaged in the 
dray business at La Harpe; and Cleola 
May, born January 29, 1887, and now 
the wife of Clarence Ketchum, of La 
Harpe. The deceased are : Ardie Clark, 
who was born July 18, 1878, and died 
June 29, 1880; and Atley Clyde, who was 
born March T7, 1896, and died October 
24, 1898. 

Mr. McCord's study of the political 
questions and issues of the day has led 
him to give his support to the Democratic 
party. He held the office of school di- 
rector for nine years but aside from this 
has never been active in public affairs. 
Fraternally he is identified with the Inde- 
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging 
to lodge No. 653, at La Harpe. His 
integrity and energy have been salient 
characteristics in his business life and he 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



657 



enjoys the full confidence (if all with 
whom he comes in contact. 



JOSEPH V. MANUSSIER. 

Joseph V. Manussier, well-known in 
Hancock county as a prosperous and 
prominent resident of Basco, and as a 
business man, who has controlled and still 
has important interests, was bom in Mar- 
tigny les Lamarche, France, in T848, and 
his parents, Claude and Marguerite 
(Poincot) Manussier, were also natives 
of that country, the former bom in 1826 
and the latter in 1820. The father came 
to America in 1852 but returned in 1855. 
However, he once more crossed the At- 
lantic to the United States in 1859 with 
his family and remained in this country 
until 1873. In that year he and his 
wife re-visited the land of his birth and 
on March i, 1861, he settled in the vil- 
lage of Basco. During the first three 
years of his residence in z\merica he lived 
in Ohio, but throughout the remaining 
time spent in this country he made his 
home in Basco, where he continued to re- 
side until his death, which occurred in 
1880. In his fraternal relations he was 
a Mason. His wife came to America in 
1859 ^"d made a visit to France with her 
husband in 1873. She died in 1893 and 
they lie buried in Basco cemeter)-. Of 
their three children two were bom in 
France. Joseph V. and Charles, the latter 
now a resident of France. One son, Au- 
gust, was born in this country and lives 
in Basco. 



Joseph V. Manussier acquired his early 
education in I'rance, and came to America 
with his parents in 1859. He remained 
with his father until twenty-two ^'ears oi 
age and then started out in life on his own 
account, completing his arrangements for 
having a home of his own by his mar- 
riage to Miss Ermence Sylvester, who 
was born in OItIo, in 1855, and is a 
daughter of Joseph and Pelagic (Sirrey) 
Sylvester, who were also natives of 
France. The father was a wagonmaker 
by trade and arrived in America in 1852. 
settling in Ohio. Later he became a resi- 
dent of ^^'arsaw, Illinois, where he died 
about 1861. His widow still survives 
him and has reached the age of eighty- 
three years. She died October 20, 1906. 
They have two daughters, both living, the 
elder being Eloise, the wife of Julius Lan- 
net, of ^\'arsaw. 

Following his marriage Mr. Manussier 
rented land from his father and thereon 
engaged in farming for five years. In 
1870 he removed to Basco, and in 1876 
became connected with C. Cachuex in a 
business enterprise which they continued 
for eighteen months. The partnership 
was then dissolved in 1877 and for ten 
years thereafter the firm was Doty & 
Manussier, the partner of our subject be- 
ing Lyman Doty. They conducted a gen- 
eral store with good success and when 
Mr. Doty retired the firm became Ma- 
nussier & Naeglin, while the succeeding 
chang'e in partnership has led to the as- 
sumption of the title of Manussier. Naeg- 
lin & Company. In 1896, however. Mr. 
^Manussier withdrew from the firm, and 
selling his interest, embarked in the grain 
business under the firm name of Damron 



658 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



& Maiiussicr. which was continued for 
two years ami then became Manussier & 
Son. An admission of another son to the 
business has made tlie firm st}-le of Ala- 
nussier & Sons. They own and control 
the only elevator in the village, with a ca- 
pacity of twenty thousand bushels of grain 
and they handle both grain and stock. 
Mr. Manussier is likewise president of the 
Basco Bank. His business interests have 
thus been varied as well as important and 
he is continually enlarging the scope of 
his acti\'ities, each step in his career being 
a forward one and bringing him a broad- 
er outlook and greater opportunities. He 
has accomplished whatever he has under- 
taken by reason of his force of charac- 
ter, his unfaltering perseverance and his 
unflagging industry. 

L'nt(_i Mr. and Mrs. Manussier have 
been born ti\e children, all bom in Bear 
Creek t(3wnship, and three are now living. 
Charles, wlio married Minnie Tieman, 
and has a daughter. Vera, is engageil in 
business with his father. Joseph married 
Lulu Biggs, by whom he has a daughter, 
- Fairy, and their home is in Basco. Jen- 
nie, who attended a private school in 
Chicago, a student of music under Emil 
Liebling. a famous pianist, is nnw en- 
gaged in teaching music in Basco, and 
likewise has [nipils at \\'est Pciint and at 
Bentley. In iStjo Mr. Manussier built 
an elegant home on Main street in Bnscn. 
It is the largest residence in the village 
and one of the most attractive features. 
The scene of a cultured society circle, one 
of its chief charms is its warm-hearted and 
gracious hospitality. Mr. Manussier also 
has a fine vineyard and owns one hundred 
and fiftv-f(jur acres of gfround in Bear 



Creek township. He also has twelve acres 
north of Basco where his creameiy stands, 
eighty acres below Warsaw and several 
lots in Basco. He is largely a self-made 
man. His wife received fifty dollars from 
his father as a present and he was given 
a team of horses by his father. This was 
all tlie inheritance which they received and 
thus they practically started out in life 
empty-handed. Today Mr. Manussier is 
one of the prosperous residents of the 
county, due to his fidelity and enterprise. 
He has readily recognized and utilized op- 
portunities, and constantly broadening 
the scope of his activity, has, through his 
well directed energy, gained a place 
among tlie leading business men of this 
locality. Never making engagements 
that he has not filled nor incurring obli- 
gations that he has not met. he enjoys to 
the full e.xtent the respect and good will 
of those with whom he has been associ- 
ated. In politics he is a democrat and 
has served as school director, while he and 
his wife are devout members of the Cath- 
olic church and their social prominence 
places them among the leaders in society 
interests in Basco and this part of the 
count v. 



SCOTT G. LIONBERGER. 

Scott G. Lionberger, whose farming 
interests are represented in an excellent 
tract of land in Fountain Green township, 
which was the old family homestead, was 
born in Pilot Grove township, this county, 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



659 



November 22, 1854, and is the second 
in order of birth in a family of four chil- 
dren, whose parents were Hamilton and 
Eliza (^Bainterj Lionberger. The father 
was born in Page county, Virginia, Sep- 
tember 2, 181 7, and the mother, a daugh- 
ter of John Bainter, was born in Aladison 
county, Ohio, January 24, 1822. Hamil- 
ton Lionberger came to this county in the 
spriiTg- of 1836 and settled in Pilot Grove 
township with his parents. He was mar- 
ried November 23, 1852, after which he 
purchased one hundred and sixty acres 
of land in the same township. Two years 
later he sold that property and bought 
two hundred and forty-six acres on sec- 
tion 6, F"ountain Green township, about 
one-half of which was under cultivation 
while the remainder was covered with 
timber. He erected some new buildings 
and also remodeled those that were al- 
ready there, carrying on the work of im- 
pro\-ement along many lines. He set out 
many soft maples for shade and put the 
place in fine shape. He died there August 
6, 1884, and his wife passed away April 
29, 1890. In their family were four chil- 
dren : John, who was born December 24, 
1853, and died in infancy; Scott G. ; 
Carlos, of Scotland county, Missouri ; and 
Amelia, the wife of G. W. Schlackett, of 
^Memphis, Missouri. 

Reared to the occupation of farming, 
Scott G. Lionberger attended the Ross- 
\ille district school and was also a student 
in Carthage College for six months. He 
remained upon the home farm until his 
marriage, which was celebrated March 
2^. 1880, Miss Fannie A. Parker becom- 
ing his wife. She was born in Harpers- 
field, Delaware county. New York, and 



was educated in the district schools and 
the high school at Fountain Green. Her 
parents were William and Mary (Young) 
Parker. Her father was born in Bain- 
bridge, New York, September 5, 1827, 
and was a son of James and Sarah ( Mc- 
Cauley) Parker, while her mother was 
born in Delaware county, July 12, 1827, 
a daughter of Hugh and Sarah (Camp- 
bell) Young. Mrs. Lionberger's parents 
came to Fountain Green township in the 
spring of 1867, and the father purchased 
eighty acres of land, which he cultivated 
for some time and then sold. He then 
removed to Keokuk, Iowa, where he died 
February 14, 1890, while his wife passed 
away May 23, 1888. Unto Mr. and Mrs. 
Lionberger have been born three children : 
Harvey Loy, who was born February i, 
1 88 1, and is now in Spokane, Washing- 
ton; Hubert Earl, who was born Decem- 
ber 26, 1883, and is in Fountain Green 
township; and Mary I"" ranees, born June 

5. 1893- 

After his marriage Mr. Lionberger be- 
gan operating the old home place and 
subsequent to his parents' death he pur- 
chased the interest of the other heirs in 
the home property. There is now about 
fifty acres of timber land, while the re- 
mainder is used for pasture land and for 
general farming. In addition to tilling 
the soil and raising the crops best adapted 
to climatic conditions here, he also raises 
shorthorn cattle, Duroc Jersey hogs and 
Morgan and Percheron horses, having 
high grades of stock upon his place, this 
branch of his business being an important 
source of revenue to him. 

In his political views Mr. Lionberger 
is a democrat and is conversant with the 



66o 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriFAV 



dominant party issues. Fraternally he is 
ctmnected with the Masons and he is a 
member of the Christian church at La 
Crosse, in which he has served as a 
deacon since 1902. He is interested in its 
work and does all in his power to pro- 
mote its progress. 



LEWIS F. GEORGE. 

Lewis F. (ieorge is the owner of mie 
of the finest farms in Hancock county and 
western Illinois. It is situated in Foun- 
tain Green township, and the beautiful 
modern residence which stands in its 
midst is indicative of the spirit of prog- 
ress which dominates the owner. His 
stock, too, is of the highest grades and 
everything about the farm is in keeping 
therewith and shows Mr. George to be 
a man of excellent business abilit}- and 
executive force. 

Born in Fountain Green township. 
April 19, 1868, he is a son of Henry and 
Martha (Balsley) George. The father 
was born in \\'eisenhasel Hesse Cassel. 
Germany. June 24. 1825, and the mother's 
birth occurred near Staunton, Augusta 
county, Virginia, June 22, 1831. The 
former was a son of Hemy and Elizabeth 
(SchafTer) George, and the latter a 
daughter of Jonathan Balsley. In 1848 
Henry George, Jr., came with his parents 
to America from the fatherland and set- 
tled in Augusta county, \^irginia. where 
they were fanning people and continued 
to reside until 1867. The father of our 



subject then removed with his family to 
McDonough county, Illinois, where he 
lived for one year, and then came to 
I-'ountain Green township, purchasing 
eighty acres of land on section 13, then 
under cultivation, while a house and barn 
had also been erected. The parents of 
our subject had been maried in Sherando, 
Virginia, February 28, 1854. and bad 
lived upon rented farms there until com- 
ing to Illinois. Mr. George lost heavily 
through the depreciation of Confederate 
money at the time of the Civil war and 
after coming to the west be lived upon ?. 
farm upon which bis father died, and 
whereon he and his wife spent their re- 
maining days, his death occurring March 
14. 1899. while his wife passed away Feb- 
ruarv 26, 1904. In their family were 
four children: Alary, the wife i>t Man- 
sel White, of Blandinsville, Illinois; Mrs. 
Elenora Virginia WHiite, of La Plata, 
Missouri; and Emma, the wife of F. S. 
McElherne, an attorney of Chicago. 

Lewis George, the only son, attended the 
Hickory Grove district school, and spent 
the davs of bis l)oyhood and youth in his 
parent's home. When twenty-one }-ears 
of age he rented a farm in Fountain Green 
township and continued its operation until 
the death of his father, when he came into 
possession of the old home farm of nine- 
ty-three and a half acres, of which eighty 
acres lies on section 13, and the remainder 
on section 23, Fountain Green township. 
About seventy acres were under cultiva- 
tion and the remainder in timber and pas- 
ture. Mr. George has carried on general 
farming. One year before his marriage 
he purchased eighty acres on section 14, 
of the same township, nearly all of which 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



66 1 



was cleared. Upun it stoud an old 
frame house which was built by his 
wife's grandfather as a school house 
in the '30s. It was he who also built 
the first frame barn in the county. 
]\Ir. George and his wife occupied 
the old frame house until 1S93, when he 
erected a large modern residence, heated 
with hot water. He has also an appliance 
for making gas from gasoline, used for 
both lighting and cooking and he has air 
pressure system for forcing water to any 
part of the house. Outside of the cities 
there is no finer hume in Hancock county, 
and its furnishings are both luxuriant and 
comfortable without evidences of display, 
but on the contrary, indicating a refined 
taste. In 1896 he built a large barn and 
in 1898 purchased an old church which he 
converted into a granar}-. In 1905 he 
built a cattle shed and he has a large Fair- 
bank's wagon scale, installed in 1896. He 
has put up a large windmill, and a well 
over one hundred feet deep supplies the 
house and stock with water. The farm is 
most complete in every detail and indi- 
cates the most modern progress in agri- 
cultural lines. Mr. George, in connection 
with the cultivation of the fields, raises 
Belgium draft horses, also road horses, 
shorthorn cattle and Duroc and Poland 
China hogs. His business interests are 
also further represented by six rural tele- 
phone lines which he owns. 

On the 7th of Jime, 1893, Mr. George 
was married to Miss Nellie B. White, who 
was born in Warsaw, Illinois, January 15, 
1867, and was educated in the public 
and high schools there. Her parents 
were William Harrison and Eunice F. 
fBeebe) ^^'hite, the former born in Al- 



legany county, New York. March 9, 
1817, a son of Jary and Lucinda White, 
while Eunice F. Beebe was born March 
31, 1S27, in Cattaraugus county, New 
York, a daughter of Jabez and Sophia A. 
( \\'aite) Beebe. Jabez Beebe was born 
in January, 1799, and died in 1871. 
After the death of his first wife he mar- 
ried her sister, Martha \\'aite. He came 
to this township in 1832, among its ear- 
liest settlers and gave to it the name of 
Fountain Green. He was the owner of 
the land whereon the village now stands 
and al.-io owned tracts for miles around. 
Jary White came with ox teams from 
New ^'ork in 1835 and settled in the .same 
locality, where he lived until his death. 
\\"illiam H. White first married Irene 
L. Foy, a native of New York, who died 
April 27. 1 85 1. They had two children 
— one who did in infancy, the other. 
Emor>- B. White, of Clarion, Iowa. The 
mother of Mrs. (jeorge died December 7, 
1874. Her living children are: W. 
Scott, of Muscatine. Iowa: Henry C, of 
Spokane, Washington : Mrs. George : and 
Lucy M.. the wife of ^^'eslev Engel. of 
Brighton, Iowa. 

I'nto Mr. and Mrs. George have been 
born two children : Philip Earl, born De- 
ceml)er 8, 1898; and Martha Ruth, No- 
vemlier 20, 1900. The parents are liberal 
contrilnitors to the Christian church, of 
which Mr. George has been a trustee since 
1903. He votes the republican ticket 
and in the spring of 1906 was elected 
roatl commissioner for a two years' term. 
Fraternally he is connected with the 
Modern \\'oodmen of Fountain Green 
and the Odd Fellows of Blandinsville. 
\\'ell known in the countv where his en- 



662 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



tire life has been passed he is thoroughly 
in touch with the most modern methods 
of fanning and his business experience 
and sound judgment are elements in a 
success which places him in the foremost 
rank among the representatives of agri- 
culture in Hancock county. 



HEXRY BRICKER. 

Hem-}- Bricker, who since the age of 
fourteen years has been dependent upmi 
his own resources so that the success 
which he has achieved and enjoyed has 
come as the merited reward of his earnest 
labor and perseverance, is now living in 
Montebello township, where he owns a 
good fanning property on section 34. He 
is one of Hancock county's native sons, 
for he was born in the old historic town 
of Warsaw, November 23, 1865. His 
parents were John and Elizabeth (Het- 
rick) Bricker, both of whom were na- 
tives of Hesse Darmstadt. Germany. 
Thev became residents of Warsaw early 
in 1864. in which year they crossed the 
Atlantic from the fatherland to the new 
world, hoping in this countiy to secure a 
more substantial pecuniary reward for la- 
bor than could be obtained in their native 
land. Mr. Bricker purchased thirty acres 
of land, whereon he engaged in general 
gardening, in raising grapes and in the 
manufacture of wine. At a later date he 
sold that property and purchased a resi- 
dence in Warsaw, where he now makes 
his home. His wife, however, passed 



awav in 1892. In their family were four 
children, namely : Heniy, of this review ; 
Annie, the wife of C. A. Wegenhenkel, of 
Wythe township; Otto, of Lura,' Mis- 
souri ; and Amelia, the wife of J. D. Pig- 
gott. 

Henry Bricker was a student of the 
public schools of \\'arsaw in his early 
boyhood days, and at the age of fourteen 
started out to earn his own living, be- 
ginning work in this vicinity in the em- 
ploy of Owen Pence, of Keokuk, and A. 
L. Miller, of Hamilton, who were pro- 
prietors of a dairy. From that time aft- 
erward Mr. Bricker has provided for his 
own support, and following his marriage 
he took up his abode upon a farm of 
eig'hty acres in Prairie township. The 
only improvements upon the farm were a 
small iK.iuse, which was surrounded by a 
fence. In later years Mr. Bricker made 
additions to and remodeled the house, 
built a barn, fenced his place and other- 
wise improved it, transfonning it into a 
good property. After two years he sold 
that property and bought seventy-seven 
acres on section 34, Montebello township. 
He has a good set of farm buildings and 
his residence stands well back from the 
road with a fine lawn in front, adorned 
with shade trees. It shows every evidence 
of care and improvemait, and Mr. Bricker 
is numbered among the progressive agri- 
culturists who keep in touch with modem 
ideas of fami life in all his work. The 
fields are devoted to the cereals best adapt- 
ed to soil and climate and he also raises 
Durham cows and Poland China hogs. 

On the 5th of March, 1891, Mr. Brick- 
er was married to Miss Caroline Egley. 
who was bom in Warsaw, January i. 



HAXCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



663 



1 87 1, a daughter of George and Catherine 
( StraHng) Egley, who were natives of 
Germany, but were married in Warsaw, 
wliere they still reside. The paternal 
grandparents were Henry and Catherine 
Egley, who were likewise residents of 
\\'arsaw, where the latter passed away in 
1 88 1, and the former in 1886. 

Air. and Mrs. Bricker have an inter- 
esting family of two sons and a daugh- 
ter: Marion J., bom December 7, 1891 ; 
George H., Septeml^er 10, 1895; ^"'^^' 
Clara Ida, August 25, 1898. Politically 
^Iw Bricker is a republican and he and 
his family attend the German Congrega- 
tional church, cjf which he is a member. 
He has always displayed a resolute spirit 
and strong determination in carrying nn 
his business interests, while in public mat- 
ters he has given evidence of a progres- 
sive spirit in the manner in which he has 
supported all movements for the general 
pfood. 



DICK HERBERT DAVIS. 

Dick Herbert Davis, carrying on gen- 
eral farming and stock-raising in Appa- 
noose, his native township, was born Au- 
gust 7, i860. He was educated in the 
Mound district school, in the high school 
at Carthage and in the Carthage College, 
w hich he attended for a year. His par- 
ents were Amds and Harriet L. ( An- 
drus) Da\is. the former a native of Ver- 
mont, and the latter of Michigan. The fa- 
ther came frcim the Green ^^lountain state 
with a cousin tu the eastern part of Illi- 
nois and afterward went to St. Louis, 
42 



Missouri, where he entered the employ 
of a firm that established a branch store 
in Xauvoo. This he conducted for a 
time, after which he purchased the prop- 
erty. He vvas conducting the store at the 
time the Mormons were driven from their 
stronghc)ld there. He afterward traded 
his stock of goods for land in Appanoose 
township, and in 1849 he went to Cali- 
fornia, attracted by the discovery of gold 
on the Pacific coast. He then returned by 
wa}- of the Cape of Good Hope but later 
again went to California, where he re- 
mained for some time. He was there 
dm-ing the days of early mining excite- 
ment and was familiar with all of the ex- 
periences which are to be met in a district 
before the organization of courts when the 
lawless take advantage of the opportuni- 
ties they offer them for the perpetrationi 
of crime. At length returning to Han- 
cock county he lived upon his farm until 
death, which occurred March 22. 1872, 
while his wife passed away in January. 
1866. Their children were Ethan, who 
died at the age of twenty-six years : 
("leorge E., of Rock Creek township; 
Dick H., of this review: and Chloe E.. 
the wife of F. H. Weber, of Fort Madi- 
son, Iowa. 

Mr. Davis of this re\iew made his 
home on his father's farm until after the 
latter's death, after which he spent ten 
months in Ouincy. He then returned to 
the old homestead and remained with his 
ste])-mother for se\'eral )'ears although at 
intervals he was occupied with business 
duties elsewhere. At the age of seven- 
teen )'ears he liegan work on the farm of 
Hugh Jackson, where he remained one 
summer, and in the fall of 1879 he went 



664 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



to Kansas but on the 7th of June, 1880, 
returned to Hancock county. Here he 
began farming on his own account on one 
hundred and twenty acres of land which 
he owned on section 29, Pontoosuc town- 
ship. I^hree years later he took up his 
abode near North Platte, Nebraska, 
where he followed ranching for three 
years. He then secured a homestead of 
one hundred and sixty acres which he 
proved up and on the 20th of March, 
1894, lie rented that place and removed 
to North Platte, where he worked for the 
Union Pacific Railroad Company for ten 
months. On the 21st of January, 1895, 
he again located on the ranch, where he 
spent si.Kteen months, and on the 24th 
of May, 1897. he again entered tlie em- 
ploy of the railroad company, living at 
North Platte for a year thereafter in that 
capacity. He was afterward appointed 
city marshal and served until May, 1900, 
subsequnt to which time he was again an 
employe of the Union Pacific Railroad 
Company until June 21, 1902. Remov- 
ing to Fort Madison he was employed by 
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Rail- 
road Company from August i, 1902, until 
April 6, 1903, when he rented a farm of 
one hundred and twenty acres on section 
25, Appanoose township, from Mrs. Sa- 
rah Hoxworth. Here he carries on gen- 
eral farming and stock-raising. 

Mr. Davis was married July 2, t888. 
in Perkins county, Nebraska, to Viola 
M. Smith, who was born in Lawrence 
county, Indiana, a daughter of James and 
Euphemia (Nation) Smith. Their chil- 
dren are: Chloe E., born June 21, 1889: 
Marie F., January 28, T900: and INIabel 
A., March 17, 1905. 



BERNHARD GIESE. 

Bernhard Giese, a veteran of the Civil 
war, who though not a native son of 
America displayed a loyalty as great as 
that of any of the soldiers who were born 
under the stars and stripes, now makes 
his home in Hamilton. His birth oc- 
curred in Hanover, Germany, in 1828, 
his parents being Bernhardt and Angela 
(Schultz) Giese, also of the fatherland. 
In early manhood Mr. Giese of this re- 
view enlisted for service in the German 
Army but after two years lie deserted, 
wishing to make his home in the "land 
of the free." Crossing the Atlantic, he 
took up his abode in Ouincy, Illinois, 
where he was employed in various ways 
until after his marriage on the 19th of 
April, 1853, Miss Mary Ann Eising be- 
coming his wife. She was born in Prus- 
sia, March 27, 1835, a daughter of Bern- 
hard and Elizabeth (Steining) Eising 
botli natives of Prussia. Her parents, 
leaving the fatherland, sailed for New 
Orleans, where they resided for two years 
and in 1844 made their way northward to 
Ouincy, Illinois, where Mr. Eising was 
employed as a laborer for seven years. 
He then purchased a farm in Marion 
county, Missouri, where he spent a vear 
and a half engaged in general agricultural 
pursuits. On the expiration of that pe- 
riod he returned to Ouinc}-, where he 
lived until 1865, wheii he removed to 
Warsaw, Illinois, making his home there 
until his death on the 8th of December, 
1888. when he was ninety-three years of 
age. His wife passed away September 
12, 1884, when she was seventy-one 
)-ears of age. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



665 



Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
Giese resided in different places, but their 
children, seven in number, were all born 
in Ouincy. These are: Elizabeth, now 
Mrs. W. A. Sherman, a widow; Bern- 
hard, a resident of Ouincy ; Anthony ; 
Frank, who died at the age of twenty-two 
years; Mollie, who died at the age of 
eighteen years ; Katie, the wife of Heniy 
Lefers, of Ouincy, Illinois; and one died 
in infancy. 

At the time of the Civil war Mr. Giese 
responded to the country's call for troops, 
enlisting in 1865 as a member of Com- 
pany H, Forty-third Illinois Infantiy. 
He ser\'ed for one year and was then 
honorably discharged and in recognition 
of conditions brought about by his mili- 
tary service he has been granted a pension 
of twelve dollars per month since 1892. 
In 1895 he removed with his family to 
Hamilton and purchased four lots in Oak- 
wood, which is Safford's addition to the 
city. Here he has since lived retired and 
he has become well known here, gaining 
many warm friends during the period 
of his residence in Hancock countv. 



RUDOLPH WILSON ALVORD. 

Rudolph Wilson Alvord, one of the 
venerable citizens of Hamilton, who re- 
ceives and merits the respect and good 
will of all. was born in Niagara county. 
New York, December 29, 1S23. His 
parents were Samuel and L^rsula (Smith) 
Alvord. natives of Massachusetts and 



Connecticut respectively. His maternal 
grandfather, Oliver Smith, was a resident 
of Canada and was a great trader, being 
engaged in merchandising also for a num- 
ber of years. The paternal grandfather 
was a farmer, always resided in Massa- 
chusetts and was a soldier of the Revolu- 
tionar}' war. 

Samuel Alvord, following the occupa- 
tion of farming, was also a local preacher 
in Massachusetts, where he resided to the 
age of thirty-five years, when he removed 
to Niagara county, New York. He was 
ordained a minister of the Baptist church 
at Casnovia, New York, and engaged in 
preaching the gospel in that state until 
1847, when he removed to Alontebello 
township, Hancock county, Illinois, 
where he made his home until his death, 
which occurred about 1873, when he had 
reached the vei-y advanced age of eighty- 
eight years. He had long sur\'ived his 
wife, who died about 1858. 

Rudolph Wilson Alvord. the fifth in 
order of birth in a family of ten children, 
two sons and eight daughters, was reared 
to farm life. He remained with his par- 
ents until twenty-four years of age, when 
he returned to Chautauqua county, New- 
York, and was there married in May, 
1852. to Miss Angeline Sullivan, whose 
birth occurred in that county, her parents 
being Rev. Benjamin and Amy Sullivan, 
the former a minister of the Reformed 
church. Following his marriage Mr. Al- 
vord brought his bride to Hancock coun- 
ty. Illinois, and unto them were bom four 
children, but three have passed away: 
Benjamin, who died at the ag'e of fifteen 
months: Charles, at the age of six years; 
and ^^'iIson. at the age of sixteen years. 



666 



BIOGRAPHICAL REIAEIV 



The surviving member of the family is 
Susanna, the wife of Amassa Hagar, of 
Hamilton. 

Following his return to Hancock coun- 
ty Mr. Alvord lived upon the farm which 
he owned in Montebello township, making 
his hc)]ne there for two years, when he 
purchased another place of nine acres in 
the eastern part of Hamilton. He has 
since divided this and has sold off six- 
town lots. He began raising fruit and 
after some years he sold his prairie farm. 
Having lost his first wife in the fall of 
1876, he was married to Julia (Johnson) 
Cliapin, a widow, who was born in Con- 
necticut. They had two sons, Milton and 
Horace Alvord, both residents of Illinois. 
The wife and mother died in 1880 and in 
1883 Mr. Alvord wedded Mary Jane Wil- 
son at Keokuk. Iowa. She was bom in 
Ohio and her death occurred in Hamilton. 
April 17, i<)02. Mr. Alvord's daughter 
has been a widow since 1890 and has re- 
sided with her father since the death of 
her daughter in 1902. She was married 
December 2, 1874, to Amassa Hagar, 
who was born in Whitehall, Illinois, July 
27, 1850. There were four children of 
that marriage: Mary, who was boni in 
August, 1876. and died in infancy; Nel- 
lie Belle, who was born December 2, 1878. 
and died April 4, 1901. She was the 
wife of Frank Worth, a native of Jersey- 
ville, Illinois, and now a cigar maker at 
Canton, Missouri. They had one child, 
Amassa Hagar Worth, born June 3, 1898. 
Frances Ada was born July 4, 1883, and 
tlie wife of George Janeway, cashier of 
the bank at Skiatook, Indian Territory. 
Angelina was born September 9, 18S8. 
The death of Mr. Hagar occurred March 



22. 1890. He was engaged in the grain 

and li\-e stock business at Marysville, 
Kansas, where he resided with his family 
for many years, and after his demise Mrs. 
Hagar continued to remain there until her 
father lost his wife, when she returned 
and has since lived witli him in Hamilton. 
Mr. Alvord has for a number of years 
li\-ed retired at his pleasant home in Ham- 
iltnn. He has led a busy and useful life 
and his rest is well merited. There have 
been no exciting chapters in his history, 
but he has always been faithful to the du- 
ties of citizenship and the ties of home and 
wherever known is held in high esteem 
in recognition of his genuine personal 
worth. 



WILLIAM F. TRAVERSE. 

William F. Traverse, owning and op- 
erating two hundred acres of land called 
the Twin Hill Stock Fai-m, situated in 
Appanoose, his native township, was bom 
February 27, 1868. His paternal grand- 
father bore the name of Hiel Traverse, 
and his father, William F. Traverse, who 
was bom in Kentucky, December 15, 
1827. arrived in Appanoose township in 
1847. where he purchased land, and was 
here married May 4, 1865, to Miss Emily 
Willsey, who was born April 2. 1842, and 
her father, Peter ^^'illsey, was numbered 
among the very early settlers of this 
cnuntv. ^^'illiam F. Traverse owned 
three hundred and twenty acres of land 
(in section 26, Appanoose township, and 
lie likewise owned two other tracts, one of 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



667 



twenty and the other containing sixty 
acres, situated near Niota. His land was 
all wild and unimproxed when it came 
into his possession but he developed and 
cultivated the fields, and erected a tine 
home and many substantial outbuildings, 
thus making his fann one <it the valuable 
properties of this section of the state. He 
was thus actively and helpfully identified 
with much of the improveinent and up- 
building of the county in its early pioneer 
development. In addition to his farm- 
ing interests he also engaged quite e.xten- 
sively in the raising of draft hitrses. In 
his family were three sons and one daugh- 
ter, namely: John Q., who was born 
June 23, 1866, was married and resided 
in Ouincy, Illinois, there passing awa\' 
November 8, 1897. William F. is the 
next of the family. Isaac W'.. who was 
born October 22, 1872, is a physician and 
surgeon, practicing' at Fort Madison. 
Iowa. Emily J., born December 13, 1876, 
is now the wife of C. L. W. Silver- 
schmidt, and resides in San Francisco. 
California. The m(_>ther nf this familx' 
died June 29, 1878, and her remains were 
interred in 'Full cemeterv in I'ontoosuc 
township. The father sur\i\'ed until Oc- 
tober 4, 190], when he was laid to rest b\' 
the side of his wife. 

After the death of the parents the land 
was divided among the children, and our 
subject and his brother, Isaac \\'., pur- 
chased the interest of their sister in the 
estate, so that \\'illiam F. Traverse came 
into possession of two hundred acres of 
the old homestead property, and he like- 
wise owns sixtv-eight acres on section 
9 and ten acres of timber land on sec- 
tion 15. 



William F. Traverse received liberal 
educational advantages, having supple- 
mented his early education by a course 
of study at the Fort Madison Business 
College and also at the Xorthern Illinois 
Nonual School, at Dixon. At the age of 
twenty-two years, having completed his 
education, he engaged in the fire and life 
insurance business at F(jrt Madison, cju- 
tinuing in that business for four years. 
Subsequent to that time he and his 
brother, John 0., now deceased, engaged 
in the wholesale and retail shoe business, 
having an establishment in Aledina Tem- 
ple, at the corner of Jackson and Fifth 
avenue, Chicago. A year later he dis- 
posed of his shoe business and went to 
Joplin, ^lissouri, where he cmiducted a 
steam drill f(jr two years, and following 
that period he then for a year represented 
the Joplin Machine Works on the road, 
selling mining and other machiner}' in 
the state of Missouri. His father's health 
having failed, Mr. Traverse then returned 
again to the old home farm and assumed 
its management until his father's death, 
after which, as stated, he came into pos- 
session of two hundred acres of the old 
homestead property, known as the Twin 
Hill Stock Farm, being so called from 
the fact that the house stands on one hill, 
while the barn is located on an opposite 
hill. In addition to carrying on general 
fanning he is also engaged in raising 
Chester White hogs, raising about one 
hundred and fifty annually. 

On the 8th of November, igor. ^Ir. 
Traverse secured as a companion and 
helpmate Miss Jennie O. Hobbs, a daugh- 
ter of Leonard Hobbs. She was born, 
reared and educated in Appanoose town- 



668 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



ship, and by her marriage has become 
the mother of one daughter, Emily ].. 
whose birth occurred September 5, 1902. 
Politically Mr. Traverse is a democrat, 
while his religious faith is that of the 
Presbyterian church. He is a Mason, be- 
longing to the lodge at Pontoosuc, while 
he also holds membership with the Mod- 
em Woodmen camp at Fort Madison, 
Iowa. 



JOHN M. BERRY. 

John ^I. Berry, better known as J. 
'b^l. Berry in Carthage, where he has long 
made his home, was born in Macoupin 
county, Illinois, October 31, 1834, his par- 
ents being Jesse and Mary (Collins) 
Berry, both of whom were natives of 
Kentucky. In an early day they remo\-ed 
from that state to Macoupin county, 
where the father engaged in farming until 
his death, which ocurred when he was 
sixty-nine years of age. His widow 
afterward removed to Carthage, where 
her last days were passed. Both were 
members of the Cumberland Presliyterian 
church. In their family were eight chil- 
dren but only two are now living : J. M. ; 
and Mary S., the latter the wife of Wil- 
liam Clark, of Carlinville, Illinois. One 
son of the family, David M. Berry, served 
for four years as a soldier in the Ci\-il 
war. 

J. M. Berry is indebted to the public 
school system of Macoupin county for the 
earlx- educational privileges he enjoyed 
and when not occupied with his text-books 



he engaged in farming upon his father's 
lantl. His attention was given to gen- 
eral agricultural pursuits until 1861, so 
that he lived upon the home farm for five 
years after his marriage. In 1861 he 
came to Carthage and, owning a team, he 
engaged in teaming for six years. He 
then engaged in the grocery business, 
which he successfully followed for a 
quarter of a century and was also en- 
gaged with the coal and grain trade, giv- 
ing his attention, however, more largely 
to the coal business. Later he conducted 
a jewelry store in Carthage for two years, 
but during the past six years has lived 
retired. 

Mr. Berry was married January 24, 
1856, to Miss Mary Crawford, who was 
born in Macoupin county, Illinois, De-> 
c'ember 22, 1827, her parents being Joseph 
and Rebecca (Ledford) Crawford. Her 
father was a farmer and for many years 
was engaged in the tilling of the soil 
in Macoupin county, both he and his wifs 
coming to Illinois from Tennessee at an 
early day. They were both prominent 
and influential members of the Methodist 
church, in which he filled nearly all of 
the offices. In their family were ten chil- 
dren, of whom three have passed away. 
Those still living are: S. M.. a resident 
of La Plata, Missouri ; Mary, now Mrs. 
Berry ; Jesse, of Beloit, Kansas ; Joseph, 
of Gerard, Illinois ; James, of Palmyra 
Illinois; and Jonathan and Elijah, who 
are also residents of Palmyra. Five sons 
in that family sei-ved in the Civil war 
for four full years, these being John, S. 
M., Jesse, James and Joseph Crawford. 

L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Berry have been 
born eisfht children, of whom three died 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



669 



in infancy, while the others reached years 
of maturity. L. W. Berry, the eldest sur- 
viving member of the family, married 
Fannie Crawford, li\es in Carthage and 
has three children : Freddie Corine, 
Kenneth and Leonard Coleman. Xaomi 
F. is the wife of Walter VanZile, of Car- 
thage, Illinois, and they have five chil- 
dren : I'ioy H., Leon, Jesse, Mary and 
Signa. Duwane G. married Hattie 
Noyes, of Carthage, and has one child, 
Catherine. Rosa B. is the wife of 
Charles McCool, of Jackson\ille, Illinois. 
and has four children. Oscar V. married 
Mar}' E. Frazier, by whom he lias one 
child, J. M. Berry, named for his grand- 
father. Their home is in Peoria, where 
Oscar V. Perry is an optician, 

Mr. and Mrs. Berry are devoted mem- 
bers of the Methodist church, of which 
he has served as trustee and steward for 
many years. His early political affiliation 
was given to the Republican party but he 
is now a prohibitionist, having long been 
a stalwart supporter of the cause of tem- 
perance. In 1892 he purchased his pres- 
ent cottage on Main street and is com- 
fortably settled in life. On the 24th of 
January, 1906, he and his wife celebrated 
their golden wedding, all of their children 
and the greater number of their grand- 
children being gathered around the fam- 
ily board, while a reception was held for 
them in the Methodist church. It was 
largely attended and the event was a very 
happy one. This worthy couple well de- 
serve the esteem and admiration which 
are so uniformly accorded them. Mr. 
Berry has lived in Carthage for over 
forty-five years, coming here when the 
city was but a village. He has witnessed 



many changes here and throughout the 
county and has an intimate knowledge of 
the events which have molded the history 
and shaped the polic_\- of this part of the 
state. Pie had no special advantages in 
his youth nor any superior educational 
privileges and his life has been character- 
ized by steady and determined purpose 
and by unimpeachable integrity. In man- 
ner he is modest and quiet and is an en- 
tertaining conversationalist. He devoted 
much time to reading until the failure of 
his eyesight and is a well informed man, 
who, having passed the seventy-second 
milestone on life's journey, is now en- 
joying a well-earned rest at his home in 
Carthage. 



WESLEY WILLIAMS, 

The name of Williams, borne by, suc- 
cessive generations, is inseparably inter- 
woven with the history of Carthage and 
Hancock county and he whose name in- 
troduces this review was one of the pio- 
neers of this part of the state, arriving 
here from Kentucky in 1828. He was 
one of a family of twelve children, most 
of whom became residents of Illinois, 
where many of their descendants are still 
found. Wesley Williams was born in 
Bourbon county, Kentucky, the family 
emigrating from Virginia to the Blue 
Grass state. It is probable that they are 
descendants of Roger Williams and at 
all events it is definitely known that the 
family has been represented in America 
through many generations, the ancestry 



6/0 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IEir 



being- traced back in early colonial da^s. 
Reared in the state of his nativit}- Wes- 
ley \\ illiams was there married and 
brought two children with him un his re- 
moval from Kentucky to Illinois. His 
second wife was Mrs. Ruth Scobey and 
they lived for a time at what is known 
as the old town of Aiontebelln, now de- 
serted. There their first child was bom, 
after which the_\' remo\ed to Carthage, 
where nccurred the birth of their second 
child. Wesley C. Williams, wln) bure the 
distinctiiin of being the first child Imrn 
at the new county seat. 

l'"or a numl_)er of years Mr. Williams 
operated a mill on Crooked creek, this 
being one of the first grist mills of the 
Cduntv and an i>ld landmark. He was 
one of the prominent and influential resi- 
dents of the county at an early day, fill- 
ing ^•arious positions of public trust, to 
which he was called by his fellow towns- 
men, who recognized his worth and his 
fidelity to duty. He acted as circuit clerk 
and recorder from 1828 until 1841 and 
later was judge of the county commis- 
sioners' court. Removing to Elvaston, 
Illinois, he occupied the position of post- 
master at that place. His political alle- 
giance was given to the W big party until 
its dissolution, when he joined the ranks 
of the new Republican party. He spent his 
last years with his children, passing away 
in 1870 after a residence of more than 
four decades in Illinois. He was a mem- 
ber of the Methodist Episcopal church antl 
his life was permeated by his Christian 
faith. He was a typical pioneer settler 
of courageous spirit and earnest purpose, 
who bravely met the difficulties and hard- 
ships of pioneer life and aided in plant- 



ing the seeds of civilization here. He 
recognized the possibilities of the county, 
labored earnestl_\- for its development and 
left the impress of his individuality for 
good upon public thought and action. 



UESLEV C. WILLIAMS. 

\\"esley C Williams has the distinction 
I if being the first white child born in Car- 
thage, his natal day being August 13, 
1833. The cild family home, in which 
he first opened his eyes to the light of 
day, stood near the present site of the 
Presbyterian church. His father was 
\\ esley \\ illiams. an hon(.)red pioneer set- 
tler, who is mentioned elsewhere in this 
\-olume. His education was ac((uired in 
such schools as were found in pioneer 
communities and when about eighteen 
years of age he went to California, at- 
tracted by the discovery of gold on the 
Pacific coast. He made the overland trip, 
his father fitting out an ox team for that 
purpose and there he carried on freighting 
business between Shasta City and Yreka 
with good success. He operated six 
mule teams and had a large and profitable 
business. He was recognized as one of 
the prominent citizens of his part of the 
state in an early day and aided in its 
preliminary development and improve- 
ment. Remaining in the west for several 
years, he returned to Hancock county 
about 1858 and began farming in Prairie 
township, where he secured a tract of 
raw land, on which not a furrow had 




JOHN W. WILLIAMS 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



671 



been turned nur an inipnnement made. 
There he carried un the work of tlie 
fields for some time but afterward re- 
moved to Bear Creek townsliip, where 
he prospered in his undertakings. 

While living in Bear Creek township 
Mr. Williams was married on the 6th of 
June, i860, to Miss Mary E. Moore, also 
a native of this county and a daughter of 
Andrew and Abigal (Tweed) Moore, 
pioneer residents who came to Hancock 
county from Delaware in 1836. Mr. 
Williams continued his farming opera- 
tions in Bear Creek township until after 
the outbreak of the Civil war, when, in 
response to his country's need he offered 
his services to the government and became 
a member of Company G, Eighteenth Illi- 
nois Cavalry. \\'hile serving with that 
command he was captured at Harper's 
P'erry and after being held a prisoner for 
a time was paroled and later honorably 
discharged. At the close of his military 
service he resumed farming in Bear Creek 
township, where he resided until 1871, 
bringing his fields under a high state of 
cultivation and making many improxe- 
ments upon his farm. In the year men- 
tioned, however, he put aside agricultural 
pursuits and removed to Carthage, w here 
he engaged in the liven,' business until 
1873. He then located in Prarie town- 
ship, wdiere he continued farming until 
his death on the 4th of November, 1891." 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Williams were born 
six children, two of whom died in infancy, 
while four are yet living: Homer G., 
who is cashier of the People's State 
Bank of Hamilton, Illinois; Judge J. W. 
Williams, county judge of Hancock 
countv; Archibald C, a resident farmer 



of Prairie township and a member of the 
county board of super\is(irs, of which 
he has also been chairman: and Robert, 
who is a practicing physician at Alden, 
Minnesota. All of the sons have become 
prominent in the various walks of life 
which they ha\e chosen. 

In his political views Mr. Williams was 
an earnest democrat, always supporting 
the candidates of the party save when at 
the time of the Civil war he cast his ballot 
fi.ir Abraham Lincoln. He w^as supervi- 
sor from Bear Creek township, also from 
Carthage and Prairie township and for 
one year was chairman of the board. In 
1880 he was elected t(3 represent his tlis- 
trict in the state legislature and ser\eil 
through the ensuing term. In 1888 he 
was again nominated by the democracy 
of the old twenty-fourth district but was 
defeated owing to the fact that this is a 
strong republican district. Xo one ques- 
tioned his ability nor his fidelity in any 
office which he filled. He was a man of 
honor in public and private life, reliable 
and enterprising in business and progres- 
si\-e in citizenship. He attended and con- 
tributed to the support of the Methodist 
Episcopal church, of which Mrs. Wil- 
liams, who is now living in Carthage with 
her l)rother, W. H. ■Moore, is an active 
and faithful member. 



JUDGE JOHN WESLEY WILLIAMS. 

\\'ith few opportunities or advantages 
that he has not secured for himself Judge 



672 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



Williams lias made steady advancement in 
those lines of life demanding intellectu- 
ality, business ability and fidelity and to- 
day commands a respect and esteem not 
oiilv of his community but throughout 
the state. He has won prominence at the 
bar and is serving as county judge of 
Hancock county. His labors have been 
as well a source of direct and immediate 
benefit to the county along many lines of 
progress and improvement, much of his 
work having been done without any 
thought of remuneration but solely for the 
lo\-e (_)f the work. 

Bom in Bear Creek township, this 
county, on the i8th of November, 1865. 
he is a representative of one of its old- 
est and most prominent families. His fa- 
ther was Wesley C. Williams, the first 
white child bom in Carthage, mention 
of whom is made on another page of this 
work. Judge W' illiams acquired his early 
education in Carthage and in Prairie 
township and in early manhood engaged 
in teaching school. He also attended 
teachers' institutes and continued private 
study at home, alternating his time be- 
tween teaching school and farm work un- 
til 1888. In that year he entered the 
office of the fimi of Manier & Miller to 
read law and also attended the Union 
College of Law, the law department of 
the Northwestem University, being ad- 
mitted to practice in 1891 on examination 
before the appellate court at Mount Ver- 
non. Returning to Carthage he entered 
into partnership with his former precept- 
ors, Messrs. Manier and Miller, under the 
firm style of Manier, Miller & Williams. 
This soon became recognized as one of the 
leading- law firms of the county, having 



the best library in this part of the state 
and usually representing either the de- 
fense or prosecution of every important 
litigated interest tried in the courts of the 
district. 

In April, T891, Judge Williams was 
elected city attorney and filled the office 
for three tenns. He continued in pri- 
\ ate law practice with the firm of Manier 
& Miller and following the death of the 
senior partner, Mr. Manier, in 1897, the 
firai of Miller & Williams was formed 
and continued to enjoy a large and dis- 
tincti\ely representative clientage. In 
iy02 Mr. Williams was nominated and 
elected county judge of Hancock county, 
at which time he withdrew from the part- 
nership. He has filled the office with 
credit to himself and satisfaction to the 
general public, his decisions being strict- 
ly fair and impartial. He has proven him- 
self correct in his understanding and adap- 
tation of the law and is a worthy con- 
sen'ator of the rights of the people who 
must look to those of position for the 
protection of their rights and liberties of 
life and property. Judge Williams also 
contiiuies in private practice aside from 
the duties of his judicial position. He 
has moreover exerted a wide influence in 
public affairs, standing in support of' im- 
provement and advancement at all times. 
He served as a mernber of the city coun- 
cil in 1901-02, during which time he was 
instrumental in securing the passage of a 
measure for paving the streets, making 
the first motion in favor of such an or- 
dinance. He is a member of the board 
of education and it was in great measure 
due to his efforts that the new high school 
building, the finest building in the county 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



673 



of its kind, was erected, while in other 
ways he has stood for the bettemient i)f 
the schools and the upbuilding uf a higli 
standard of public instruction. His po- 
litical allegiance is given t<i the Dem- 
ocratic party and he is an earnest, log- 
ical and convincing speaker upon man)' 
of the questions and issues of the day in 
the campaigns. 

Judge \\'illiams was married June 27. 
1894, to Miss Adda Prentice, a daughter 
of Luke P. and Lydia A. (Ouimby) 
Prentice, her father having been one of 
the early settlers of the county and later 
a resident of Carthage. Judge and Mrs. 
Williams have a daughter, Miriam E., 
and a son, Wesley Prentice. They are 
members of the Methodist Episcopal 
church and occupy a pleasant and attract- 
ive home on Jackson street. He is a 
prominent Mason, belonging to Hancock 
lodge, No. 20, Ancient Free and Accept- 
ed Masons, in wliich he has been secre- 
tary and senior deacon and he is hkewise 
a member of Carthage chapter, No. ;^^, 
Royal Arch Masons, and the Order of the 
Eastern Star, of which he has been 
worthy patron. He is also a charter 
member of the Knights of Pythias lodge, 
of which he is past chancellor commander 
and belongs to the \\'oodmen and other 
fraternal organizations. His entire life 
has been passed in Carthage and his rec- 
ord is another verification of the assertion 
of the German philosopher and poet that 
"merit and success go linked together." 
He has made a lasting impression upon 
the bar of the county both for legal abil- 
it}' of a high order and for the individu- 
alit}- of a personal character which im- 
presses itself upon a community. 



ELI D. GILLHAM. 

Eli D. Gillham, who was numbered 
among the California miners that flocked 
to the Pacific coast following the discov- 
ery of gold there, and who in Hancock 
county is living the more quiet life of a 
prosperous agriculturist, now makes his 
home in Warsaw. He is no longer en- 
gaged in the active business duties, for 
his former toil and capable management 
brought him a competence sufficient to 
enaljle him to enjoy in rest and quiet the 
fruits of former years. Bom in Camp- 
bell county, Kentucky, April 22, 1832, 
he is descended from old southern fami- 
lies. His patern;il grandfather, Robinson 
Gillham, was a nati\'e of Charleston, 
South Carolina, whence he removed to 
Kentucky, where his son, Robert Gillham. 
was born. The latter, having arrived at 
adult age, was married in that state to 
Elizabeth Walker. wh<.) was born in Ken- 
tuck}-, and was a daughter of John and 
Mary Walker, natives of Maryland, their 
birthplace being in the vicinity of Balti- 
more. INIr. and Mrs. Robert Gillham 
were farming people in the Blue Grass 
slate until the spring of 1836, when they 
started for Illinois, traveling by the Ohio 
and Mississippi river route and arriving 
at Warsaw on the nth of April. Mr. 
(iillham purchased one hundred and six- 
ty-five acres of land in Walker township, 
of which about sixty acres was timber 
land, while the remainder was unculti- 
vated prairie. Deer were so numerous 
that venison was a common dish upon the 
pioneer table and there were many wolves, 
panthers and other wild animals in the 
forests, while Indians were yet frequently 



6/4 



BIOGRAPHICAL REriEir 



seen. Mr. (iillhani l)uilt a log cabin in 
tiie midst of the green woods and reso- 
lutely undertook the task i)f clearing and 
improving his place. Near by year saw 
the fields placed under the plow and as 
opportunity ottered he added to his land 
until he owned about six hundred acres 
all in Walker township. He kept about 
eighty acres in tini1)er but improved all 
of the prairie land, bringing his fields 
under a high state of cultivation. There 
he lived until 1873. when he sold his 
property in Walker township and removed 
to Monroe county, Missouri, where he 
purchased about three hundred acres of 
land, making his home thereon until his 
death in .April, 1879. His wife had 
passed away in October. 1856. 

Eli D. Gillham, the seventh in their 
familv of six sons and seven daughters, 
of whom two sons and three daughters 
are yet living, spent his boyhood days 
upon the farm in Walker township, hav- 
ing been a little lad of four years when 
brought by his parents to Illinois. The 
district schools near Ijy afforded him his 
educati<.inal ])ri\-ileges and he received 
ami)le training in the work of the fields, 
assisting each summer in the task of plow- 
ing, planting and harvesting upon the old 
homestead until 1850, when in company 
with his brother John, he started for Cali- 
fornia, crossing the plains with a team 
of horses. They left home on the loth 
of April and after a long and wearisome 
trip across the hot stretches of sand and 
over the mountain passes arrived at Hang- 
town, now called Placerville. There they 
engaged in placer mining and Mr. Gill- 
bam of this review remained for two 
years Init his brother returned home ])rior 



to that time. Eli Gillham made the re- 
turn trip by way of the isthmus route, 
riding from Panama to Chagres on a 
pony, and floated down Chagres river in a 
small boat to Gargonia, thence by rail to 
Asjiinwall, now Colon, to Xew Orleans 
and the Mississippi river, arriving event- 
uall\' at \^'arsaw. He came back broke. 
He later rented a farm in Walker town- 
ship for b\-e years, and with the capital 
wliicb he had saved from his earnings 
during that period, he made purchase of 
eighty acres on section g, \\'alker town- 
ship, where he li\-ed from 1858 until 
April. 1863. In that year he and his 
brother Roljeson. and his brother-in-law 
drove twenty-si.x head of horses across the 
plains to the Pacific ct)ast. After reach- 
ing California thev sold their stock and 
soon returned by wa}' of the isthmus, 
which they crossed by rail. They then 
bought steamer tickets for Xew ^'ork but 
encountering very severe weather during 
the voyage they left the ship at Fortress 
Monroe, Virginia, proceeded thence to 
I>altimore and on home. On again reach- 
ing Hancock count}- Mr. Gillham \>uv- 
chased the old homestead farm from his 
father and resided there cijutinuously 
until March 15. 1906, when he ])urchased 
a residence in Warsaw, where he is now 
living retired. He still, however, owns 
three hundred and eighty-four acres of 
valuable farming land, of which one hun- 
dred and eighty-three acres lies in Wythe 
tow nsbip. 

On the 3th of January. 1858, Mr. Gill- 
ham was married to Sarah Woodworth, 
who was born in Rocky Run township. 
this county, a daughter of Hiram and 
Pollv (Glenn) ^^'oodworth. natives of 



RAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



675 



Kentucky. The children born uf this 
marriage are: Charles ]\I., who was 
born ill December, 1858, and died in Feb- 
ruary. 1875 :' Belle, the wife of Isaac 
Baker, of Wythe township; Elizabeth, 
who was born August 22. 1862, and died 
November 11. 1873: Emma died in in- 
fancy : and Ida, at home. 

Mr, Gillham is a stalwart democrat and 
has been honored with the various town- 
ship offices, the duties of which he has 
discharged with promptness and fidelity, 
indicative of his loyal and patriotic citizen- 
ship. He is a self-made .man whose pros- 
perity is justly attributed to his own la- 
bors and perse\'erance. He lias had an 
interesting and varied life in many ways, 
owing to his journeys across the plains 
ere the building t)f railroads and his resi- 
dence upon the Pacific coast during the 
days of early mining excitement. While 
living more quietly in Hancock county 
he has made a creditable record as a busi- 
ness -man, whose close application and un- 
remitting attention to his interests have 
been the source of a gratifying success. 

In 1890 !vlr. Gillham and his wife took 
another trip to the Pacific coast, taking in 
Washington, Oregon and California, vis- 
iting with relatives in all of those states, 
going by Northern Pacific and returned 
by Southern Pacific. Thev were gone all 
winter. 



^A'ILLIAAI ROS\\'ELL FAIRCHIED. 

William Roswell Fairchild is a factor 
in liusiness circles in \A'arsaw. where 



he has liveil for years, and where he 
is dealing in coal. He was burn eleven 
miles east of Cleveland. Ohio, on the 23d 
cjf January, 1840. and is a son of Levi 
and Dierdama ( Barber) Fairchild. who, 
when their son was a lad of nine years, 
removed from Ohio to Augusta, Hancock 
county, Illinois. There the father pur- 
chased eighty acres of land and began 
farming, making his home upon that place 
until his death, which occurred in 1869. 
His wife also died on the old homestead 
property in the winter of 1897-98. 

It was at Augusta that Mr. Fairchild 
acquired his education in the subscription 
and the free schools. He was reared to 
the occupation of farming, which he fol- 
lowed continuously until twenty-two years 
of age, when he put aside all business and 
personal considerations, and on the 7th 
of Aug'ust, 1862, offered his sei'\'ices to 
the government, enlisting as a member 
of Company H, Se\'enty-second Illinois 
Infantiw at Augusta. With others he was 
sent to fill out a regiment at Chicago, 
where he was mustered into service. He 
did acti^•e duty at \"icksburg, Xasliville, 
Franklin, Mobile and Champion Flills. 
At the last he saw the ground covered 
with the bodies of the slain, charge after 
charge being made, the fight lasting for 
hours, continuing with undetermined fe- 
rocity. The regiment to which he be- 
longed was assigned to the Army of the 
Tennessee, subsequently to the Army of 
the Cumberland and afterward to the De- 
partment of the Gulf. Wlien he had 
served for three years Mr. Fairchild was 
honorabh' discharged at Chicago and was 
mustered out at Vicksburg, He saw 
much arduous militarv services, and with 



676 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



a creditable record as a soldier returned 
to his home. 

Again making his way to Augusta, Mr. 
Fairchild remained there for eighteen 
months and then went to St. Louis, where 
he worked for the Pacific Railroad Corn- 
pan}' as car loader for a year and a half. 
In 1868 he came to Warsaw, where, in 
connection with his two brothers, he pur- 
chased a threshing outfit which they op- 
erated for three years, when he sold out. 
He then turned his attention to teaming 
and fanning and for twenty-five years he 
was connected with the coal trade, lian- 
dling both hard and soft coal, in which 
connection he has enjoyed a large busi- 
ness. His sheds are located at the To- 
ledo, Peoria & Warsaw station and he has 
a capacity of one hundred cars of both 
kinds of coal annually. 

Mr. Fairchild was married in St. Louis 
to Miss Anna D. Ruger, a daughter of 
Martin and Anna Ruger. While he is 
in s}-mpathy with the principles of the Re- 
publican party he does not feel himself 
bound by party ties nor does he always 
vote for its candidates at local elections 
where no issue is involved. He is a mem- 
ber of the Grand Army post at Warsaw, 
in which he has held most of the offices, 
being sergeant-major at the present time. 
He is likewise connected with the Mod- 
ern Woodmen camp at Warsaw, of which 
he was one of the organizers and fur 
seven years he acted as presiding ofiicer 
and has held several other offices there- 
in. He is as loyal to his country in days 
of peace as in days of war and he made 
a most creditable record when on south- 
ern liattleficlds he followed the stars and 
stripes. 



W. R. HARRIS. 

Success is usually a criterion of indi- 
vidual ability and is certainly so in the 
case of Mr. Harris who, without special 
pecuniary or family advantages at the out- 
set of his career, has w'orked his way 
steadily upward, making a business record 
which any man might be proud to pos- 
sess. He has never made engagements 
that he has not filled or incurred obliga- 
tions that he has not met, and thus he 
has won the respect and admiration of his 
fellowmen, while at the same time he has 
gained a goodly measure of prosperity 
and is now one of the large landowners 
of the county. He was born in Indiana, 
in I S3 7, a son of John and Ruth (Ald- 
ridge) Harris, the former a native of 
Tennessee and the latter of North Caro- 
lina. The father was a grain and lumber 
merchant and came to Illinois in 1844, 
settling in Schuyler county, while later 
he removed to Augusta, where he con- 
tinued to deal in grain and lumber for 
ten or fifteen years prior to his death. 
In the famil}- were nine children but only 
three are now living: Francis M., a 
resident of .\ugusta ; Tabatha E., the wife 
of F. J. Sims, of Brookfield, Missouri ; 
and W. R., of this review. 

In the pul)lic schools of Schuyler 
county W. R. Harris acquired his educa- 
tion. He remained upon the home farm 
until he .attained his majorit}', assisting 
in the work of field and meadow and then 
went to Colorado, where he engaged in 
mining. He afterward proceeded west- 
ward to Oregon, where he followed the 
same business and later he was in Idaho, 
spending seven years altogether in the 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



677 



west. On the expiration of that period 
he returned to ChiH township, Hancock 
county, IlHnois, where he resided for 
thirty years as a farmer and stock-raiser. 
During that period he made all of the 
improvements upon his farm hut when 
three decades had passed he sold the home 
place. He still owns, however, hetween 
six and seven hundred acres of \ery rich 
and ^'a!uable land, from which he derives 
a most excellent income. His investments 
have been judiciously made and bring him 
therefore a good financial return. Tn 
1904 he erected an elegant residence in 
the south part of Bowen and there he 
now resides. The home is modern in all 
of its appointments and is one of the UKjst 
attractive dwellings of the town. Since 
that time Mr. Harris has lived retired 
and is enjoying in well merited rest the 
fruits of his former toil. 

On the 31st of October. 1866. was cel- 
ebrated the marriage of ^^^ R. Harris and 
Miss Mary E. Hall, who was born in 
Virginia, in 1842, a daughter of Thomas 
and Edith (Martin) Hall, both of whom 
were natives of Virginia. The father 
was a farmer by occupation and removed 
to Hancock county in 183 1. settling in 
Augusta ti:wnsliip. His political views 
endorsed the principles of democracy, and 
both he and his wife were active and 
de\-oted members of the Methodist 
church, in which he held various offices. 
In their family were ten children, of 
whom seven are living, namely : Louisa, 
the wife of Dr. Benjamin Thayer, of Kan- 
sas : Mrs. Harris ; Bessie, the wife of 
Elijah Knotts. of Missouri : Miss Kate 
Hall, of B<iwen ; James \\'.. who is living 
in Topeka. Kansas: Howard L.. of 



Bowen : Mrs. Lillie Callison, a widow, 
living in Kirksville, Missouri. 

Mr. Harris holds membership with the 
Masonic fraternity and the Odd Fellows 
lodge in Bowen and has passed all of 
the chairs in the latter. He votes with 
the democrac}" but has never aspired to 
office and has served in no public posi- 
tions of that character save that he was 
school director, and is a man who in all 
life's relations has Cduimanded and en- 
joyed the respect and confidence of those 
with whom he has been associated. He 
has worked earnestly and persistenth- for 
what he has accomplished, and in the 
evening of his days is surrounded by all 
of the comforts that go to make life worth 
li\-ing. His friends entertain for him the 
warmest esteem because of his pleasant, 
jovial manner and those qualities which 
ever render any in(li\-idual popular. 



LI'CIAN W. CRAVENS. 

Lucian W. Cravens, carrying on gen- 
eral farming in St. ]Mary's township, was 
born in Woodford count}-. Kentucky, in 
1865. and is the youngest living of the 
seven children of James D. and Catheryn 
(Blackford) Cravens, who were likewise 
natives of Kentucky and members of the 
Presbyterian church, the former born 
January 24. 1S29. and the latter May 
15. 1 83 1. In the spring of 1877 he be- 
came a resident of McDonough county, 
Illinois, where he died June 30, 1901, his 
remains being interred in St. Marv's cem- 



6/8 



BIOGRAPHICAL RE I 'lEW 



eten-. His wife had passed away in Ken- 
tuck)-. January 3. 1867. and was there laid 
to rest. Only fi\e of their ciiildren are 
living: Josie. the wife of Robert Sacre, 
of Kentucky : Nannie, the widow of Silas 
Aubrey, living in Plymouth ; Thomas, of 
Missouri: licnnie. wife of Henry Reans, 
of Christian cnunty: and Lucian W. 
The last named was a ^■outh of tweKe 
years when brought l.iy his father t(.) Illi- 
nois, and in the schools of McDonough 
county he was educated. He remained 
with his father until seventeen }-ears of 
age, after which he lived with his sister, 
Mrs. Aubrew and worked upon the farm 
for some time. He made arrangements 
for having a home of his own by his mar- 
riage, in i8S(), to Aliss Phoebe Halbert. 
who was born in this county in 1871, a 
daughter of Silas and Loretta ( Hobart ), 
Halbert, the former Ijorn in Springfield, 
Illinois, in 1831. and the latter near Car- 
thage, in 1835. ]\lr. Halbert was brought 
to Hancock ciiunt\' in 1834 and resided 
in Hancock township until a few years 
prior to his death, which occurred Feb- 
ruary 3, 1905. His wife died on the 5th 
of the same month and both were buried 
in St. Mary's cemetery. They were faith- 
ful members of the Baptist church and the 
latter was a representative of a prominent 
pioneer famil}- of this part of the state. 
Cnto Mr. and Mrs. Halbert were born 
seven children: Mar\-. who died twentv- 
six years ago, when nineteen years of 
age; Plelen, the wife of Robert Huey, a 
resident of Plymouth ; Francis, who died 
in 1875, at the age of nine years : \\'illiani, 
a Baptist minister living at Cascade. 
Iowa: Mrs. Cra\ens: Walter, who is li\- 
ing on the old homestead in St. Marv's 



township: and an infant daughter who 
died unnamed. E. L. Hobart. a brother 
of Mrs. Cra\ens" mother, was a soldier 
of the Civil war from the beginning until 
its close. The Hobarts are a well known 
and prominent family of this county and 
Mrs. Polly Hobart, a great-aunt of Mrs. 
Cra\'ens, is now living in Webster, and 
has reached the very venerable age of 
ninety-eight years. Both Mr. and Mrs. 
Hobart were born in log houses and lived 
in a log cabin for long years after their 
marriage. They were thoroughly fa- 
miliar with all of the experiences of pio- 
neer life and the name is inseparably in- 
terwoven with the early histor}' of the 
County. 

L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Cravens have been 
born fi\e children and the family circle 
yet remains unbroken liy the hand of 
death : Ruey, who was born September 
13, 1890, and is now a student in Ply- 
mouth school; Homer, born June 16, 
189J: Clara, October 21. 1895: Marion, 
P'ebruary 17, 1898: and Leslie, March 
20, 1 90 1. 

Following his marriage Mr. Cravens 
settled in Hancock township, where he 
li\-ed for three years, and in 1893 he pur- 
chased seventy-seven acres on section 2, 
St. Clary's township, on which stood a 
brick residence. He has since erected a 
barn and other substantial outl)uildings 
and has added nearly ninety acres to his 
home, thus making substantial and valu- 
able improvements upon his farm. His 
cf'forts are devoted to the tilling of the soil 
and to stock-raising and he is meeting 
with a goodh" measiu'e of success in his 
undertakings. His political support is 
gi\en to the democracy and he has served 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLIXO/S. 



679 



as school director but has never been a pol- 
itician in the sense of office seeking. His 
wife and daughters are members of the 
Baptist church and they are well known, 
in the community where they reside and 
where thev have a host of warm friends. 



JOHN D. KASER. 

John D. Kaser, deceased, was born near 
Dubuque, Iowa, May 2, 1854, a son of 
John and Rosa (Bertschi) Kaser. Both 
parents were bom in Switzerland and 
came to America when very young. The 
father engaged in merchandising in St. 
Louis and afterward at Dubuque, Iowa. 
His death occurred in St. Louis, where his 
remains were interred, while his wife was 
laid to rest in Appanoose township, 
Hancock count}', where they resided for 
a time. In their family were seven chil- 
dren : Fred, now living in Kirksville, Mis- 
souri; William H., of Baring, Missouri; 
John D., of this review; Carrie L,, the 
widow of John McBride, of Galesburg, 
Illinois: L. M., of Xiota, Illinois: Theo- 
dore, of Adair county; and Rosa, the 
wife of James Mackey, of Summitville, 
Iowa. 

With the exception of John D. Kaser 
all are yet living. His educational priv- 
ileges were afforded by the public schools 
of Hancock county but were necessarily 
somewhat limited, owing to the fact that 
he was but a young lad at the time of his 
parents' death. The children were then 
scattered and he was reared by a farmer 
43 



in the southern part of Hancock county 
When eighteen years of age he and his 
brother went to Missouri, where he en- 
gaged in farming for a number of years, 
but about 1875 or 1876 he returned to 
Hancock county and purchased a forty- 
acre farm in Appanoose township, where 
for some years he carried on general ag- 
ricultural pursuits. 

On the J3d of October, 1883. Mr. 
Kaser was married to Miss Hattie L. 
Cheadle, who was born in Pontoosuc 
township, Hancock county, (October 26, 
1864, a daughter of Richard and Phoebe 
( McKee) Cheadle. The fatlier was born 
in Muskingum county. ()hio. in 1821, and 
tlie mother near Cain.), Illinois, in 1832. 
In early manhood he was an engineer and 
in 185 1 he bought land in Pontoosuc 
township. In politics he was a democrat 
and sen'ed in some township offices and 
a I all times he was loyal and progressive 
in citizenship. For over thirty years he 
was a faithful member of the Masonic 
fraternity and exemplified in his life the 
principles of brotherly kindness and mu- 
tual helpfulness upon which the craft is 
based. Both he and his wife in their 
younger years were members of the Meth- 
odist church, but in later years were mem- 
bers of the Christian church. His death 
occurred in Pontoosuc township, Febru- 
ary 12, 1899, ^^'^ his remains were in- 
terred there. In the family were five chil- 
dren. Joseph R. Cheadle, the eldest, was 
born April 15, 1858, and is living in Sa- 
lem, Marion county, Illinois. He married 
Ida M. Abise and they became the parents 
of five children, as follows : Leon, Harry, 
Thomas, Mary and William. Charles B. 
Cheadle, the second of the family, was 



68o 



BIOGRAPHICAL KEriEW 



bom May 9. 1862. and is a lawyer of 
prominence living in Joliet, Illinois. He 
married Miss Elizabeth Ruple and has 
three children, Genevieve, Charles and 
Richard. Hattie L. Cheadle, bom Octo- 
ber 26, 1864, is now the widow of John 
D. Kaser. Dr. Clarence M. Cheadle, born 
August 2j, 1869, is a capable physician 
and surgeon of Ashton, Illinois. He mar- 
ried Miss Maggie McCormick and his six 
children — Genevieve, Clarence, Gertrude, 
Mildred, Harold antl Grace. Thomas A. 
Cheadle, of Lockport, Illinois, was bom 
Tulv II, 1 87 1, and has for some years 
been editor and proprietor of one of the 
leading newspapers of that place. He 
married and has three children, Bruce, 
Arthur and Anna May. 

Richard Cheadle, father of Mrs. Kaser, 
was twice married. His first union was 
with Miss Hanna Coleman, who died Sep- 
tember 25, 1856, leaving four children 
who were reared by his second wife. 
These are as follows : S. R., who was bom 
April 3, 1847, l'^'"?^ '" Ottumwa, Iowa, 
and is married and has four children, 
Clarence, Albert, Corinne and Willard. 
George, bom January 8, 1849, died July 

28, 1885. Edwin F., bom May 5, 1852, 
and now living at Niota, Illinois, where 
he is agent for the Santa Fe Railroad 
Company, married Miss Sarah Way and 
has eight children, Charles, Clarence, 
Mina, John, Elmer. Dora, Ruth and 
Frank. Mina, the youngest child of the 
father's first marriage, was bom March 

29, 1S55. and died in early childhood. 
Thus Mrs. Cheadle, the mother of Mrs. 
Kaser, has reared a family of eight chil- 
dren, who are now a great joy and source 
of comfort to her in her old age. Her 



sons are exemplary men, both in business 
and private life, not one of them ever 
using liquor or tobacco in any fomi. 
Mrs. Cheadle is an active and well pre- 
served woman, very intelligent and kind- 
hearted. She makes her home with her 
daughter, Mrs. Kaser, as does her invalid 
sister, Margaret, the widow of Henry A. 
Van Noy. They are the last survivors 
of a family of ten children, seven of 
whom reached adult age. Mrs. Van Noy 
had three sons, all of whom are deceased, 
but she has grandsons and great-grand- 
sons in Ohio. Mrs. Cheadle has thirty- 
five grandchildren in all. Mrs. Cheadle, 
Mrs. Van Noy and Mrs. Kaser are all 
eligible to membership with the Daughters 
of the American Revolution, for Mrs. 
Kaser's great-great-grandfather was a 
soldier in the war of independence under 
General Putnam and the father of ]\Irs. 
Cheadle was a soldier of the war of 18 12. 
Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
Kaser lived for two and a half years in 
Appanoose township and then removed to 
a farm in Scotland county, Missouri, 
where l\Ir. Kaser was successfully en- 
gaged in general farming and stock rais- 
there (in the 6th of January, i8q6, and 
his remains were interred in a cemetery ni 
that county. He was a citizen of substan 
tial worth and was entirely a self-made 
man, for at an early age he was thrown 
upon his own resources by the death of his 
parents. He was not a politician, but he 
was ready to assist in furthering the po- 
litical principles in which he believed and 
he stood at all times for progressive citi- 
zenship. He was a devoted hu.sband, kind 
father and true friend and in his house- 
hdld his death caused a great vacanc\-. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



68 1 



His good name and his upright acts will 
stand as a monument to his memory for 
years to come. He held membership in 
the Christian church, of which his wife is 
also a devoted meml)er. L'nt(j them hatl 
been born six children, all of whom are 
yet living. Olive M., burn August 6. 
1885, in Appanoose township, is a grad- 
uate of the high school of Dallas and now 
a student in Knox Conservatory of Music 
of Galesburg, Illinois. Rose B., born Oc- 
tober 29. 1886, in Scotland county, Mis- 
souri, is a student in Dallas high school. 
Everett D., bom August 12, 1888, in Mis- 
souri, is also attending the high school. 
Elmer L., bom in Missouri, July 23, 
1890, is likewise a high school student. 
Nellie, born in Missouri, March 20, 1894, 
is pursuing her education in Dallas; and 
John D., born in Pontoosuc township, 
July 16, 1896, is attending the city 
schools. 

In the fall following her husband's 
death Mrs. Kaser returned to Hancock 
county and purchased a good home one 
mile west of Dallas City adjoining the 
city limits. Here she has thirty-five acres 
of land on which she has erected a hand- 
some residence which she has improved. 
making it one of the most attractive sub- 
urban homes of Dallas City. She still 
owns the fami in Missouri and a house 
which she rents in Dallas. She possesses 
excellent business ability and executive 
force andis one of the sterling women 
of Dallas," of keen mental strength, ca- 
pable and enterprising. She is giving her 
children excellent educational advantages 
and in addition to this she is caring for 
her mother and her aunt. All who know 
her esteem her for her many excellent 



traits of character and she certainly de- 
serves much credit for what she is accom- 
plishing in the home circle. 



JOSHUA COCHRAN. 

Joshua Cochran, owmer of the old 
Cochran homestead in Wythe triwnship, 
is a native of Pennsylvania, his birth 
having occurred in Westmoreland county, 
on the loth of March. 1849. He is a son 
of James Cochran, and a grandson of 
John Cochran, and a representative of one 
of the early families of the Keystone 
state. James Cochran was born, reared 
and married in Westmoreland county, the 
ladv of his choice being Nancy Elder, a 
native of the same county and a daugh- 
ter of John Elder. He engaged in the 
manufacture of salt in Pennsylvania for 
a number of years and eventually traded 
his business there for a farm in :\Iissouri 
but ne\-er lived upon that place. About 
ten years later he traded his Missouri 
land for eighty acres and personal prop- 
ertv in Bear Creek township, Hancock 
countv, Illinois, which tract was situated 
about four miles from a farm of three 
hundred and twenty acres, which had been 
given him by his father. In 1862 he 
came to his place in Bear Creek township, 
which at that time was partially im- 
proved, and he completed the work of de- 
velopment and cultivation, making his 
home thereon for some time. Later, how- 
ever, he sold out there and removed to 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIE]V 



Wythe township, purchasing one hun- 
dred and forty acres on section i6. This 
farm was equipped with good buildings 
and the land was well tilled. He had five 
sons and assisted each to become the 
owner of a farm in this locality. His 
life was characterized by urn-emitting dili- 
gence and thrift and he prospered in his 
work as the years went by. His death 
occurred in 1898, and his wife passed 
away in 1900, both reaching the advanced 
age of eighty years. Their children were : 
John, of Wythe township; James, of El- 
vaston ; Caleb and Joshua, twins, the for- 
mer living in Jacksonville, Illinois ; Wil- 
liam, of Boulder, Colorado ; Eliza Jane, 
twin sister of William, and a resident of 
Hamilton, Illinois ; Lucy, who is the 
widow of William \\ eyand and resides 
with her sister Eliza in Hamilton ; and 
Newton, wh(T died at the age of seven 
years. 

Joshua Cochran early became familiar 
with the work of fanning, planting and 
han-esting, as he assisted in the operation 
of the old homestead fann in the days of 
his boyhood and youth. He attended the 
district schools of Pennsylvania and Illi- 
nois, and on attaining his majurity he 
started out in life on his own account, 
his father giving him eighty acres of par- 
tially improved land on section 21, Wythe 
township. About the first thing which 
he (lid was to build a barn for the shelter 
of hay and stock. He later erected a 
commodious residence of nine rooms and 
has since built an extensive barn forty 
by twenty-five feet with twenty-five feet 
posts. He has set out many trees and 
has thus beautified the place and there 
are various other accessories which add 



to the \akie and attractive appearance of 
the farm. In 1891 he made purchase of 
eighty acres additional and afterward se- 
cured sixty acres more of the old home- 
stead on section 16. He next bought, one 
hundred and sixty acres adjoining on the 
south but afterward sold that property 
and then purchased the remainder of the 
old homestead — eighty acres. His is such 
a place as has won for Illinois its splen- 
did reputation as one of the greatest farm- 
ing states of the Union. 

On the 22d of February, 1874, Joshua 
Cochran wedded Harriett Hill, who was 
born in Walker township, and acquired a 
district school education, while living with 
hsY parents, John and Julia A. (Haw- 
kins) Hill, who were natives of England 
and Pennsylvania respectively. The mar- 
riage of Mr. and Mrs. Cochran was cele- 
brated in W'ythe township and has been 
blessed with three children: John H.. 
who was born October 4, 1875, and is liv- 
ing on the old homestead ; James Ray, 
born August 4, 18S4: and Ida Pearl, born 
in September, 1887. 

The parents hold membership in the 
Presbyterian church of Wythe and since 
1886 Mr. Cochran lias' continuousl}' 
served as one of its elders, a fact which 
indicates his position in the church as a 
leading and helpful member. His polit- 
ical views are in accord with republican 
principles. Though he received some as- 
sistance in starting out in life he has con- 
tinuously enlarged the scope of his busi- 
ness activity and has added to his prop- 
erty holdings until he is now one of 
the substantial agriculturists of his 
community, where he has so long resided, 
and where he is held in esteem. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



683 



\MLLIAM R. HAMILTON. 

\\'illiam R. Hamilton, one of the oldest 
residents of Carthage, was born in Johns- 
town. New York, November 5, 1829, a 
son of Artois and Atta (Bentley ) Hamil- 
ton. The father was born in Tolland, 
Massachusetts, August 15. 1795. and 
spent his earh- boyhood there, after which 
he removed to Johnstown, New York. 
He was married in Mayfield, a suburb of 
Johnstown, to ]\Iiss Atta Bentley, a 
daughter of Elisha Bentley. \Miile re- 
siding in the Empire state 'Sir. Hamilton 
engaged in the tanning business and was 
also a raftsman on the river. He came 
west in 1835, reaching Carthage on the 
14th of August of that }-ear, dri\-ing 
across the country with horse teams. 
Here he opened the lirst ta\-ern in the 
place and he owned and operated two 
large farms in the count}-. In his little 
hostelry he entertained many of the prom- 
inent men of that day, including Abraham 
Lincoln. He conducted his hotel from 
1835 until 185 1 and afterward concen- 
trated his energies upon agricultural pur- 
suits. He lost his wife during the cholera 
epidemic in 1851. her death occurring on 
the 1 8th of July of that year, while he 
survived until July 4, 1873. 

William R. Hamilton, being brought 
to Illinois in his early boA'hood days, cnm- 
pleted his education in a private school 
for the public school system had not been 
established at that time. When he put 
aside his text-books he became his father's 
assistant in his farming operations and 
later he began farming on his own ac- 
count. He married Miss !^Iartha H. 
Miller on the 8th of June, 1854. Her 



parents, Warren and Phoebe (Strong) 
Miller, came to this county in 1846 from 
Adams county, Illinois, but their home 
was originally in Elmira, New York. 

Tt was subsequent to his marriage that 
he was elected sheriff on the Democratic 
ticket in 1858 for a two years' term. The 
law at that time did not permit of re- 
election. His duties were very arduous, 
owing to the events that followed the 
panic of 1857. He continued to serve 
until December, i860, and then retired 
to his farm, where he successfully carried 
on agricultural pursuits for more than 
two decades. In 1882, however, he sold 
his property and went to the west, making 
his way to Oregon, Washington and 
other places on the Pacific coast. After 
a few months, however, he returned to 
Hancock county and purchased a home 
in Carthage. About that time Mr. Ferris 
died and ]\Ir. Hamilton was elected as his 
successsor in the office of magistrate, 
which positirm he filled for ten years. 
In 1893 he was appointed under Crover 
Cleveland to the position of postmaster 
of Carthage, which position he filled for 
four years and during his incumbency the 
business of the office was largelv in- 
creased. It was just at the close of his 
term that the go\'ernment plans were 
changed and the postoffice room was pro- 
vided. Since his retirement from office 
;Mr. Hamilton has engaged in no active 
Inisiness pursuits but has enjoyed a well 
earned rest. 

L'nto our subject and his wife have 
been born three children, who still live, 
three having died in childhood : \\ illard 
C, who is now in the National Bank : Ida, 
at home; and Herbert, who is an under- 



684 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



taker. Tlie family attend and support the 
Presbyterian church, of which Mrs. Ham- 
ilton is a member. I\Ir. Hamilton be- 
longs to the Independent Order of Odd 
Fellows and Hancock lodge, No. 20, 
Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, in 
which he is a past master, having been the 
first worshipful master in the lodge at 
Hancock. He was made a Mason here 
in 1852 and he took the Royal Arch de- 
gree in Stapleton chapter in Rushville in 
1853, afterward serving for ten years 
as its high priest in Carthage Chapter No. 
33. In 1877 he beame a member of Car- 
thage council, Scottish Rite Mason, and 
in 1884 attained the Knight Templar de- 
gree in Almoner commandery. He has 
been associated with business, political 
and fraternal interests in the county and 
for more than the allotted psalmist's span 
of three score years and ten has been 
a resident of the state, watching with 
interest its progress and development and 
doing much to assist in its upbuilding. 
Few have longer resided in the county 
and none are more familiar with events 
which have shaped its history and molded 
its policy than ^Villiam R. Hamilton, who 
at all times has been regarded as one of 
the most prominent, valued and influential 
citizens here. 



T. B. MONROE. 



J. B. Monroe, a prosperous merchant 
of Powellton, where he is engaged in deal- 
ing in all kinds of agricultural imple- 



ments, vehicles, etc.. is a native son of 
Hancock county, his birth having oc- 
curred in Appanoose township, March i, 
1862. His parents, Martin and Marguer- 
ite (Fitzgerald) Monroe, were both na- 
tives of Ireland, the former born in Tuam, 
County Gal way, in 1829, while the moth- 
er's birth occurred at Limerick, in 183 1. 
The father, a stonanason by trade, left 
the fatherland in 185 1, and upon landing 
in New York, at once made his way to 
Wisconsin, where he remained until 1855, 
when he went to Fort Madison, Iowa, 
and there worked at his trade. On the 
4th I if June, i860, he was married in that 
city to Mrs. Marguerite Stack, who had 
emigrated from the fatherland to Keo- 
kuk, Iowa, in 1852, and in 1856 was 
there married to James Stack, whose 
death occurred in 1858. By that mar- 
riage one s<:in sun'ives, James Stack, who 
resides in Sonora township, this county. 
After the death of her first husband Mrs. 
Stack then removed to Fort Madison, 
Iowa, and as stated was there married to 
Martin Monroe, the father of our sub- 
ject. The parents then removed to a fann 
in Appanoose township, and in 1870 the 
father purchased a farm of two hundred 
and si.xty acres, situated on section 11. 
He (le\'eloped 'and cultivated the property 
and erected all of the buildings thereon, 
including many substantial outbuildings, 
and a fine home containing ten rooms, and 
costing twenty-two hundred dollars. He 
was a stanch democrat in his political 
views. In 1864 he enlisted for service 
in the Civil w;u', and was with Sherman 
on liis celelir.'ited march to the sea, being 
honorably discharged at the close of hos- 
tilities, when he returned to his home and 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



685 



there spent his remaining days, his death 
occurring November 20. 1896, while liis 
wife had passed away September 15, 
1888. 

J. B. Monroe is the eldest of three sons 
and two daughters born of his father's 
family, but of this number one son and 
a daughter are now deceased : Henry, 
who died in 1896, at the age of thirty- 
three years, and Mary, who passed away 
May 3, 1887, when twenty-one years of 
age. One brother, George, who was bom 
June 4, 1868, makes his home with our 
subject. 

Mr. Monroe acquired his education in 
the public schools at Powellton, and re- 
mained with his parents on the home- 
stead farm until September, 1884, when 
he went to Sheridan county. Nebraska, 
and took up a homestead claim of one 
hundred and sixty acres, and remained on 
the place until Januan* 16, 1S90, since 
which time he has rented the land. At 
that time he again returned to Hancock 
Cdunt}' and rented his father's farm, 
which he operated for a few years, but 
in 1895 he took up his abode in the vil- 
lage of Powellton, where he has since 
successfully conducted a business enter- 
prise, dealing- in agricultural implements, 
the Deering" harvesters, vehicles of all 
kinds and grass seeds, and the business 
has now increased from six thousand dol- 
lars to from twenty-six thousand to thirty 
thousand dollars, which indicates the care- 
ful management and executive ability of 
the owner. 

On the i6th of August, 1892, Mr. 
Monroe was united in marriag-e to Miss 
Ida E. Ewing, who was bom in Carthage 
township, where she acquired her early 



education, while later she attended school 
in the city of Carthage for two temis. 
Her parents, James and Angeline (Mc- 
Kee) Ewing, are natives of Ohio and Vir- 
ginia respectively. 

L'nto our subject and his wife have 
been born five sons and three daughters, 
namely : Morris E., Catherine A., Helen, 
Henry, Louis, Geneva, Leslie and John 
B., Jr. In his political views Mr. Mon- 
roe is a stanch democrat and held the of- 
fice of collector of Sonora township for 
one term, while for three years he served 
as school tmstee. He is a communicant 
of the Catholic church at Nauvoo. 



JAMES OGDEN. 

James Ogden, now practically living re- 
tired on his farm of one hundred and 
sixty acres on section 5, Sonora township, 
is a native of Lancashire, England, his 
birth having there occurred IMarch 30, 
1828. His father, Dennis Ogden, died 
in England, and following his ilemise the 
mother, who bore the maiden name of 
Elizabeth Madder, emigrated with her 
children to the L'nited States, landing- in 
Nauvoo, May 22, 1842. In their family 
were three sons and two daughters, of 
whom our subject is the eldest, the others 
Ijeing : Samuel, a resident of California; 
Sarah, the widow of Cnrd Bradley, re- 
siding near Davis City, Iowa : Ann, the 
\\ife of Mathias Wellington, of Parsons, 
Kansas ; and \\''illiam, a resident of Leon, 
Iowa. After coming to this state the 



686 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEll' 



mother of these children was again mar- 
ried, her second union being with George 
Nelson, by whom she had two sons, John 
and Joseph, the latter being in the bank 
at Nauvoo. Her death occurred in 1850. 
James Ogden remained with his mother 
until the time of her second marriage, 
when, in 1843, ^^ went to Schuyler coun- 
ty, this state, where he was employed by 
Squire Dron at faiTn labor for six years, 
and he always made that place his home 
until the time of his marriage. In 1850, 
in company witli Erasmus Cady and a 
Mr. Taylor, he made the overland trip 
to California, the journey requiring three 
months. He remained at Hangtown, now 
Placerville, fifty miles southeast of Sac- 
ramento, and was there employed until 
1854. when he started on the return trip, 
traveling by way of the Nicaragua route 
to New York, from which city he returned 
to Nauvoo, where he bought one hundred 
and sixty acres of land, located on sec- 
tion 5, Sonora township, only a quarter 
of which had been cleared, while the re- 
mainder was covered with its native 
growth of timber. On the place had been 
erected five cottages, in which the Mor- 
mons had lived. Here Mr. Ogden took 
up his abode, remaining on the place un- 
til 1855, when he made a second trip tn 
the Pacific coast, traveling by wav of the 
isthmus of Panama. He was in various 
places during his sojourn in the west but 
made his headquarters at St. Louis, in 
Sierra county, California. After remain- 
ing in the west for a year he again start- 
ed on his homeward journey, traveling b}' 
way of the isthmus route to New York 
cit^■, where he boarded a railroad train 



for St. Louis, Missouri, from which city 
he traveled by steamer to Nauvoo. 

On the /th of March, 1859, Mr. Ogden 
was united in marriage to Miss Frances 
E. Risse, who was bom in Baden, Ger- 
many, a daughter of Lawrence and Wil- 
helmina Risse. He took his bride to his 
farm and then for the third time made 
his way to the west, making the overland 
journey with mule team, his destination 
being Walla Walla, Washington, where 
he and a Mr. Dovenspeck went into the 
mountains and there engaged in the man- 
ufacture of shingles and clapboards, but 
for this work they were never compen- 
sated, and they then went into the gold 
mines. Li the meantime they had dis- 
posed of their mules and purchased 
ponies, tools, etc. At one time during 
their journey in the far west the two 
men were compelled to travel through 
snow to the depth of four feet. They dis- 
posed of their ponies March 20, 1863, 
and Mr. Ogden there entered a claim, on 
which he remained for six months, and 
then disposed of it to good advantage. 
He then purchased two ponies and in com- 
pany with fifteen others started on the re- 
turn trip to Illinois. While traveling 
over the plains he got lost and was forced 
to lie out two nights, but finally made 
his way to Fort Boise, where he remained 
four (lays, and replenished his stock of 
supplies and then continued on the jour- 
nev. arriving home in September, T863. 
In January. 1864, Mr. Ogden made an- 
other trip to the west, this time traveling 
by rail to New York, where he boarded 
a steamer and made his way to San Fran- 
cisco, and from there went to St. Louis, 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



687 



in Sierra county, where he worked on 
some of his old claims, and returned home 
in the early fall of the same year, and 
once more resumed farming on his own 
property. He engaged in farming and 
stock-raising for a number of years, but 
is now practically living retired, leaving 
the actual work of the fann to his son, 
James L. 

Unto our subject and his wife have 
been bom five sons and one daughter: 
Eliza, the wife of Joseph Weber, of So- 
nera township ; James L., who operates 
the homestead farm ; Samuel, a resident 
of Nauvoo ; William, of Seattle, Wash- 
ington ; Bernard, of Salt Lake City, Utah ; 
and Levi, a resident of Jacksonville, Illi- 
nois. In his political views Mr. Ogden 
is a democrat, and has served as highway 
commissioner and school director, while 
he has filled the office of deputy sheriff 
for several terms. He is a Mason, and 
held membership with the Blue lodge at 
Nauvoo until the lodge was discontinued. 



WALLACE DIVER. 

\\ allace Diver, postmaster at Dalla.^ 
City, was born ^lay 19, 1876, in Hen- 
derson count}', Illinois, a son of Murra^' 
W. and Elizabeth AI. ( Hazen) Di\er. 
The father was born in Illinois and the 
mother in Ohio. He was a farmer by 
occupation and always carried on agri- 
cultural pursuits in Henderson county. 
At the time of the Civil war he en- 
listed for active service in the Twenty- 
eighth Illinois Infantry, with which he 



was connected for three years. He was 
unable to do much work after this great 
conflict, his health having been impaired 
through his military experience and he 
died in 1870. His wife passed awa} 
April 10, 1894, and both were buried in 
Henderson county cemetery. Mrs. Diver 
was a member of the Methodist church. 
In their family were four children, of 
whom three are now living. The eldest. 
Celia, married Lewis Moore and died 
April I, 1900, leaving four children. \\-\v< 
live with their father in Henderson coun- 
ty, Illinois. Amanda is the wife of Felix 
Shain, of the state of ^\'ashington, and 
they have one daughter. Wallace is the 
ne.xt of the family. Clayton Diver is n 
farmer in Idaho. 

\\'allace Diver acc|uired his early educa- 
tion in what is known as the Ti\vappit\' 
school in Dallas precinct, Henderson 
county, Illinois, and afterward attended 
school in Missouri, while for a time he was 
a high school student in Stronghurst, 
Illinois. He remained with his widowed, 
mother until about sixteen or seventeen 
years of age, when he began to jiroxide 
for his own support by working as a farm 
hand on various farms in Hancock county 
speiiding four or fi\-e years in Durham 
township. He afterward operated his 
brother-in-law's farm in Henderson coun- 
t^■ for one year, after which he spent a 
>'ear as a fireman in the employ of the 
Big Four and the Santa Fe Railroad com- 
panies. On the 2 1 St of August, 1901, he 
began carrying the rural mail from Dallas 
Cit}- and was thus engaged for two and a 
lialf years, or until X'ovember 14, 1903. 
when he was appointed to a position in the 
postoffice in Dallas City. On the ist of 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



April, iyo5, he received tlie appointment 
to the position of postmaster and is now 
acting in that capacity. Since that time 
the postoffice has been moved to the new 
building, corner of Oak and Second 
streets, wliere lie installetl a thoroughly 
modern equipment throughout and also 
has two rural routes. 

Mr. Diver was married June 4, 1902, 
to Miss Lillie May Hull, who was horn 
in Mineral ctmnty, West Virginia, in 
1878, a daughter of J. O. and Jennie 
(Arnold) Hull, of Dallas, both of whom 
were natives of \'irginia. Her father 
was engaged in farming in the Old Do- 
minion for many years and came to Han- 
cock county about twenty years ago, here 
carrying on general agricultural pursuits 
until 1905, when he retired and removed 
to Dallas. He served in the Civil war. 
In his political \'iews he is a republican 
and for many years was sheriff of Mineral 
county, Virginia. He has been a school 
director of this county f(;)r the past ten 
years and has been road supervisor. He 
and his wife attend the Methodist church, 
of which ]\Irs. Hull is a member. Tlie\- 
have had five children : Lulu, the wife 
of Charles Rice, a resident farmer of Dur- 
ham township : William, living in Dur- 
ham township; ]\Irs. Lillie Diver; Guv 
a resident of Dallas; and Nina, who is 
at home with her jiarents. 

Mr. and Mrs. Diver have one son. Iris 
J., who was born in Dallas, October 11, 
1903. Their home is on Fifth street, 
where they have a nice residence which 
he purchased two years ago. In his po- 
litical views he is an earnest republican 
and is proving a capable and efficient of- 
ficer. His energy, ambition and determi- 



nation ha\-e enabled him to work his way 
steatlil}' upward and though he started 
out in life empty-handed when about si.x- 
teen years of age, he is now one of the 
substantial residents of Dallas City, re- 
spected by all for what he has accom- 
plished and the place he has matle for 
himself. 



SAMUEL P. ^IcGAW. 

Samuel I', McGaw, now living a re- 
tired life at his pleasant home in Elvas- 
ton, was for many years actively identi- 
fied with fanning interests in Hancock 
county and his record is also commend- 
able from the fact that he rendered val- 
ued aid to his country in the Civil war 
and as a public officer — in the position of 
count}' sheriff — he has ably represented 
his community. A native of South Caro- 
lina he was bom in Abbeville on the 5th 
of October, 1827, and when only five 
years of age was taken by his parents to 
Ohio. .\ year later the family came to 
Illinois, settling first at Oquawka, Hen- 
derson county, Illinois, where Mr. Mc- 
Gaw remained until the death of his fa- 
ther ami mother, John and Agnes (Mc- 
Gaw) McGaw. Both were natives of 
South Carolina, the former bom Sep- 
tember 20, 1 801, and the latter on the 
2 1 St of September, 1803. The father was 
a carpenter and millwright and followed 
that occupation until his death, which oc- 
curred on an island a short distance from 
Oquawka on the 30th of June, 1838. His 
wife passed away on the 7tli of July of 



HAXCOCK COUNTY. ILLIXOIS. 



689 



the same year, so that the}' were separ- 
ated for only aljout a week by death. 
They were members of what was then 
known as the Associate Reform church, 
now the United Presbyterian church. 

Samuel P. McGaw is tiie only member 
of the family now living in Hancock 
county. He accjuireil his education in 
the common schools of Henderson coun- 
ty, Illinois, and worked on farms in the 
neighborhood while still in his teens. Un- 
der the direction of an uncle he after- 
ward learned the tailor's trade in 
Oquawka and was there engaged in busi- 
ness for several years. Before he at- 
tained his majority he purchased the busi- 
ness of the man for whom he was work- 
ing antl Conducted a tailnring establish- 
ment on his own account. \\'hile thus 
engaged he was elected sheriiif of Hen- 
derson county in 1852 and served for two 
years. Following his retirement from 
the office he purchased a tract of land in 
that county, where he carried on farming 
until 1866, save for the period of his 
sen'ic'e in the Civil war. In the year 
mentioned he sold his property in Hen- 
derson county and came to Hancock coun- 
ty and purchased a farm adjoining the 
village of Elvaston, wheire he carried 
on general agricultural pursuits for more 
than twenty years, or until about 1888, 
wlicn he took up his abode in the village, 
where he has since resided. In all of 
his farm work he was thorough!}- prac- 
tical and enterprising, keeping in touch 
with lines of modern progress, and 
through his capable direction and enter- 
prise won the competence that now en- 
al)les him to live retired. 

His Inisiness interests, however, were 



interrupted jjy active service in the Civil 
war. for in August, 1862, in response to 
the country's call, Mr. McGaw enlisted as 
a member of Company K, Eighty-fourth 
Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which 
he served until 1864. He took part in the 
battle of Stone River and was wounded 
at the battle of Chickaniauga, being 
honorably discharged on the 25th of Feb- 
ruary, 1864, on account of injuries he 
had sustained. He was then sergeant of 
his company. 

When the war was over Mr. McCiaw 
returned to his farm and resumed his 
fanning operations, lie had been mar- 
ried on the 14th of October, 185 1, to Miss 
Elvira J. Hopkins, a daughter of Isaac 
and Jane (Kinkade) Hopkins, early set- 
tlers of Hendenson county, Illinois. Mrs. 
McGaw died April 5, 1855, leaving two 
children, but the younger, John H., who 
was born December 2^, 1853. survived 
the mother until the 2d of October, 1855. 
The daughter. Sarah L., is now the wife 
of Thomas J. Ruddell, of Elvaston, and 
they have one child, Clarence M., wlio 
was born in Elvaston. Mr. McGaw mar- 
ried for his second wife Mrs. Elizabeth 
McGaw, nee Leslie, who died at their 
liome in Elvaston, Noveml)cr 6, 1904. 
There were eight children born of that 
marriage. Alexander F., the eldest, now 
a Presbyterian minister at Keokuk. Iowa, 
married Jane Millar and has four chil- 
dren. Agatha, Lelia, Frances and Foster. 
James \V. McGaw, a farmer residing in 
Prairie township, Hancock county, wed- 
ded Nettie Puntenney and has two daugh- 
ters. Leota and Grace. Alice Leslie Mc- 
Gaw is the wife of George J. Hersman, a 
farmer of Hersman, Illinois, and their 



690 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IEW 



children are Frank, Bessie E., Ernest G. 
and Gladys E. Hersman. Albert G. Mc- 
Gavv, a missionary of the Presbyterian 
church now stationed at Etah, India, 
where he has been for eleven years, mar- 
ried Ella Hersman and they have three 
children, Miriam, Wilbert and Gordon. 
M^aiy Agnes McGaw is the wife of Rev. 
J. Albert Miller, a missionaiy of the Pres- 
byterian church stationed at Pautingfu, 
China, and has four children, Zenos, 
Ralph, Porter and Paul Miller. Clara 
and Clarence, twins, are deceased. Grace 
E., the youngest member of the McGaw 
family, is the wife of D. W. Lyon, of 
Shang'hai, China, who was sent to that 
country as a missionary by the Young 
Men's Christian Association and has there 
remained for eleven years. They have 
four children, David, Scovel, Jean and 
Lawrence. The second wife of Mr. Mc- 
Gaw had one child by her first husband, 
Malissa McGaw, now the wife of Rev. R. 
J. Pressley, who was a minister of the 
Presbyterian church and died leaving 
three children, Lorena. John \\". and Es- 
tella E. 

Mr. ]McGa\v is a member of the Grand 
Army of the Republic. Li politics he is 
a stalwart republican and in 1870 was 
appointed census taker for the west half 
of Hancock county. He was also super- 
visor nf T'rriirie townsliip for two terms 
and under the Harrison administration 
was appointed postmaster of Elvastijn. 
Following the interval of the Cleveland 
admistratii in he was again appointed 
])iistinaster and ser\ed fnim that time 
until he resigned in 1905, since 
which time ' he has had no business 
nor oflicial connections. Fie is a member 



of the Presbyterian church, in which he 
has sei"ved as elder. His life has been 
actuated by high and honorable princi- 
ples and worthy motives leading to just 
treatment of his fellowmen in all business 
and social relations and at the same time 
displaying those kindly and considerate 
qualities which rise above mere justice. 
His business career is another exemplifi- 
cation of the fact as stated by a German 
philosopher that "Merit and success go 
linked together." 



FRED REYER. 



Fred Reyer, who is engaged in the 
plumbing and steam-heating business in 
Carthage, was born in Hanfilton, Han- 
cock county, on the 7th of ]\Iay, 1861. 
His parents were natives of Germany 
and came to America in early life, settling 
first in Cincinnati, Ohio, whence they 
afterward removed to Pike's Peak, Colo- 
rado, and subsequently to Keokuk, Iowa. 
l<"irst they made their way to Hamilton 
and in 1862 came to Carthage. The fa- 
ther was a hardware merchant, in which 
business he continued until his death, 
which occurred in Carthage in 1892, his 
remains being interred in the Carthage 
cemetery. He was one of the pioneer 
Odd Fellows of this section of the state 
and passed all of the chairs in the local 
lodge. Both he and his wife were de- 
\oted members of the German Lutheran 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



691 



church, in which he served as trustee for 
many years. His widow still survives at 
about the age of sevent}'-two years and 
is yet quite active, her home being in Car- 
thage with her daughter. In the family 
were six children : Anna Reyer, who 
lives with her mother; Fred, of this re- 
view; Henry, deceased; Herman A., of 
Denver, Colorado; Edward, of Scranton. 
Pennsylvania; and Augustus, who died 
in infancy. 

Fred Reyer was educated in the public 
schools of Carthage, his family removing 
from Hamilton to this city when he was 
but a year old. He afterward learned the 
tinner's trade here, his father being en- 
gaged in the hardware and tinsmith busi- 
ness as a member of the firm of Scholl & 
Reyer. The son remained with that 
house for seventeen years and in i8q2 em- 
barked in business on his own account as 
a dealer in plumbing and heating ap- 
paratus. He takes contracts for install- 
ing such plants and has done excellent 
work in all parts of this and adjoining- 
counties, placing bath room fixtures, hot 
air plants and general plumbing. He has 
been very successful since beginning busi- 
ness and has a liberal patronage, his trade 
growing annually, for his reliability and 
enterprise are recognized by the general 
public. 

In September, 1885, occurred the mar- 
riage of ]\Ir. Reyer and Miss Sarah Conk- 
lin, who was born in Carthage. Illinois, 
in 1865, a daughter of Elliott and Laura 
(Little) Conklin, both of whom were 
natives of Tennessee. They came to Illi- 
nois at an early da)' and for a number of 
years the father conducted a brickyard in 
Carthage. He was a republican but with- 



out political aspiration. His wife was an 
earnest and untiring worker in the Metho- 
dist Episcopal church, in which she held 
membership and she also belonged to the 
\\'oman"s Relief Corps. Both Mr. and 
Mrs. C(.)nklin have passed awa\-, their re- 
mains being interred in the Carthage 
cemetery. They had a family of nine chil- 
dren : \'iola, tlie wife of George Mc- 
Clintock, of Carthage, Illinois; Henry, 
deceased; David C, of Hamilton, Illinois; 
Elizabeth, the w'idow of George E. John- 
son, who was a lawyer, practicing at the 
Chicago bar; Mrs. Sarah Reyer; Mary, 
deceased; Sidney E., who is living in 
Butte, Montana; Dr. B. A. Conklin, a 
dentist of Chicago; and Mabel, the wife 
of Rex Goodrich, of Carthage. ^Slr. and 
Mrs. Reyer have two children, both born 
in Carthage, namely: H. L., who was 
born in October, 1886, and assists his 
father in his ofifice; and Elizabeth L., who 
was born in September, 1895, and is now 
in school. 

In his political views Mr. Reyer is a 
republican and has served as tax collector. 
Fraternally he is a Mason and Odd Fel- 
low, a member of the Modern \\'oodmen 
camp, the Court of Honor and the Trilje 
of Ben Hur and Knights of Pythias. In 
the Odd Fellows lodge he has passed all 
of the chairs. Both he and his wife are 
zealous members of the Presbyterian 
church, in which he is ser\-ing as a trustee. 
In September, 1904, he erected an elegant 
modern residence on Main street and has 
a very happy home. In addition to this 
property he owns a business lot in Car- 
thage and a farm in Carthage township. 
He began life on his own responsibility 
at the age of seventeen vears and without 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllFAV 



pecuniar}' assistance has labored earnest- 
1_\ and ci)nsecuti\'ely until he has now ac- 
cumulated a comfortahle competence, his 
business supplying him with a gratit_\ing 
income. He has been chief of the fire de- 
partment of Carthagg for the past fifteen 
years and is actively interested in progres- 
sive public measures, withholding his sup- 
port from no movement that is calculated 
to benefit the community or any feasil)Ie 
plan that promises substantial advance- 
ment. He is jovial b\- nature, warm- 
hearted and genial and at all times his 
life is actuated l)y high and manly 
principles. 



ETIENNE CABET. 

Etienne Cabet was born in Dijon De- 
partment, Cote d' Orr, France. January 
I, 1/88. His father was a cooper by 
trade. The son acquired a liberal educa- 
tion in his nati\'e countr_\", and in 18^5 
went to Paris, where he was a leader in 
democratic investment. He was a mem- 
ber of the Carbonaris secret society, and 
was an active participant in the revolu- 
tionary movement of 1830, after which 
he was appointed pro\incial general in 
Corsica. In 1834 he was elected deputy 
in the lower chamber l)Ut his opposition 
was so intense that it could not be tol- 
erated by the leaders and he was given his 
choice of two years in prison or five years 
e.xile, and choosing the last he went to 
England, where he studied various books 
and languages, and in 1840 wrote the vol- 
ume entitled "Voyage to Icaria." In 



1841 he laiblished a paper, the I'opulaire, 
in which he brought his theory before the 
public. In 1846 he asked permission of 
the I-'rench government to appoint his 
theory to practice in France but this being 
denied him, in 1848, he made a proposi- 
tion to his followers to emigrate to the 
L'nited States, which company numbered 
more than six hundred thousand although 
lie had supposed he could get a million. 
Ha\ing obtained a concession of one mil- 
lion acres of land in Te.xas, on the 17th of 
January, 1848, he announced that state 
til be the place of their settlement, and 
I 111 the 3d of Februarv following. sixt_\- 
nine men volunteered to emigrate to this 
country and under the leadership of 
Gouhenant, who was appointed by Cabet. 
the company started. Gouhenant, how- 
e\er, pro\-ed to be a traitor. While he 
was ill letters were found in his trunk 
which proved him to be a member <if the 
Society of Jesus. His head was then 
sha\'ed and he was driven away, after 
their arrixal at Xew Orleans, on the 2y{\\ 
of March. Tlie second advance left 
1'" ranee. June 3. 1848. The first com- 
pan\- that had come to the Cnited States 
then went to Sulphur Prairie, where they 
I iljtained ten thousand, two hundred and 
fort)- acres of land instead of one milllion 
acres, and there they remained for four 
months but in the meantime all became ill 
and retreated to Shrex'eport. Louisiana, 
where thev met the second advance. 
Cal)et emliarked from France December 
T 5. arri\ iiig in Xew Orleans the follow- 
ing January with the first company of 
women and childen. They sent a com- 
mission up the Mississippi river, and 
found that Xauvoo had been deserted bv 



H.4XC0CK CorXT)-. II.I.IXOIS. 



CVi 



the Mormons, so Cal)el"s followers ite- 
cided to locate hero, the dale oi their 
arrival being March 15, 1849. A branch 
was then started at Corning, hiwa. In 
1850 they began rebnilding the Abjrnion 
temple bnt after three days the country 
was visited by a lun'ricanc. which ile- 
stroyed the north wall of the temple, this 
being on the 28th of June of that year. 
The building of the strnctm-e \\as then 
discontinued. In 1S53 ("abet made his 
famous proposition for a president for 
four years but he was defeated by J. 15. 
Gerard, who became the president. Cabet. 
however, succeeded in his contest after 
a long struggle. He latei" left Xauvoo 
and went to Chettenham. in 1X32 Cabet 
was back in hrance to answer an accusa- 
tion of embezzlement by some of his mem- 
bers who had returned to that countr_\- 
but he w;is \indicated and again returned 
to this Country. He passed away in St. 
Louis, Missouri, in 1856, his death being 
occasioned by a stroke of apoplexy. He 
was the author of several works, includ- 
ing "The History of the French Revolu- 
tion," published in five volumes, "True 
Christianita," "\dyagc in Tcaria," "So- 
cial Contact," "TweKe Letters to a Com- 
munist," inul se\eral others. 



REV. JOHN STAHL. 

Rev, John Stalil, one of the early set- 
tlers of Hancock county, who for many 
years has been acti\-e in the ministry of 
the Uinited Brethren church but for two 



years has livetl retired, was born near 
Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, October 
24, i8_'o. He lias therefore passed the 
eighty-fifth milestone on life's journey 
and in the evening of his days can look 
back over the past without regret and 
forw.ird to the future without I'ear, be- 
cause his lit'e has been permeated by the 
highest princijjles and has been charac- 
terized by many good deeds and bv un- 
tiring devotion to the welfare of his fel- 
lowmen. 

His p.arents, Jacob and Jane ( .Melloy) 
Stahl, were al.so natives of the Keystone 
state and the mother died in I'ennsyl- 
vani.a, after which ihe father married 
again and removed to low.a, where he 
lived until his de.ath, which occurred when 
he h.ad reached the advaucetl age of 
eighty-three years. He always devoted 
his eneri^ies to farming ;ind thus provided 
lor his f.amily. lie was ;i man of strong 
temi)erance views and gave his political 
sup])ort to the Trohiliition party. 

Rev. Stahl of this review s|)ein the 
days of his boyhood .and y(]Uth in his na- 
ti\'e state and .actpn'i'ed his education in 
the public schools of his home town. 
When se\enteen years of age he entered 
mercantile life as a clerk in Mount Pleas- 
ant, Pennsylvania, and afterward en- 
gaged in merchandising on his own ac- 
count in th.at city until 1834, when, be- 
lieving that he might liave better busi- 
ness opportunities in the west, he came 
to Illinois, taking up his abode near Fow- 
ler, in Adams county, where he purchased 
eighty acres of land. The tract was un- 
cultivated <and he placed all of the im- 
])ro\ements upon it. making a good home 
there foi- himself ,ind familw lie resiiled 



694 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



upuii thiit property until the spring of 
of 1870 and was engaged in general farm- 
ing, while frequently on Sundays he 
preached the gospel, continuing an active 
and earnest worker in the United Breth- 
ren church. In 1870 he removed to Fow- 
ler, Adams county, and while living there 
was pastor of the United Brethren church, 
situated a short distance from the town. 
He continued at that town until 1873, 
when he removed to Elmwood, in Peoria 
county, and was presiding elder of the 
district, making his home there for about 
eight years. In 1883 he took up his abode 
in Augusta, where he has resided contin- 
uously since and during much of this 
time has engaged in preaching. Here he 
built a home for himself and family and 
during the past few years has lived a re- 
tired life. 

It was in February, 1845, that Mr. 
Stahl was united in marriage at Mount 
Pleasant, Pennsylvania, to Miss Anna 
Worman, who was bom at that place, a 
daughter of George and Elizabeth (Trax- 
el) Worman, both of whom were natives 
of Pennsylvania, bom in Mount Pleasant, 
where they spent the greater part of their 
lives. The father died in the Keystone 
state and subsequent to that time the 
mother removed with her family to Illi- 
nois in 1850 and spent her last days in 
Hancock county. Unto Rev. and Mrs. 
Stahl were born three children, but only 
one is now living, Hanby, whose birth 
occurred in Mount Pleasant, Westmore- 
land county, Pennsylvania, in June, 1849. 
He was educated at Otterbein University, 
near Columbus, Ohio, and was for some 
years a teacher in the public schools of 
Illinois. Later he engaged in the drug 



business in Fowler and afterward be- 
came proprietor of a general mercantile 
store. He was married July 30, 1878, to 
Miss Ella T. Thayer, who was born in 
Canton, Missouri, a daughter of David 
W. and Cynthia (Daniels) Thayer, the 
fonner a native of Connecticut and the 
latter of Indiana. Mrs. Thayer died at 
Canton, Missouri, while Mr. Thayer laid 
tlown his life on the altar of his country 
while serving as a soldier of the Civil 
war. He was with the army for some 
time and his death occurred during the 
latter part of the war. Hanby Stahl is 
now located at Golden, Adams county, 
Illinois, being a pharmacist for Hecox 
Brothers, of that place. Unto him and 
his wife have been bom four children : 
Ida May, who died at the age of twenty 
years ; Elmer Roy, who is a student in the 
Normal University at Bloomington, Illi- 
nois; Floyd M., a student in the North- 
western University at Chicago ; and Myr- 
le S., who is a student in the high school 
at Augusta. The parents of these chil- 
dren are members of the United Breth- 
ren church. Wallace Melloy, the second 
son of Rev. and Mrs. Stahl, died at the 
age of four years, and Ida May, the only 
daughter, died at the age of twelve years 
and six months. She was born in Illi- 
nois and the other children in Pennsyl- 
vania. 

Rev. Stahl is a prohibitionist in his po- 
litical views. He is a most earnest ad- 
vocate of the cause of temperance and has 
furthered its interests both by precept and 
example. In the work of the church he 
has been untiring and his zeal and devo- 
tion have contributed to the development 
of the churches with which he has been 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



69; 



connected. He stands today as one of 
the most respected and honored residents 
of the county and is also one of its most 
venerable citizens. 



DELOS L. CUTLER. 

Delos L. Cutler, who started out in life 
on his own account at an early age has by 
energy, ambition and upright living suc- 
ceeded in his undertakings and accjuired 
a comfortable competence, is engaged in 
painting and paper-hanging in Carthage. 
He was born in Erie count}-. Xew York, 
m 1849, and several of his ancestors were 
soldiers of the Revolutionary war. tils 
parents were Albert and Permelia (Hill) 
Cutler, both of whom were natives of the 
Empire state and came to Hancock coun- 
ty, Illinois, in the spring of 1869. Here 
Mr. Cutler opened a wagon-shop in Car- 
thage, which he conducted for a number 
of years and was thus closely associated 
with the industrial interests of the city. 
He \-oted with the democracy and wa^^ 
township collector. In the family were 
five children, of whom two are now liv- 
mg : Howard Cutler, who is residing in 
Carthage, Illinois; and Delos. of this re- 
view. The parents still reside in the 
countv seat where they have a wide 
acquaintance. 

Delos L. Cutler was educated in the 
public schools and in a private institutiim 
of learning in Xew York, and learned the 
trade of carriage-making with his father 
in that state. He followed that pursuit 



in the east and also during the early 
period of his residence in Carthage. He 
arrived in this city in 1868 and for more 
than thirt}- years has engaged in paper- 
hanging and painting, having a shop on 
the same lot on which his house stands. 
Thus almost his entire life has been de- 
vested to his line (.)f industrial activity and 
his excellent workmanship has secured 
him a liberal patronage, many of his pa- 
trons having given him their business sup- 
port through a long period. 

On the 23d of October, 1871, Mr. Cut- 
ler was married to Miss Laura Davies, 
who was born near Seven Mile, Ohio, a 
daughter of Elliott and Evelina (Scott) 
Davies. the latter a native of the Buckeye 
state. The father was a farmer b}- oc- 
cupation and became an early settler of 
tliis count}-, making his way to Carthage 
in i83r). He owned a goodly tract of 
land inside tlie corporation limits of the 
citv as well as considerable farming land 
outside, and he built the first grist mill in 
Carthage. For about twenty years he 
engaged in farming here, and in 1877 re- 
moved to Kansas, settling on a farm, 
where his death occurred, passing awa}' 
at Kearney. Nebraska. His wife sur- 
\-i\-ed him for some time and both were 
buried in the cemetery at Kearney. In 
their family were ten children, of whom 
seven are now living: Elliott, residing 
in En-iporia, Kansas; James, also of Em- 
poria; Mary, the wife of Edward Jewett. 
of Kansas City, Missouri ; Ella, of Pueblo, 
Colorado; Josephine, the wife of J. \\ . 
Crawford, of Carthage, Illinois; Aurelia, 
the wife of David Vance, of Lincoln, Ne- 
braska ; and Mrs. Cutler. Isaac Davies. 
? Iirother of Mrs. Cutler, was a captain 



696 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



in the One Hundred and Eighteenth Ilh- 
nois Infantry during the Civil war, and 
Samuel Davies, another brother, was a 
member of the Sixteenth Illinois Regi- 
ment. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Cutler have been 
born three children, all born in Carthage. 
Carena, who attended the high school and 
Carthage College, married Charles 
Owens, and lived in Johnson county, 
Iowa. She died abo it eight years ago 
and was buried in M' jss Ridge cemetery. 
Neta is the wife of C. A. Weber, of Iowa 
City, Iowa, and has a son, Russell Lovell 
Weber. Ferrill, a musician of the Car- 
thage Band, has taken a business course 
in the Gem City Business College at 
Ouincy, Illinois, and assists his father in 
paper-hanging. 

Mr. Cutler e.xercises his right of fran- 
chise in support of the men and measure 
of the Republican party. He is a valued 
and prominent member of the Woodmen 
camp at Carthage, serx-ed as clerk for nine 
}"ears and ser\'ed as Venerable Counsel 
for three years. Both he and his wifa 
are devoted members of the Presbyterian 
church and for the past quarter of a cen- 
tury he has been secretary of the Sunday- 
school, doing all in his power to promote 
its interests, feeling' the value of Chris- 
tian education as a preparation for the 
youth in their life work. Both he and 
his wife are people of intelligence and 
culture, esteemed by all who know them. 
As the years have gone by his labors have 
been carefully directed and his position 
in business circles is an enviable one, 
owing to the unqualified trust reposed in 
him by all witl: whom he has become 
acquainted. 



MORRIS JOHNSON I.EE. 

Among the prominent representatives 
of farming and stock-raising interests in 
Hancock county is classed Morris John- 
son Lee, who is a native son of this 
county, his birth having occurred in Dur- 
ham township, April 2, 1866. His pater- 
nal grandparents were Morris and Mary 
(Ryan) Lee, both of whom were natives 
of County Tipperary, Ireland, while the 
maternal grandfather was Patrick Dunn. 
His parents, Patrick and Bridget (Dunn) 
Lee, were likewise natives of County Tip- 
perary, Ireland, both bom in 1840. They 
accompanied their respective parents to 
the United States and were married in 
New Haven, Connecticut, about i860, 
where the father was employed as a ma- 
chinist until the spring of 1864, at which 
time he took up his abode in Hancock 
county, locating on a farm in Durham 
township, where, two years later, he pur- 
cliased fifty acres of timber land, situated 
on section 36. This he cleared and de- 
veloped, placing his fields under a high 
state of cultivation, and as the years 
passed and his financial resources pennit- 
tcd, he added to the boundaries of his 
farm until he possessed two hundred and 
twentv acres in Durham township and 
one hundred acres in Pilot Grove town- 
ship, of which seventy-two acres was prai- 
rie land when it came into his possession, 
but he placed it all under cultivation ex- 
cept about twenty-five acres, which is still 
covered with timber. He spent his re- 
maining days on this farm, passing away 
May 3, 1905. He is still survived by his 
widow, who vet resides on the homestead 
farm. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



697 



Morris J. Lee, whose name introduces 
this record, is the second in order of birth 
in a family of three sons and four daugh- 
ters. He acquired his early education in 
the district schools near his father's home, 
and later pursued a course of study for 
one year in the Macomb (Illinois) Nor- 
mal College, thus being well fitted for the 
practical and responsible duties of life. 
He was early trained to the duties of 
field and meadow and his father benefited 
bv his sei'vices until he had reached the 
age of twenty-two years, when, ambitious 
to engage in business on his own account, 
he operated leased land for three years, 
this belonging to D. L. Dixon. At the 
end of that time, through his economy 
and careful management, he had saved 
capital sufficient to justify the purchase 
of land, and he therefore bought a tract 
of one hundred and sixty acres, situated 
on section 31, Durham township, of which 
forty acres was covered with timber, 
while the remainder was improved land. 
Tliere were no buildings upon the place 
when he took possession of it, but Mr. 
I.ee purchased a house which he removed 
to his farm, and has since added to and 
remodeled the house until it is now a mod- 
ern and commodious countrv' residence. 
In 1895 he erected a horse and hay bam. 
thirty-six by forty feet, but this was de- 
stroyed by fire in June. 1906. He like- 
wise has various kinds of fruits, having" 
about two acres devoted to horticulture. 
He has also set out many maple trees, 
thus furnishing shade around the home 
and adding to the attractive and neat ap- 
pearance of the place. He is engaged in 
general farming, following only the most 
modem and practical methods in the pur- 



suit of his labors. He engages quite ex- 
tensively in stock-raising interests, hav- 
ing Percheron horses, shorthorn cattle, 
Poland China hogs and Shropshire sheep, 
the latter being registered. 

As a companion and helpmate on life's 
journey Mr. Lee chose Miss Teressa Mc- 
(ran, whom he wedded November 29, 
1893. Her paternal grandparents are 
Patrick and Mary (Ryan) McGan, while 
the matemal grandparents are Richard 
and Bridget (Carens) Simmons. Mrs. 
Lee is a native of McDonough county, 
Illinois, while her parents, Michael and 
Catherine (Simmons) McGan, were born 
in County Roscommon, Ireland. Unto 
our subject and his wife have been bom 
four sons and one daughter, of whom one 
son is deceased : Francis, who was bom 
February 13, 1895; Charles, bom Feb- 
ruaiy 26, 1896; Morris Earl, who was 
born April 2, 1898, and died on the 24th 
of the same month ; Richard Harold, bom 
October i, 1901 ; and Teressa Helen, born 
December 30, 1904. 

Mr. Lee is a democrat in his political 
views and affiliations, and since 1904 has 
filled the offices of school director and 
commissioner of highways, faithfully 
discharging the duties which devolve upon 
him in this connection. 



PHILIP PENCE. 



Death often removes from our midst 
those whom we can il! afford to lose and 
such was the feeling of deep and uni- 



698 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



form regret throughout Dallas City when 
the news of the demise of Philip Pence 
was recei\-ed. Cut down in the prime 
of life when it seemed that many more 
years of usefulness were before him, he 
nevertheless left to his family a profitable 
business and an untarnished name. All 
who knew him respected him for his man\- 
strong traits of character, such as won for 
him the w'armest regard and confidence. 
A native of Pennsylvania, he was born 
in Lycoming county on the 19th of No- 
vember, 1833, his parents being John and 
Hannah (Pence) Pence. The parents 
were natives of the same county in Penn- 
sylvania and came to the west in 1838, 
settling on a farm in Henderson county, 
when this section of the state was largelv 
an unimpro\-ed district. They aided in 
subjugating the wilderness and in extend- 
ing the frontier and as the years passed 
by Mr. Pence contributed in substantial 
measure to the agricultural development. 
He was a member of the Baptist church 
and passed away in Henderson county 
about fifty years ago. His wife long 
survived him, passing away in 1881. In 
their family were six children, three of 
whom are now living and with the ex- 
ception of our subject all were born in 
Illinois. Those \\ho still survive are : 
Robert, who lives near Lomax, Hender- 
son county ; Louisa, the wifp of James 
Harwood, of Garrison, Iowa; and Anna- 
bel, the wife of Eli Pickering, of Kear- 
ney, Nebraska. 

In the district sclnjols of Henderson 
count}-, Illin(jis, Philip Pence was edu- 
cated and after putting aside his text- 
books he remained upon his father's farm 
until the latter's death, after which he con- 



ducted the home place for many years. 
Subsequently he sold the home farm to his 
brother and removed to Kearney, Ne- 
braska, where for four or five years he 
was successfully engaged in the grocery 
business. At the end of that time he dis- 
posed of his store and bnught land in 
Marshall county, Kansas. In 1899 in 
connection with Mr. Lynberger he estab- 
lished the button factory in Dallas City, 
Illinois, and a year later by the purchase 
of his present interest became sole proprie- 
tor and removed to this city to make his 
home. In 1904 the button department 
and the finishing plant were consolidated 
and incorporated under the state law, the 
name of the Pence Button Company being 
assumed. In 1905 the stockholders sold 
out to Mr. Pence, who was the sole owner 
at the time of his death, and the enter- 
prise is still owned b}- his witlow. This 
plant has thirty machines in the cutting 
;:nd ten in the finishing departments and 
furnishes employment to forty-five people, 
including a number of girls who work in 
the finishing department. Since the death 
of Mr. Pence the factory has been con- 
ducted by Mr. Tandy, the bookkeeper-, 
and E. Harvey, son of ]\Irs. Pence, who 
is administrator of the estate. 

On the 7th of No\ember, 1900. Mr. 
Pence was united in marriage to Mrs. 
]\Iary E. Harvey, the widow of 'Hiomas 
Harvey, of Lomax, Illinois, who in her 
maidenhood bore the name of ^Nlar}- Mc- 
Daniel and was born near Lomax in 
1842. Her parents were Isaac and Mar- 
garet (Thompson) ^IcDaniel, Ijotli na- 
tives of Ohio, whence they removed at an 
early day to Lomax, settling on a farm, 
(in which the\- remained until called to 



HAA'COCK COUXTY. ILLINOIS. 



699 



their final rest. They had five children 
but all are nuw deceased with the ex- 
ception of Mrs. Pence. In early woman- 
hood she gave her hand in marriage tc 
Thomas Harvey, who was horn in Ly- 
coming county. Penns}'Ivania. He was a 
farmer by occupation and dealt in grain 
and stock and also agricultural imple- 
ments at Terre Haute, Indiana, and at 
Disco. Illinois, and in the latter part di 
his life, at Lomax, where he died De- 
cember 28, 1888, his remains being in- 
terred in the cemetery there. In his fra- 
ternal relations he was a Mason. He left 
one son. Elsworth Harvey, who was born 
in Lomax in 1861, and married Miss 
Jennie Babcock. by whom he has two chil- 
dren. Bird and Tom. Ijoth at home with 
their parents. Mr. Harvey is a grain and 
implement dealer and since the death of 
Mr. Pence has acted as administrator of 
the estate. In 1900 Mr. Pence purchased 
an attractive home on Third street, where 
his widow still resides and she also nwns 
the button factory. 

Mr. Pence w-as largely a self-made man, 
winning success through his own efforts. 
He realized the \-alue and force of untir- 
ing industry and close application as re- 
sultant factors in a business career and 
he worked persistently and energetically 
to establish a nKidern and ])rosperous busi- 
ness enterprise. He was exceptionall\- 
methodical, finishing up each day's 
work as though it was to be his last and 
in fact the end came very suddenl\-. for 
he passed away March 13. 190C), without 
pre\ious illness. In ]iolitics he was a 
democrat but without a.spiratiun for office 
and in the Masonic fraternity he became 
connected with the Ijlue lodge and the 



Order of the Eastern Star. He was a 
man who took great delight in doing good 
deeds and was ever considerate of the 
comfort and happiness of others. His in- 
tegrity stood as an un(|uestioned fact in 
h.is career and no act of his was an in- 
fraction to this rule in the slightest degree. 
Plain in manner and unassuming in speech 
and dress, he had no tads, disliked sham 
and pretense but lived so as to enjoy the 
full respect and confidence of all by reason 
of the sterling traits of his character. At 
the time of his demise his remains were 
taken back to Lomax for interment. 
Dallas City mourned the loss of one of 
its representative men, for he had become 
an imp(.)rtant factor in its industrial life 
and was also well known in connection 
with his su])port of many measiu'es which 
j;ad tlirect l>earing upon the welfare and 
progress of the city. His best traits of 
character, however, were reserved for 
his family and his interests centered in 
his home. He was \'ery devoted to his 
wife and theirs was largely an ideal mar- 
ried relation. Mrs. Pence has left to her 
the son of her first marriage, who is 
ail enterprising business inan, well-known 
iri Dallas City. She also has many 
frienils here and the hospitality of the 
best homes of the citv' is freelv accorded 



MRS. JOSHUA S. WEATHERS. 

Mrs. Joshua S. Weathers, residing in 
Augusta, was born in Morgan county. 
Illinois, on the loth of November, 1833. 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



and is a daughter of Reuben and Betsey 
(Lake) Moore, both of whom were na- 
tives of Kentucky, whence they came to 
IlHnois after their marriage. The father 
was a farmer and purchased a tract of 
land in Cass county, this state. Here he 
engaged in fanning until his death, and 
placed all of the improvements upon his 
property. He had one hundred and sixty 
acres of land which he brought under a 
higli state of cultivation. He passed 
away in 1S39, at the age of fifty years, 
and his wife departed this life the pre- 
vious year, both being laid to rest in 
Cass county. In their family were six 
children, only two of whom are now 
living: Precious, the widow of Joshua 
S. Weathers: and Elizabeth, the wife of 
Frederick Muntnian. a farmer of Morgan 
county, Illinois. 

Mrs. Weathers obtained her education 
in Morgan county, this state, and re- 
mained there until her marriage. On the 
9th of November, 185 1, she gave her 
hand in marriage to Joshua S. Weathers, 
who was born in Kentucky and when a 
small boy came to Illinois, casting in his 
lot among the early settlers of this state. 
He located in Morgan county, where he 
was educated and later engaged in farm- 
ing there until 1864, when, in response 
to the country's call for aid, he enlisted 
as a member of Company K, Twenty- 
eighth Illinois Infantiy, with which he 
served for three months, when, on the 
28th of May, 1865, he passed away at 
Greenville, Louisiana, his death resulting 
from illness contracted at the front. He 
was thus about forty-five years of age and 
he gave his life as a ransom for the 
Union. His political allegiance was given 



to the Republican party. He was devoted 
tij the welfare of his family and was a 
man of many sterling traits of character, 
wiio enjoyed in high measure the regard 
and good will of those with whom he 
came in contact. Unto Mr. and Mrs. 
Weathers were bom four children, of 
whom tliree are now living: Alice S., 
tlie wife of William Happy, who is clerk 
in a general mercantile establishment at 
Denver, Colorado, where they reside with 
their one daughter. Alma; Elizabeth J., 
who is clerk in Venable's diy goods store 
in Augusta; and John F., a teamster, re- 
siding in Galesburg. He wedded Man.' 
Sward, of Augusta, and they have two 
children. Otto and Maegy. The eldest 
chiKi of the family. Josephine, died when 
only three uKinths old. All of the chil- 
dren except Alice were born in Morgan 
count}-, her birth having occurred in 
Brown county. 

At the death of her husband, Mrs. 
\\'eathers was left with the care of her 
little family. She continued to reside in 
Morgan county for some time and thirty- 
two years ago came to Augusta, where 
she lias since resided. She purchased a 
lot liere and erected thereon a neat and 
pleasant residence, which she lias since oc- 
cupied. She has gained many warm 
friends during the period in which she 
lias made her home here, possessing ex- 
cellent traits of character which have en- 
deared her to those with whom she has 
come in contact. In the rearing of Iier 
family and the management of her prop- 
erty interests she has displayed excellent 
business ability, executive force and sound 
judgment, and deserves much credit for 
what she has accomplished. 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



701 



\A'ILLIAM J. W ILKE. 

William J. W'ilke. engag-ed in agricul- 
tural pursuits in La Harpe township, 
where he owns fifty acres of land, sit- 
uated on section 34, was born in Meck- 
lenburg, Germany, May 18, 1841, a son 
of John and Christine (Rechline) \Vilke, 
\\ho ahva}'s remained in the fatherland 
and both are now deceased. 

William J. ^^'ilke, whose name intro- 
duces this review, was educated in the 
common schools of fiermany and spent 
his boyhood and youth under the parental 
roof. Starting out in life for himself, 
he went to Hamburg, where he was em- 
ployed in a sugar refinery for a few years. 
He had heard favorable reports of the 
advantages and opportunities to be en- 
joyed in the United States, and, deciding 
to try his fortune in the new world, ac- 
cordingly took passage on a sailing vessel 
bound for the new world, the year 1865 
witnessing his arrival in New York. He 
at once made his way to Jersey City, New 
Jersey, where he was employed for two 
years in a sugar refinery. In the meatime 
his brother Carl had likewise come to 
America and the two brothers then made 
their way to Hancock county, and fol- 
lowing the great fire of Chicago in the 
year 1871, our subject then made his way 
to that place, where he was employed in 
a lime kiln for two years, and for two 
years worked at that occupation in Bur- 
Imgton, Iowa, being employed by a Mr. 
Patterson. He then returned to Han- 
cock county, locating in La Harpe town- 
ship, where, in the spring of 1882, he was 
united in marriage to Mrs. Christina 
(Walter) Richter, the wjdow of Henry 



Richter. By her first marriage she had 
become the mother of a son and two 
daughters: Lena, now the wife of Ed 
Moore, of Lomax, Illinois; John, of 
Avery, Iowa; and Christina, who died in 
infancy. Unto our subject and his wife 
have been born two sons : William, born 
February 16, 1883, and George, born in 
September, 1885, and both under the 
parental roof. 

Following his marriage Mr. Wilke op- 
erated a farm of thirty acres, belonging 
tc his wife, and he likewise cultivates a 
tract of forty acres adjoining, which is 
the property of his mother-in-law, while 
Mr. \\'ilke has since purchased fifty acres 
adjoining, which is situated on section 
34, La Harpe township, and here he is 
carrying on general farming pursuits and 
raises stock to some extent. For the past 
few years, however, Mr. Wilke has suf- 
fered from rheumatism which has in- 
capacitated him for hard labor, so that he 
merely gives supei-\-ison to his business 
interests, the work of the farm being left 
to his two sons, who are valuable assist- 
ants to him. 

Mr. Wilke gives his political support 
to the Republican party, in the work of 
which he takes an active and helpful part. 
For four years he served as road com- 
missioner, while for six years he filled 
the office of school director. He holds 
men:bership with the German Methodist 
Episcopal church, in the work of which 
he is deeply interested, having served as 
assistant superintendent of the Sunday- 
school and as a teacher therein for many 
years. Coming to America when a young 
man. ignorant of the manners and cus- 
toms of the new world, he readily 



BIOGRAPHICAL REI'IEI 



eulaptecl himself to tlie changed cniulitions 
herein found, soon acquired the Enghsi: 
tongue, and eagerly availed himself of 
every oi)i)ortunity f(.ir advancement, thus 
working his way up from a humlile he- 
ginning to a position of affluence, and 
he is today classed among the highly es- 
teemed German-American citizens of 
Hancock countv. 



JACOB E. SHIXDEL. 

Everv communitv' has its representative 
citizens — men who perhaps are not widely 
known beyond the borders of their own 
town but who in their respective commu- 
nities are enterprising and progressive, 
contributing to the general improvement 
and upbuilding. Such a one was Jacob E. 
Shindel, deceased, of Augusta, and his 
death was deeply deplored by all who 
knew him. He was born in Lebanon. 
Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, Eebruary. 
2, 1845, ^"d remained at the place of his 
birth until about twenty-one years of age. 
His parents both died in the Keystone 
state. There the son acquired his edu- 
cation in the public schools and after put- 
ting asitle his text-l)ooks learned the 
blacksmith's trade, which he followed 
throughout his active business career. 
The first work which he did in that line 
in the west was at Burlington. Iowa, and 
he afterward came to Augusta on the 
20th of March, 1867. and here entered 
the employ of Winfield, Leach & Seems. 
Later he purchased a shop, which he con- 



ducted on his own account, continuing in 
the business there until his death. He en- 
joyed a liberal patronage because of his 
excellent workmanshi]) and his straight- 
forward Ijusiness dealings. He was a 
man of untiring industr\- and jjersever- 
ance and to these qualities were attributa- 
ble the success which he enjoyed. 

Mr. Shindel was married on Christmas 
day of 1869 to Miss Belle Kelson, a 
daughter of Georg-e and Julia (Robert- 
son) Nelson. The father was born in 
Scotland and was for some time a sailor 
on the hig'h seas but afterward came to 
.\inerica. where his hrst business position 
was that of clerk in a store in St. Louis, 
Missouri. Later he removed to Rushville. 
Illinois, where he engaged in merchandis- 
ing, being connected with the dry g^oods 
store until five years prior to his death. 
He died at the age of seventy-three years, 
while his wife, who was a native of Lex- 
ington. Kentucky, passed away at the age 
of forty-five years. The marriage of Mr. 
and ]\Irs. Shindel was blessed with six 
children. Elizalieth, who was born in 
Augusta, became the wife of Edwin Em- 
erett, of Galesburg, Illinois, and died at 
the age of twenty-six years. George, who 
learned the blacksmith's trade with his 
father, carried on the shop after his 
death until February, 1905. is now en- 
gaged in the nurseiT business. Delia be- 
came the wife of Arthur Denny, a farmer 
of Schuyler county, Illinois, and died 
leaving two children, Roy and Esmond. 
Bruce is now teaching for the fourth year 
in Ambrose. Adams county, Illinois. 
Mary K. is the wife of L. M. Barrett, a 
shoe merchant of Kansas City, Missouri. 
Ross died in 1896, at the age of eleven 



HJXCOCK COUXTY. ILLIXOIS. 



703 



years. All of the children were born in 
Augusta. 

In his political views Mr. Shindel was 
an earnest republican and was honored 
b}- his fellow townsmen with se\'eral pub- 
lic offices. For several terms he was a 
member of the town C(.)uncil and w"as twice 
its president. He was first elected to the 
board of trustees in 1884 and again in 
1890 and was president in 1891-92 and 
once more in 1898-99. He labored earn- 
estly for the welfare of the village and 
exercised his official prerogatives in sup- 
port of various measures which he deemed 
would prove of public benefit He held 
membership with the Masonic fraternity 
and the .\ncient Order of United Work- 
men and was also a devoted member of 
the Presbyterian church. He purchased 
for his family a substantial frame dwell- 
ing, which his widow now occupies, and 
there his death occurred Januaiy 14. 
1 90 1, when he was in his fifty-sixth year. 
He was a man who easily made friends 
and who retained their high regard by 
reason of an upright life, genial manner, 
affable spirit and kindly disposition. He 
had a wide acquaintance throughout the 
county and as he enjoyed the esteem of 
all who knew him his death was the occa- 
sion of deep and widespread regret. 



JOHN HENRY BAINTER. 

John Henry Bainter, owning and op- 
erating a valuable tract of land constitut- 
ing one hundred and sixty acres, sit- 



uated on section 14, La Harpe township, 
is a native son oi this township, his natal 
day being November 2^^. 1863. His 
grandparents, George and Lucy Bainter. 
were natives of Ohio, and it was their 
son. Thomas J., who is the father of our 
subject. He was born in Muskingum 
count}-, of the Bucke}-e state and after 
coming to Illinois was here married to 
?\Iiss Elmira dray, on the 5th of .\ugust, 
1S57, she ha\'ing accompanied her father, 
Da\id Gray, to this state. Her mother 
had departed this life in Ohio, pre\-i()us 
to the removal of the family to Illinois, 
w hile the father died in 1863, while serv- 
ing his country in the Civil war. Fol- 
lowing his marriage Thomas J. Bainter 
liegan farming on rented land near La 
Llarpe. and lived on different farms in 
this locality until March, 1894. at which 
time he jnirchased a house and two lots 
in the \illage of La Harpe, wdiere he yet 
makes his home Iiut his wife was called 
to her final rest. June 26. 1900. In the 
family are four children: Ronaldo M., 
residing in Story county, Iowa : Ella, the 
wife of George Carter, a resident farmer 
of Dallas, Illinois: John Henry, of this 
re\-iew : and Jennie, now the widow of 
Charles Anderson, and a resident of La 
Harpe. John Henry Bainter was reared 
to the occupation of farming and at- 
tended the district schools near his fa- 
ther's home for only a short period, his 
advantages in that direction being very 
meager, for his ser\ices were needed on 
the home farm. He has, however, 
through reading and investigation added 
largelv to his fund of knowledge and is 
now a well-read man. He remained un- 
der the parental roof, assisting in the work 



704 



BIOGRAPHICAL REIIEIV 



of the lields until lie attained his majority, 
when, on the 4th of Fehruaiy, 1885, he 
was united in marriage to Miss Malinda 
Bolton. She was born June 7, 1864, at 
Terre Haute, Henderson county, this 
state, and pursued her early education in 
the district schools near her father's home, 
and later attended St. Mary's Academ}- 
at Nauvoo. She is a daughter of W'il- 
liam and Sarah (Neighbors) Bolton, na- 
ti\es of Hardin county, Kentucky, the 
former a son of W'illiam and Ann 
(Mudd) Bolton, natives of England and 
Kentucky, respectively, while the mater- 
nal grandparents bore the names of Wil- 
liam and Malinda (Cash) Neighbors, of 
whom the former was born in Virginia, 
and the latter in Maryland. The parents 
of Mrs; Bainter were reared and married 
in the Blue Grass state, and after a feu- 
years there spent the father made an 
overland trip to Henderson county, this 
state, the journey being made in 1859. 
He was soon joined by his wife and two 
children, he having purchased land in that 
county, on which the family took up their 
abode. The mother there passed away 
June 6, 1878, while the father survived 
until February 6, i8gi. In the family of 
this worthy couple were born eight chil- 
dren, five daughters and three sons, name- 
ly: James \\'.. a resident of Texas; An- 
nie E., who became the wife of Joseph 
Dunham, and passed away at her home in 
Canton, Illinois, in 1904; Lafayette, like- 
wise a resident of Canton ; Malinda, now 
Mrs. Bolton ; Mary, the wife of Charles 
Gieseker, a resident of Terre Haute, Illi- 
nois ; Clara, the wife of Oliver Livingston, 
a resident of Canton ; Rosa, who became 
the wife of George Rogers, and passed 



away at the home of Mrs. Bainter in 
1900 ; and Raymond, a resident of Canton. 

Following the marriage of our subject 
and his wife they took up their abode 
upon a rented farm in Henderson county, 
where they continued their residence dur- 
ing the succeeding six years, and on the 
expiration of that period, having accumu- 
lated a handsome competence owing to his 
careful management, Mr. Bainter was 
then enabled to purchase l-md, coming 
into possession of one hundred and sixty 
acres in Terre Haute township, that coun- 
ty, but he later disposed of that tract and 
removed to this county, where he invested 
in another tract of one hundred and sixty 
acres situated on section 14, La Harpe 
township. This land was improved when 
he took possession but since taking up his 
residence here he has added many acces- 
sories and conveniences, has fenced the 
place with woven wire fencing, has tiled 
some of the land and has built an addi- 
tion to the house, so that today his is one 
of the well-kept and productive farm prop- 
erties of this community. He is engaged 
in general farming, following only the 
most practical and progressive methods 
in the management of his business inter- 
ests, and his farm shows every evidence 
of the thrift and enterprise of the owner. 
In addition to his other work, Mr. Bain- 
ter also engages to some extent in stock- 
raising, having Norman horses, shorthorn 
cattle, and Poland China hogs upon his 
farm, and he finds this an important and 
profitable branch of his business. 

I'nto our subject and his wife has been 
born an interesting little daughter, whose 
birth occurred August 5, 1896. and who 
bears the name of Ruby Eleanor. Mr. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



Bainter's study of the questions and is- 
sues of the day has led him to give his sup- 
port to the democratic party, while fra- 
ternally he is identified with the Independ- 
ent Order of Odd Fellows and the Alod- 
ern Woodmen of America at La Harpe. 
Mr. and Mrs. Bainter are well-known and 
highly respected residents of their locality, 
where they enjoy the hospftality of the 
best homes, and their many sterling traits 
of character have endeared them to many 
with whom thev have been associated. 



ROBERT H. MIZNER. 

Among the progressive farmers and 
stock-raisers of Hancock county who rep- 
resent pioneer families of this portion of 
the state is numbered Robert H. Mizner. 
a native son of La Harpe township, his 
natal day being May 9, 1857. His ma- 
ternal grandfather, Henry Spiker, lo- 
cated in this township about 1S36, where 
he entered eighty acres of land situated 
on section 11. His wife bore the maiden 
name of Rachel Hucle, whose father was 
Joseph Hucle. The paternal grandpar- 
ents were John and Mary (McGee) Miz- 
ner. and it was their son Henry who 
married Maria Spiker and who became 
the parents of our subject. The father 
was bom in Maryland, while the mother's 
birth occurred in the state of Virginia. 
They located in Hancock county about 
1854, coming here with their respective 
parents, and it was in this county that 
they met and married, the wedding being 



celebrated May 15, 1856. Following their 
marriage they lived on rented farms until 
the spring of 1872, when the father pur- 
chased twenty acres of timber land on 
section 12, La Harpe township. This he 
cleared and improved and carried on the 
work of general fanning until his death, 
which occurred May 27, 1898, when he 
had reached the age of sixty-three years, 
his birth having occurred November 18, 
1825. His widow still survives at the 
ag'e of sixty-eight years, her birth hav- 
ing occurred April 28, 1838, and now 
makes her home with her son, Robert H. 
\\^ith them resides the grandmother of 
our subject, Mrs. Rachel Spiker, who has 
reached the ven' venerable age of ninety 
years, for her birth occurred October 25, 
1816. 

Robert H. Mizner is the eldest of two 
sons and two daughters, bom of his fa- 
ther's family, the others being: Alfred 
H.. a resident of Stronghurst, Illinois; 
James, the wife of R. J. Owsley, a resi- 
dent of this township; and Rachel Lu- 
cinda, the wife of Clarence H. Ferris, 
likewise residing in La Harpe township. 

Our subject pursued his studies in the 
district schools to the age of eighteen 
years, and during the periods of vacation 
assisted his father in the work of the 
farm, thus gaining practical knowledge 
of the best methods of agricultural pur- 
suits, which in later life has enabled him 
to cany on business in a successful man- 
ner. When he attained his majority he 
purchased ten acres of land but later sold 
that to good advantage and invested in 
a tract of thirty acres, to which he has 
added from time to time as his financial 
resources have permitted until he is now 



7o6 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEW 



ill possession of one liunilred and fifteen 
acres of ricli farming land located on sec- 
tion 12. La Harpe township. When this 
tract came into his pc.issession it was all 
covered with timber and brush, but with 
characteristic energ}- he began the wurk 
of clearing his land, plowing the fields 
and planting his crops, until in due course 
of time he made it a productive property, 
from which he annually gathers rich 
crops. lie also raises stock to some ex- 
tent and this branch of his business is 
proving a gocul S()inT"e of income to him. 
He has never married and remained w ith 
his father until bis death and now fiu'- 
nisiies a good home for his mother. In 
his political affiliation he is a democrat, 
giving stalwart support to the party, yet 
never acti\-e in the wa\- of seeking office. 
Mr. Mizner is a splendid tvpe of the 
self-made man. for, earlv beconfing im- 
bued with a desire to possess land, he 
saved his earnings, which he invested in 
pro])ert}-, and ;is the years ]ia\e passed 
he has prospereil and has worked his way 
steadily upward until he is now classed 
with the substantial, prosperous and hon- 
ored citizens of Hancock count\-. 



DWIGHT CLINTON CUTLER. 

Ihereare in e\ery communit\' quiet, re- 
tiring men who. nevertheless exert ;i. 
strong and beneficial influence in public 
afi'airs and such a one was Dwight Clinton 
Cutler, who for many years was engaged 
in the drug business in Carthage. At his 



death a feeling of deep regret s[)read 
throughout the communit}-. for all who 
had been associated with him in business 
or social relations had learned to respect 
;\nd honor him for his genuine worth 
and in a (|uiet and unostent.atious way 
he exerted a strong influence by reason 
of the strength of his character and his 
fidelit}' to high principles. He was born 
in Holland, Xew York, Fel)ruar\' 13, 
T848, a son of Albert and Pamelia ( Hill ) 
Cutler, bcitli of whom were nati\es of the 
I'jnpire state. rhe\' left HutTalo, Xew 
N'ork. for Illinois, where the\' arri\ed at 
an earl\- period in the de\"elopment of 
Hancock count\'. The father was a 
wagon-m.uker. following that pursuit in 
Carthage in jjioneer times. He is now 
li\'ing retired in the enjoyment of a rest 
which he has truh' earned and ricbh- 
deserves. He \dtes with the deniocracv 
and both he and his wife are members 
of the Methodist church. In their famil_\' 
were fi\-e children, of whom two are now 
lix'ing: Howard, proprietor of Hotel 
Cutler, of Carthage: and De Loss, also 
residing in Carthage. 

Dwight C. Cutler began his education 
in the public schools of his native state 
and after coming to Illinois attended the 
.Aurora Seminary. He entered upon his 
business career as a clerk in a store in 
Buffalo, New York, and in iSCk) returned 
to Carthage, where he purchased a drug 
store, which he conducted successfully for 
twent\--three years, or until i8t)i, when 
tailing health compelled him to dispose of 
the store and he sold out to Mr. Cain. 
In his business life he was possessed of 
;■ s[)irit of enterprise, such as brooks no 
obstacles but overcomes all difficulties bv 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



707 



determined, honest and earnest effort. 
He had a well appointed establishment 
which was attractive in its neat and taste- 
ful arrangement and which won a liberal 
patronage by reason of his straightfor- 
ward business metliods. 

On the 8th day of Juh', 1875. Air. Cut- 
ler was married to Miss Elizabeth Show- 
ers, a nati\-e of \\'inchester. Preble coun- 
ty, Ohio, born December 12, 1848, ;i 
daughter of Emanuel and Sarah Jane 
(\^'ilson) Showers. Her father was 
born in Pennsylvania. November 26. 
1814, while the mother's birth occurred 
in 1820. Air. Showers was a carpenter 
by trade and while living in Ohio also 
did business as a peddler. In 1852 with 
three other gentlemen he made an r)ver- 
land trip from Ohio to Carthage and se- 
lected a site for the original Presbyterian 
church of this cit)-. The other gentle- 
men were Air. Sneen\". wlio is deceased, 
and Air. Swan, the first minister of the 
Presbyterian church, who resigned his 
charge in the east and preached in Car- 
thage for twelve or fourteen years. Air. 
Showers was elder in the church for man)- 
years, acted as Sunday-school superin- 
tendent and in fact all of the offices of the- 
church and school with the exception of 
that of minister. His wife also belonged to 
the church and both took a very active and 
helpful part in its work, doing all in their 
power to promote the moral devek)pment 
of the community and to advance those 
interests which are beneficial to the race. 
Both have now passed away, their remains 
being interred in the old cemetery at Car- 
thage. Mrs. Showers died at the home 
of her daughter, Mrs. Cutler, in 1888. 
Air. Showers was a democrat in his polit- 



ical views and served as town clerk in 
Carthage and also as sheriff and deputy 
sheriff'. In the family were seven chil- 
dren. Alary is the widow of John 
Spangler and resides at Long Beach. Cali- 
fornia. Her husband served as a soldier 
in the Civil war. He was at one time a 
druggist of Carthage and was also su- 
perintendent of schools. He occupied a 
position in Joliet prison, while his wife 
was matron there for three years and he 
died in Joliet. Sidne}-. the second mem- 
ber of the Showers family, is deceased. 
Elizabeth became Mrs. Cutler. Edgar, 
who married Aliss Fannie Baker, resitles 
in Chicago and is proprietor of a dry 
goods store, in which he sells on the in- 
staHment plan. Willie and the other 
members (.)f the family ha\'e also passed 
away. 

Cnto Air. and Airs. Cutler were born 
four children. Elsie is the wife r}f W il- 
liam Borz. of Carthage, and has two chil- 
dren. Albert Byron and Mary Elizabeth. 
Homer Cutler, of Chicago, married Grace 
Aletcalf and their daughter Catherine is 
a stenographer in Chicago in what is the 
largest building in the world. Clyde Cut- 
ler is in the undertaking business in Chi- 
cago. Edgar Dwight is a high school 
student in Carthage. The husband and 
father died July 8. 1894. and his remains 
were interred in the Carthage cemetery. 
He held membership with the Alasonic 
fraternity, with the Ancient Order of 
United ^^'orkmen and the A'lodern \W>od- 
men camp and his political support was 
given to the democracy but he never 
sought or desired office. In manner he 
was quiet and retiring, he was careful in 
all of his business interests, systematic 



7o8 



BIOGRAPHICAL REflEJV 



ami methudical and at all limes thurough- 
!}■ trustworthy. \\'hi]e he never sought 
to fig-ure prominently in public life him- 
self he was nevertheless an enterprising 
citizen who gave of his time and means 
fi>r the town's pr^igress. He possessed 
a warm heart, a kindly disposition, a 
genial manner and was prepossessing in 
appearance. \\'hen his health failed he 
traveled through the west in the hope of 
being benefited by a change of climate but 
this proved unavailing. In his family 
he was a devoted husband and father and 
was likewise a kind neighbor. In him 
were embodied many virtues — virtues to 
which the splendid civilization of ;\mer- 
ica is indebted for its wonderful de\-elnp- 
ment and its glorious progress. 

Mrs. Cutler and her son Clyde nciw re- 
side at the corner nf Adams and Walnut 
streets in a vevy comfortable home, which 
her hu.sband ]3urchased twenty-five years 
ag'ii and which was erected about sixty- 
fi\-e years ago. The property then covered 
a half block, or six lots, and Mrs. Cutler 
still retains one lot and the house, in which 
her daughter, Mrs. Borz. lives in addition 
to the home property. She also owns a 
store building on ]\Iain street which is 
n.ow occupied by the Boscoe Crocery 
Company. The son was a student in the 
high school at Carthage and is a grad- 
uate (if Carthage dillege nf the class of 
1902. Mrs. Cutler is a very conscien- 
tious woman, possessed of innate culture, 
refinement and tact. \\hi> has displayed ex- 
cellent (|ualificati<ins in the management 
of her business interests and at the same 
time has those thorough Wdmanly traits 
of character which render her prominent 
in social circles. She is a devoted mem- 



ber of the Presbyterian church and also 
belongs to the Eastern Star, of which she 
is now matron. 1^'or long vears she has 
resided in Carthage and the circle of her 
friends is an extensive one. 



HENRY CARXES. 

Henry Carnes, a well-to-do and influ- 
ential agriculturist of Hancock county, 
has been interested, in the agricultural de- 
velopment of the rich farming lands of 
Illinois throughout his entire life. He is 
a native son of this state, his birth hav- 
ing occurred in Pike county, on the 4th of 
July, 1844. His parents, Thomas and 
Elizabeth (McCartney) Carnes, were na- 
tives of Ohio, and his grandfather. Rea- 
son Carnes, was likewise born in the 
Buckeye state. His parents were reared 
and married in their native state, after 
which they remcived to Pike cmnUy, Illi- 
nois, where the father purchased forty 
acres of land, which he retained until 
1858, when he removed with his family 
to McDonough county, where he pur- 
chased a tract of one hundred and sixty 
acres. Later he made his home in Iowa, 
where he owned and operated a farm, 
and on disposing of that property once 
more took up his abode in this state, com- 
ing to Hancock county. He purchased a 
farm of f(.irty acres on section \2. La 
Haipe "township, and added to this from 
time to time until he owned one hundred 
and sixty-seven and a half acres, which 
he improved and cultivated, making it a 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



709 



valuable piece of property. He died 011 
the fann in April, 1901, while his wife 
had passed away in Schuyler county, this 
state, in 1870. 

Henr}' Games, whose name introduces 
this record, is the third in a family of 
three sons and two daughters, and is a 
self-educated man. At a very early age 
he took his place in the fields, assisting 
his father in the arduous task of clearing 
wild land and transforming it into cul- 
tivable fields. In those early days the 
fami machineiy was very crude as com- 
pared with the modem implements used 
at the present time. He continued under 
the parental roof until the outbreak of the 
Civil war, when, his patriotic spirit being- 
aroused by the attempt of the south to 
overthrow the Union, he offered his serv- 
ices to the government, enlisting as a 
member of Company D. Fifty-third Illi- 
nois \^olunteer Infantiy. He was mus- 
tered into serv'ice at Ouincy, and the com- 
mand went at once to New York, where 
they embarked for Morehead, North Car- 
olina, being seven days and nights on the 
water. He saw much arduous duty dur- 
ing his service, participating in manj^ im- 
portant engagements, including the battle 
at Raleigh, and from' there the company 
marched to Washington, D. C. where 
Air. Cames took part in the grand review 
at the close of hostilities, and after being 
honorably discharged at Chicago, re- 
turned to his home, having made a most 
creditable militaiy record. 

Following his return home he re- 
sumed the occupation to which he had 
been reared, and in November, 1868, was 
united in marriage to Miss Marj' Ann 
Cass, a native of Ohio, who was born 



November 12, 1854, a daughter of Sam- 
uel and Jennetta (Duboid) Cass, who lo- 
cated in Hancock county about 1855. In 
1886 Mr. Cames purchased the old home 
farm of his father, and has since added 
many modem and substantial improve- 
ments to the place. His fields are divided 
by woven wire fencing, and in 1890 he 
built a nice home. In addition to his 
farming operations, our subject is also 
engaged quite extensively in the raising 
of fruit and now owns a fine orchard, 
containing two hundred apple, one hun- 
dred peach, seventy-five pear and fifteen 
cherry trees, and he likewise raises small 
fruit and berries. In 1896 Mr. Cames 
purchased one hundred and forty acres 
of land lying on section 13. La Harpe 
township. This he improved by the erec- 
tion of a house and other substantial 
buildings and also set out a large orchard. 
For this tract he paid three thousand, 
three hundred and seventy-five dollars, 
and in 1904 he disposed of the property 
for seventy-eight hundred dollars, the 
place having more than doubled in value, 
owing to the many improvements which 
he had placed upon it. 

Unto our subject and his wife have 
been born five sons and three daughters, 
of whom seven still survive : Melzer 
Adelbert. who died at the age of nearly 
two years ; Jesse, a resident of Mount 
Union, Henry county. Iowa : Ernest, of 
La Llarpe ; Efiie, now the wife of Thomas 
Scanlan, residing near Lacrosse, Illinois: 
Grover, who assists his father in the op- 
eration of the home place ; Jennetta, the 
wife of Alvin Thompson, residing in this 
township; Mamie, the wife of Ward Mel- 
vin, of Dallas Git}': and John, who at the 



710 



BIOGRAPHICAL REllEU' 



age uf fourteen years is yet under tlie pa- 
rental roof. 

Air. Canies is a republican in his polit- 
ical affiliation, and is identified with the 
Methodist Protestant church at La Harpe. 
while fraternally he is connected with the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows and 
the Grand Anny of the Republic, both 
at La Harpe. Having accompanied his 
parents to Illinois during his early youth, 
Mr. Carnes came here at a veiy early day, 
and during the long years of his residence 
in this section of the state has seen man\- 
changes as the work of development ami 
progress has been carried steadily for- 
ward. He has killed many deer and 
wolves, for wild game of all kinds was 
plentiful in the early days. Taking his 
place in the fields almost as soon as he 
was old enough to reach the plow handles, 
he was early trained to the work of the 
farm, and has always continued in this 
line of activity. Having been deprived of 
educational privileges in his youth, nmch 
credit is due him for what he has accom- 
plished in a business way, for he displays 
excellent ability in the management of his 
affairs and is today one of the wealthy 
and highly esteemed citizens of Hancock 
county. 



E. H. RAND. 



E. H. Rand is a man (jf marketl busi- 
ness enterprise, carefully and successfully- 
conducting varied interests at the present 
time. He is a general merchant of Pon- 
toosuc, is also carrving on an extensive 



poultry business and likewise farms 
two hundred acres of valuable land. He 
was born in Denmark. Iowa, in 1842. a 
son of Thomas and Mary S. (Badger) 
Rand. The mother was born in Boston, 
and the father in Keene, New Hampshire. 
He became a clerk in Boston in early 
life, and in 1835 sought a home in the 
middle west, settling in Ouincy, Illinois. 
Subsequently he became a farmer of Pay- 
son, Illinois, and he died in September, 
1842, a short time i^rior to the 
Ijirth of E. H. Rand of this review. 
He was then forty-two years of age, 
lia\ing been born in 1800. His wife, 
who was l:)orn in 1808. passed away 
in Chicago, in 1893, and her grave 
was made in Ouincy, Illinois. In their 
famil_\- were five children, of whom four 
are now living: Thomas Henry, a resi- 
dent (.)f Boise City: Idaho: L. B., living 
in Kansas City, Missouri; Martha J., the 
widow of Fr}- Thompson, and a resident 
of California: and E. H.. of this re\-iew. 
One daughter, Mary E., who was the 
third of the family, became the wife of 
James Noyes, of .Kansas, and is deceased. 
E. PI. Rand acquired his education in 
the schools of Denmark, Ouincy, Illinois, 
and Pontoosuc. He remained with his 
widowed mother until he had attained his 
majority, and when twenty-two years of 
age he married Aliss Alary Louisa Har- 
per, who was born in New York state in 
1S44, a daughter of Abraham and Mary 
S. Harper, the former a native of New- 
Hampshire. Her father was a merchant 
and speculator and at a very early epoch 
in the history of Hancock county settled 
at La Harpe, whence he afterward re- 
moved to Pontoosuc, living there for fortv 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



years. He died in Burlington, Iowa, 
about t\venty-fi\'e years ago, while his 
wife died in that city in 1905. They were 
the parents of six children : Warren, 
who passed away in Burlington, where 
he had lived for a number of years; Car- 
rie, the wife of L. B. Rand, a brother of 
our subject, residing in Kansas City, Mis- 
souri ; ]\Irs. E. H. Rand; Seymour, of 
Oklahoma : Lewis, of Kansas City ; and 
Emma, the deceased wife of John 
Campbell. 

Following their marriage Air. and Mrs. 
Rand began their domestic life in Pon- 
toosuc, where for a number of }ears he 
was engaged in the lumber and grain 
trades. He afterward spent twenty years 
in Mississippi, being captain and pilot of 
various boats. He then began dealing in 
poultry, butter and eggs, and is still carry- 
ing on an extensive business in this line 
in connection with a general store at Pon- 
toosuc, and also one at Fountain Green. 
In both his mercantile enterprises he has 
met with success and now has two well 
appointed general stores, carrying a large 
and carefully selected line of goods, for 
which he finds a ready sale. He has the 
principal market for butter and eggs in 
his part of the county, and in addition to 
his operations in that business he is also 
well known as a prosperous and enter- 
prising farmer, owning and operating two 
hundred acres of rich land on sections 4 
and 5, Pontoosuc township. He readily 
comprehends intricate business situations 
and finds a solution for difficult business 
problems, and his diligence and persever- 
ance have constituted salient features in 
his prosperity. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Rand have been 
45 



born eight children : Frank, who died in 
infancy ; Acldie B., who was born in 1867, 
and is the wife of Perry Sines, of Pontoo- 
suc, by whom she has a daugliter, Grace; 
Charles H., who was born in 1869, and 
is in business with his father in Pontoosuc, 
where he makes his home, having mar- 
ried Delia M. Richardson, by whom ha 
has one daughter, Leona G. ; Pearl, who 
was born in 1871, and lives with her par- 
ents ; Carrie, who was born in September, 
1873, and is the wife of John Barker, of 
Pontoosuc township, by whom she has 
two sons, Howard and Carroll ; Nellie, 
who was born in 1875, and is the wife of 
Claude Daily, of Pontoosuc, by whom she 
has one child, Osborne; Frederick, who 
was born in 1879, and was a soldier of 
the Spanish-American war, going to the 
Philippines, since which time he has oc- 
cupied a responsible position as clerk in 
the office of the president of the Santa Fe 
Railroad, of Chicago, where he resides, 
having married Mabel Evans, by whom 
lie has one son, Evans : and Harry S., 
who was born in 1885 and is living at 
home. Mrs. Rand is a devoted member 
of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Rand 
is a republican and has served as mayor 
of Pontoosuc for one or two terms, also 
as trustee of the village and as a member 
of the school board. He faithfully per- 
forms every duty incumbent upon him as 
a public-spirited citizen and is one of the 
most highly respected as well as most 
progressive residents of this part of the 
county. His life histor}- reflects credit 
upon one of the pioneer families of this 
portion of the state, for his unabating 
energy and his industry that never flags 
have constituted the secret of his success. 



712 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



while his straightforward deahng has 
gained for him the respect and confidence 
which are uniformly extended him. 



CHARLES E. CRUM. 

Charles E. Crnm, a resident farmer of 
La Harpe township, where he is engaged 
in general agricultural pursuits and 
stock-raising, is a native son of this town- 
ship, his natal day being August i, 1879. 
He is a son of Charles P. and Salina 
(James) Crum, the former born m 
Arensville, Cass county, Illinois, April 
II, 1853, while the mother's birth oc- 
curred in this township September 8, 
1856. The paternal grandparents of otu' 
subject were James and Christina Crum, 
while the maternal grandparents were >\n- 
drew J. and Sydney (Pigman) James. 
The father of our suliject went from his 
nati\'e county tn Adrian, Michigan. 
It was while attending college there 
that he met his wife, and later 
the\' were married in tliis township. I'ol- 
lowing his marriage he carried on general 
agricultural pursuits in this tnwuship, 
owning considerable land both in Hancock 
and Henderson counties. F'or a time he 
was engaged in a mercantile enterprise 
at Disco, his partner being his brothei-- 
m-law, Evan James, but eventually dis- 
posed of his business interests in the vil- 
lage and once more engaged in agricul- 
tural pursuits and stock-raising, which 
continued to be his occupation until March 
25, 1885, when he met his death in a rail- 
road accident while on his way home f r( >m 



Missouri. At one time Mr. Crum wa^t 
engaged in teaching in Gittings Seminary 
;it La Harpe, and he and his family were 
residing in this city where he was 
teaching at the time of his death. 
His wid(_nv continued her residence here 
until March, 1893, when she removed 
to the farm propert\', where she has 
since been located. In their family 
were born fom* sons and one daughter: 
Ray Ream, born April 8, 1877, is now en- 
gaged in the drug business at Sutherland, 
Iowa. He was married December 28, 
1 90 1, to Miss Belle Todd, of Des Moines, 
Iowa. James E. and Charles E., of this 
re\iew. twins, were born August i, 1879. 
The former was married October 30. 
1905, to Miss Catherine Yager, a native 
of Durham township, this county, and 
their home is in Chicago. Mabel C, 
born December 7, 1881, is now the wife 
of E. R. McManiman. and resides at 
(ialesbnrg. Virgil A., born March 30, 
i8S_j., is with his mother on the home 
farm. 

During the time of his parents" resi- 
dence in La Harpe, Charles E. Crum at- 
tended the public schools, and clerked in 
\arious stores in the city during his boy- 
hood and youth, or until the removal of 
his mother to the farm after the death of 
his father. He then assisted in the op- 
eration of the fields and the raising" of 
stuck, and has here continued to the pres- 
ent time, being accounted (.me of the young 
and prosperous farmers of this commu- 
nity. 

Choosing a companion and helpmate 
for life's journey, he was married Sep- 
tember 2'^, 1 901, to Miss Catherine C. 
P.radshaw. likewise a native of Hancock 



HAXCOCK COUS'TV. ILLINOIS. 



^13 



county, where she pursued her early ecki- 
cation, which was suppleniented by a 
course of study in St. Mary's Academy, 
at Nauvoo. She is a daughter of George 
W. and Delia (Manifold) Bradshaw, the 
former born in La Harpe, January i, 
1841, a sou of Joel and Catherine (Dix- 
on) Bradshaw, while the mother, who 
was born in Durham townshi]), Feljruary 
7, 1853, is a daughter of Benjamin Jas- 
per and Cornelia (Hutton) Manifold, and 
it was here that their daughter Delia gave 
her hand in marriage to George Brad- 
shaw, on the 1st of January, 1880. Unto 
our subject and his wife ha\e been born 
one son and two daughters : Charles 
Pierce, born September 20. 1902; Ruth 
Darlyn, born Septenilier 4, 1903 ; and Ma- 
bel Catherine, August 18. 1905. 

Mr. Crum's study of the political ques- 
tions and issues of the day has led him ti> 
give stalwart support to the Republican 
party, while in his fraternal relations he is 
identified with the Odd Fellows lodge. 
No. 688, and the Modern \\'oodmeii 
camp, both at Disco. He and his wife are 
popular young people and have a host of 
warm friends, to whom they have become 
endeared by reason of their man}- traits 
of character. 



KINZY H. BOWEN. 

Kinzy \\'. Bowen is the owner of an 
excellent fanii of one hundred and fifty 
acres on sections 8 and 9, Fountain Green 
township, all of which is under cultiva- 



tion save about fifteen acres of timber 
land on the latter section. His home 
stands on section 8, and the entire farm 
presents a well-kept appearance. The 
owner was born in Terre Haute township, 
Henderson county, Illinois, October 21, 
1866. His paternal grandparents were 
J(jhn and PoUie Bowen. natives of Vir- 
ginia. They became early settlers of 
Terre Haute township, where Jijhn 
Bowen secured land Ijy entering a claim 
from the government on the boundar_\- 
line between Henderson and Hancock 
counties. He broke many acres of prairie 
in that vicinity, and added to his posses- 
sions until he had an entire section of 
prairie land, one-half in Terre Haute 
township and the remainder in Raritan 
township. 

Thomas Lah^ayette Bowen, father of 
our subject, was born in Henderson coun- 
ty, and was married in Terre Haute, in 
1862, to Miss Sarah D. Knowles, also a 
native of that count}'. Her parents. 
Philip and Martha Knowles. were of Eng- 
lish descent. The former was a minister 
of the United Brethren church and was 
one of the earl_\' settlers of this part of 
the state. Thomas L. Bowen followed 
the occupation of farming as a life work 
and still resides on the old home place at 
the age of sixty-six years, but his wife 
died in January, 1902. Their children 
were: Warren, whi) is li\-ing in ^'unla 
county, California: K. IT, o\ this review: 
Dora, who died in 18S1, at the age of 
tweKe },-ears and se\-en months: .\llie, the 
wife of C. E. Harris, of Los .Vngeles, 
(California. 

Kinzy H. Bowen was educated in the 
district schools and made his home with 



714 



BIOGRA FHICA L RE J IE W 



his parents until March 19, 1888 — liis 
wedding day. He married Anna M. 
Finch, who was born in Terre Haute 
township, December 20, 1870, a daughter 
of W'ilHam and EUen (Pennie) Finch, na- 
tives of Pennsylvania and Virginia, re- 
spectively. 

After his marriage Mr. Bowen livetl 
upon a rented farm in Henderson county 
for a year and then removed to Blandins- 
ville township, McDonough county, where 
he rented the John Mustain farm for six 
years. He afterward leased and operated 
the farm of C. H. Nelson in Henderson 
county, but after four years returned ti' 
jMcDonough county and purchased a farm 
of one hundred acres in Emmet township. 
He cultivated it for three years and then 
sold out, after which, in September, iyo2. 
he purchased his present farm of one hun- 
dred and tifty-five acres in Hancock coun- 
ty, all of which is under a high state of 
cultivation and yields good crops save 
for a small tract of timber land of fifteen 
acres. One of the first improvements he 
made was putting up seven hundred rods 
of woven wire fence. He is extensively 
engaged in raising Poland China hogs, 
and for their shelter built a house sixty- 
four by sixteen feet. He has also built 
a large barn for horses and hay and a 
poultry house, thirt}-twii by fourteen feet. 
He has a granary, liuggy and implement 
house and wcirkslidp on his place, together 
with a Cduifiirtable residence, and e\'ery- 
thing on the farm presents an attractive 
appearance, indicative of the care and su- 
pervison of the owner. In all that he 
does he is practical and therefore success- 
ful. He deals extensively in draft horses, 
keeping about fifteen head on his fami. 



The home of ^Ir. and Mrs. Bowen has 
been blessed with eight children: CJuy 
Franklin, born August 8, 1889; Eula Mil- 
licent, July 2, 1891 ; Roy Glenn, Septem- 
ber 10, 1892; Elive Esther, December 20, 
1894; Leta May, May 14, 1896; Walter 
Jennings, May 26, 1897; K.'dph William, 
who was born February 7, 1899, and died 
August 2, 1901 ; and Sarah Ellen, born 
August 2, 1 90 1. 

Mr. Bowen \otes with the democracy 
;:n(l holds membership with the Modern 
WiKjdmen camp at Blandinsville. He has 
always lived in this part of the state, and 
since starting out in business on his own 
account he has worked persistently and 
energetically in order to provide a good 
home for his family. His laudable am- 
bition has been crowned with success, and 
his enterprise and diligence have come off 
conqueror in the strife which confronts 
everv man in the business world. 



ANTONE DAVIER. 

Antone Davier, starting out in life for 
himself at the early age of twelve years, 
and realizing that labor is the foundation 
for honorable success, has worked his way 
steadilv upward from a humble beginning 
until he is today in control of varied busi- 
ness interests in Hancock county. A na- 
tive of St. Teene, France, his birth oc- 
curred September 21, 1856, and when 
only two years of age was brought by his 
parents, Antone and Frances Davier, to 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



7^5 



America, the home being estabhshetl at 
Nauvoo. After a time the parents "re- 
moved to La Harpe, and the father then 
went to Philadelphia, I'ennsylvania, 
where he secured employment as a silk 
weaver. In 1865, while returning" from 
Pennsylvania to his family in La Harpe, 
his death occurred on the train. His 
wife continued to reside in La Harpe 
until her death, which occurred in the 
spring of 1880. In the family were onlv 
two children, the sister of our subject 
being Mary Davier, who resides in Disco. 
Antone Davier began work as a farm 
hand at the early age of twelve years, 
and was employed in that way during the 
summer months until he had reached the 
age of eighteen, while during the winter 
seasons he attended school. Having been 
trained to habits of industry and economy 
by saving his earnings he was enabled to 
start out upon an independent business ca- 
reer when eighteen years of age, by rent- 
ing a farm belonging to James Gittings. 
which later became the property of I. W. 
Cassell, and on this farm Mr. Da\-ier con- 
tinued to reside for twenty years. Pros- 
pering in his undertakings he was then 
justified in making purchase nf land, 
when, in 1898, he became the owner of 
one hundred and seventy-three acres, sit- 
uated on section 7, La Harpe township. 
He there took up his abode and cuu- 
tmued the work of general agricultural 
pursuits until 1904, when he leased his 
property and removed to Disco, where he 
bought the elevator formerly owned by 
T. W. Kimler, and he is now conducting 
a prosperous business, dealing in all kinds 
of grain and stock, thus furnishing a mar- 
ket for the local trade. Pie also deals in 



both hard and soft coal, and this branch 
of his business is likewise proving a profit- 
able source of revenue to him. In 1902, 
in company with T. G. Sights, M r. Davier 
purchased the mercantile establishment 
owned by Charles Collins, in which our 
subject owns a half interest, lioth are 
men of enterprise anil carry a stock of 
general merchandise to meet the demands 
of the general public. In addition to the 
farm which he formerh- occupied, Mr. 
Davier also owns an eighty-acre tract sit- 
uated on section 5, La Harpe township, 
and a second eighty-acres tract situated 
on section 16, of the same township. 

In his political views Mr. Davier is a 
republican but is not active in the work 
of the party for aside from his personal 
business interests he has little time for 
office holding. He has, however, served 
as road supervisor of his township. He 
can well be termed a self-made man, for. 
starting out in life at a very early age, 
without capital or assistance of any kind, 
he has gradually worked his way upward 
until he is today one of the leading factors 
in business and financial circles of Han- 
cock county. He follows only the strict- 
est business principles in the conduct of 
his varied interests, and is a man of genial 
disposition and pleasing manner. 



JOHN PITT. 



Former }ears of prosperity now enables 
John Pitt to live retired in Nauvoo. in 
the enjoyment of a well earned rest. 



7i6 



BIOGRAPHICAL REflEir 



Since 1885 he has made his home in tliis 
county, where he owns considerable val- 
uable propert}'. He has now passed the 
seventy-ninth milestone on life's journey, 
his birth having occurred in Dymock, 
Gloucestershire, England, December 30, 
1827. His paternal grandfather, Robert 
Pitt, married a Miss Hill, and their son 
Thomas, who became the father of our 
subject, was also a native of Gloucester- 
shire. Having reached adult age be was 
married in his native country to Miss 
Charlotte Hadwick, whose birth occurred 
in Herfordshire, England. Ten children 
were born unto them ere they crossed the 
Atlantic to America. Mr. Pitt came to 
Nauvoo in the spring of 1841 with her 
mother-in-law. Mrs. Robert Pitt, wiio 
died during that summer. It was the 
intention of Thomas Pitt to make the voy- 
age in the fall of 1841 but he was delayed 
by business complications until the spring 
of 1842. 

John Pitt, whose name introduces this 
record, made the trip to the new world 
with friends, who sailed to New Orleans, 
from which town he proceeded up the 
Mississippi river to St. Louis, where he 
arrived after two weeks. This was in the 
fall of 1 84 1. He soon made his way to 
Warsaw but it was some time before the 
party could secure wagons to bring them 
on to Nauvoo. After arriving at this 
place Mr. Pitt made his home with his 
mother and did tithing by working on the 
Nauvoo House, which is partially stand- 
ing today. The Mormon temple had re- 
cently been begun and was completed to 
such an extent that ser\-ices could be held 
therein. The father arrixed in the spring 
of 1842 and purchased forty acres of land 



on section 1 1 , Sonora township, which 
at that time was wild prairie. He then 
hauled a load of lumber to the place, left 
it there and started for a second load. 
Upon his return, however, he was a long 
time locating the first load on account of 
the height of the prairie grass. With 
characteristic energy he began turning the 
sod and cultivating the fields, continuing 
the w(jrk of development and improve- 
ment throughout his remaining days. He 
there established a good home for his 
family and was identified with general 
agricultural pursuits in Sonora township 
up to the time of his demise, which oc- 
curred in 1887. His wife survived him 
for a number of years, passing away 
about 1898. There was one child born 
unto them after their arrival in this 
county. 

John Pitt was the si.xth in a family of 
five sons and six daughters. He pur- 
suetl his education in the schools of his 
native country and after coming to Amer- 
ica assisted in the work of the home farm 
until 1853, when he was married to Miss 
Mary Jane Chadsey, whose birth occurred 
in Vincennes, Indiana. She was a daugh- 
ter of John Milton ;;nd Marg'aret 
(Mitchell) Chadsey, likewise nati\-es of 
the Hoosier state. During the Mormon 
troubles her parents were allowed ti) re- 
main, owing to the fact that Mr. Chadsey 
was a mechanic, although they had Iieen 
ordered to depart. 

Following his marriage Mr. Pitt 
bought thirty-four acres of land to which 
he kept adding from time to time until 
his possessions comprised five hundred 
acres, becoming one of the extensive land- 
owners of the community. Subsequently 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



he deeded eighty acres to each of his four 
sons and he now owns about one hundred 
and sixty acres in different tracts in Rock 
Creek and Sonera townships. Most of 
the land was unimpro\'eil when it canie 
into possession but in later years he pur- 
chased improved property. Indolence and 
idleness being utterly foreign to his na- 
ture he resolutely undertook the task oi 
bringing his property under a high state 
of cultivation and in the course of years 
gathered good harvests, where had for- 
merly been seen the native prairie grasses. 
He also erected a fine brick residence to 
replace the frame house that was 
destroyed by fire and this is n<jw occupied 
by his son William, who purchased it 
from his father. Mr. Pitt carried on gen- 
eral farming continuous!}' and success- 
full}" until 1885, when he remo\'ed to 
Xauvoo, where he now owns several 
houses and lots. He also has several 
business blocks in the city and his real 
estate interests return him a good income. 
He makes his home with his son Charles. 
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Pitt have been born 
the following named: James Albert, 
who is living in Los Angeles, California ; 
Lottie, the wife of Duncan Cummins, of 
Bardsdale, California; ]Mary, the wife of 
William Chadsey, of Los Angeles, Cali- 
fornia : William H,, of Sonora township: 
John Franklin, superintendent of the oil 
wells at Tulsa, Indian Territory ; Charles 
Robert, who is living in Nauvoo; Fred, 
who is in Rock Creek township, where 
he follows farming: Lillian, who became 
the wife of Frank Chadsey, and died in 
California about 1892; Eva, the wife of 
George Brown, of Los Angeles, Cali- 
fornia : and Mrs. Cora Sanders, who re- 



sides upon a ranch near Los Angeles. 
Mr, Pitt and his family are conencted 
with the church of the Latter Day Saints 
at Xauvoo. He is a republican and has 
ser\ed as school director, as constable and 
overseer. In the community where he 
has spent the greater part of his life he is 
known as a respected and worthy citizen 
who has lived at peace with his fellowmen 
and has been straightforward and honor- 
able in his dealings. He has prospered, 
and an anal_vzation into his life record 
shows that his success has been the legiti- 
mate outcome of his earnest purpose and 
his unremitting industry. 



CECIL JOHN SHERMAN BAXTER. 

The raising of grapes and the manu- 
facture of wine are important industries 
of Xauvoo and the surrounding districts, 
being large sources of revenue for the 
lesidents of the town and locality. The 
land, a gentle slope toward the Alissis- 
sippi, is especially adapted tn grape cul- 
ture, and no finer grapes can be produced 
in all the country than come from the 
vineyards of this section of the state. 

Cecil John Sherman Baxter is among 
the number who are carrying on business 
as a vineyardist and manufacturer of 
wine. He was born in Nauvoo. Feb- 
ruary 16, 1 86 1, and is a son of Emil and 
Annette (Powell) Baxter, the former 
born near Paris, France, and the latter in 
England. Further mention of them is 
made on another page of this work in 



7i8 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



connection with the sketch of Eniil Bax- 
ter. The father engaged in the raising 
of grapes and the manufacture of wine, 
and in his youth the subject of this re- 
view became familiar with the business in 
its various details and was admitted to a 
partnership with his father and brothers, 
Emil J. and Thomas, in 1882, under the 
firm style of E. Baxter's Sons. He had 
acquired his preliminary education in the 
schools of Nauvoo and had attended Car- 
thage College for one term. He then 
entered busines life as previously stated 
and the enterprise is still conducted under 
the firm style of E. Baxter & Sons. In 
connection with his brother Thomas he 
now owns ninty-six acres of land in the 
city of Nauvoo, which is devoted to the 
raising of grapes. After the father's 
death the business was continued by the 
three sons until 1902. when Emil J. sold 
liis interest to Cecil and Thomas, who 
now conduct the business along modern 
scientific lines resulting in success. They 
make from ten to twenty thousand gallons 
of wine annually, and have a cellerage 
capacity of twent}- thousand gallons. 
They are conducting an exclusively 
wholesale business and ship their output 
largely to the south, where, because of its 
excellent qualit}- it finds a readv sale on 
the market. 

On the loth of May, 1883. Mr. Baxter 
was married to Miss Elenora Iviiitlian. 
who was born in Nauvoo, and obtained 
her preliminary education in the public 
schools, while later slie attended St. 
Mary's Convent. She also pursued the 
study of music in Burlington under Pro- 
fessor Richards and also under Profes- 
sor W. H. Sherwood, spending several 



jears in that city. She also spent one 
summer at Bielefeld, Prussia, Germany, 
pursuing her musical education, and she 
has much more than ordinary talent in 
this direction. She is a daughter of 
Frederick and Elizabeth (Peters) 
Knithan, the former a native of Dort- 
mund, Prussia, and the latter of Marietta, 
Ohio. Her grandfather Knithan was a 
prominent musician, and he with Paganini 
played before the Emperor of Prussia. 
Frederick Knithan came to the United 
States b}' way of South America, having 
spent a few years in touring the islands 
of Tierra del Fueg(_). In 1857 'i^ settled 
at Nauvoo. While in Germany he had 
studied and become a practitioner of med- 
icine and after locating in Hancock coun- 
ty engaged in practice for a number of 
years at Nauvoo. In 1870 he removed 
to Burlington, Iowa, where he practiced 
in partnership with Dr. Harvey, and con- 
tinued an active representative of the 
medical fraternity of that city until 1898, 
when he retired from professional life and 
made his Ik mie with Mr. and Mrs. Bax- 
ter until his death, which occurred De- 
cember 13, 1904. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Baxter have been 
born six children : Harriet Alta, born 
January 17, 1885; Salome Elizabeth, Oc- 
tober 21, 1886; Cecil John, April 21, 
1888; Fred Knithan, September 17. 1893; 
Anita Elenore. January 9, 1894; and 
Emil Oscar, September 6, 1895. The 
family home is one of the fine residences 
of Nauvoo. It was built of brick in the 
fall of 1900 and contains eleven rooms. 
It is lighted by acetylene gas and supplied 
with all modern conveniences and acces- 
sories. It stands in the midst of a beau- 



H.-IXCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



719 



tiful lawn, adorned with fine shade trees, 
and in addition to this property Mr. Bax- 
ter owns in connection with his two broth- 
ers three hundred and twenty acres of 
land in Hand county, South Dakota, also 
one hundred and sixty acres in Sherman 
county, Kansas, and one hundred and 
sixty acres in Lee county. Iowa, just 
outside the city limits of Fort ]\Iadi- 
son and it is his intenti()n to plant 
this farm entirely to fruit, owing 
to the splendid adaptability of this sec- 
tion of the country for fruit culture. In 
seeking for the causes which have con- 
tributed to his success we find them not 
so much in their rarity as in their harmo- 
nious union and they may be briefly 
summed up by saving that he has the 
tastes of a scholar, the manners of a gen- 
tleman and the habits of a man of busi- 
ness — a combination of qualities that are 
bound to produce the best results. He is 
a republican but without aspiration for 
office, as his time is fully occupied by his 
constanth' increasing Inisiness interests. 



DR. DAA'ID LOY TRESSLER. Pii. D. 

There are few men whose lives are 
crowned with the honor and respect wdiich 
was uniformh' accorded to Professor 
Da\-id Loy Tressler. but through many 
years" connection with the history of Car- 
thage his was an unblemished character. 
W'ith him advancement in life was reached 
through his sterling qualities of mind and 
a heart true to e\'er\- manl\' principle. He 
never de\iated from what his judgment 



would indicate to be right and hororable 
between his fellovvmen and himself ; never 
sweiwed from the path of duty and con- 
stantly put forth earnest and effective 
effort to lift his fellowmen to a recogni- 
tion and following of the high ideals 
wdiich directed his own life. Fie was 
moreover a man uf broad scholarl}- attain- 
n!ents and his intellectual and moral force 
made him a power for good not only in 
tht educational institution with which he 
was so long C(Minecte(l but in Carthage, 
the coimtv, and wherever he was known. 
A native of Penns)'lvania, r)r. Tressler 
was born in the village of Loysville, Feb- 
ruary 15, 1839. His father died in 1859. 
The son was provided with liberal edu- 
cational privileges, his father having been 
a noted educator of his day. with keen 
recognition of the value of thorough in- 
tellectual training as a preparatir)n for 
life's practical and responsible duties. 
Dr. Tressler therefore prepared for col- 
lege in Loysville Academy, an institution 
founded by his father. He subsequently 
entered Pennsylvania College at Gettys- 
burg, from which he was granuated in 
i860 with the valedictorian honors of his 
class and soon afterward he took charge 
of Loysville Academy, where he was en- 
gaged in teaching at the time of the out- 
break of the Civil war. He enlisted for 
service in the L'nion army and was com- 
missioned a captain of the One Hundred 
and Thirty-third Regiment of Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteers, with which he partici- 
l)ated in the battles of Fredericksburg. 
Antietam, South Mountain and others, 
often inspiring his men with his own cour- 
age, zeal and loyalty. He was twice 
wounded at the battle of Fredericksburg 



720 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



and on the expiration of liis term of ser- 
vice in 1804. he was tendered a co](.)nelcy 
but thought best to decline the honor and 
returned to Pennsylvania, where he was 
again actively connected with educational 
work. 

Dr. Tressler entered upon the active 
work of the ministry in 1870 at Lena, 
lilinois, and in 1872 was elected to a pr(j- 
fessorship in Carthage College, while in 
1873 -he was chosen the first president of 
the institution. In connection with the 
duties of this office he had charge of its 
financial afifairs which gave him additional 
care and labor and he was likewise pastor 
of the Trinity Lutheran church of Car- 
thage. He did much in building up both 
the church and the college and was deeply, 
earnestly and zealously interested in his 
chosen work, doing all in his pi^wer to 
plant the seeds of intellectual and moral 
culture and thus to lift man to a high 
standard of living with principles which 
work for the best character development. 
He responded readily and willingly to all 
calls which were made upon him in behalf 
of his fellowmen and it was one of these 
missions of helpfulness that he incurred 
the illness which terminated his life's la- 
bors when he was yet in the prime of life. 
He made a trip to West Point on horse- 
back and becoming very fatigued he con- 
tracted a severe cold, resulting in pneu- 
monia. He was unable to throw off the 
disease and passed away on the 20th of 
February, 1880. In early manhood Dr. 
Tressler was married to Miss Ada Jo- 
sephine ]\lclntire, also a native of Penn- 
sylvania. She was a granddaughter of a 
Revolutionary soldier and represented one 
of the old and prominent families of the 



Keystone state. To her husband she was 
a \ery faithful companion and helpmate 
on life's journey, sharing with him in all 
his efforts to benefit mankind and inspir- 
ing him with her encoiu^aging words and 
acti\-e cii-(iperation. L'nto Dr. and Mrs. 
Tressler were Ixirn fi\-e children. Mary 
Loretta is now the wife of Professor Cv- 
rus B. Xewcomer, of Carthage College, 
who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. 
Elizabeth Agnes is the wife of James 
Sumner Maloney, a resident of Polo, Illi- 
nois ; Charles J. is an able lawyer, repre- 
senting the firm of Swift & Company, of 
Chicago. The other members of the 
family are deceased. 

Dr. Tressler possessed a rare combina- 
tion of e.xcellent qualities which admirably 
fitted him for the position which he filled. 
He was a man of indomitable energy, keen 
intellectuality. <if read}- tact and excellent 
business ability, all of which qualities are 
needed in the successful management of 
an educational instituticjn. He possessed 
a kindly, generous and sympathetic nature 
and cheerful and optimistic disposition, 
being inclined always to look upon the 
bright side. He was also a man of ready 
and pleasing address, capable of easily 
adapting himself to all classes of people 
rmd making the humblest feel at ease in 
his presence. In his efforts and unflag- 
ing zeal for Carthage College and the 
advancement of the Christian kingdnm he 
sacrificed his life antl the church and 
college lost in his death one of the most 
efficient leaders and useful servants. His 
memory, however, is yet cherished by all 
who knew him and remains as a blessed 
benediction to all who were associated 
with him in his work or came under his 



HAXCOCK COUXTV. ILLIXOIS. 



teaching. In the pulpit and on the lectm-e 
platform he was a fluent speaker, having 
his subject thoroughly in hand and ad- 
dressing his audiences in the logical, con- 
vincing manner which never fails to leave 
a deep impress upon the minds of the 
hearers. He had Ixit just entered upon 
his forty-second year when called to his 
hnal rest. The funeral services, con- 
ducted by the Rev. Mr. Kuhl and Dr. 
Rhodes, of St. Louis, were largely at- 
tended by many ministers and friends out- 
side of the city as well as by a large con- 
course of Carthage people. No man in 
Hancock county was ever more respected 
or enjoyed more fully the confidence of 
the public or better deserved such respect 
and confidence. In his lifetime those who 
knew him. recognizing his worth, rejoiced 
in his advancement and in the honors to 
which he attained and since his death they 
have cherished his memorv. 



F. H. C. NEWCOMB. 

F. H. C. Newcomb, whose life has been 
de\-oted to general farming and stock- 
raising, was born in Colchester, Vermont. 
March i6, 1828, and has therefore 
reached the age of seventy-eight years, 
being one of the esteemed and venerable 
citizens of his part of Hancock county. 
His parents were P. P. and Sarah Ann 
(Munson) Newcomb. The father wa§ 
born in Bardstown, Massachusetts, May 
19, 1804, and in 1839 removed from 
Colchester, \^ermont, to Rushville, Illi- 



nois, while in 1836 he became a resident 
of Pulaski, Hancock county. When he 
arrived there he built a log cabin twelve 
by twelve feet, in which he lived until he 
erected the first frame house in the town. 
For miles around there was not another 
home but in the course of years the coun- 
try became thickl)' settled and he con- 
tinued to reside in Pulaski until his death, 
one of its most valued and prominent pio- 
neers. He was reared to farm life and 
engaged in teaching school in both the 
east and in Illinois. He also worked at 
the carpenter's and joiner's trade in Pu- 
laski as well as at cabinet-making and was 
thus early identified with the industrial 
interests of the town. After 1850 he 
turned his attention to merchandising and 
he also owned an interest in the bank at 
Dexter, at Newomb and at Augusta. He 
thus figured quite prominently in business 
circles and was thus closely associated 
with the commercial and industrial de- 
velopment of this part of the state. For 
six years he filled the ofiice of justice of 
the peace, was postmaster for twenty-four 
years, school treasurer f()r twenty-three 
years and supervisor for four years, and 
his long continuance in these different of- 
fices is an indication of his capable service 
and of his fidelity. His political alle- 
giance was given to the Republican party 
and his religious faith was indicated by 
his membership in the Methodist church, 
in which he served as steward and re- 
corder. He married Miss Sarah Ann 
Munson, a daughter of Theodore and 
Lydia (Philbrook) Munson. Mrs. Mun- 
son was bom in Dover, New Hampshire. 
She was poisoned from virus from the 
wounds of her son William, who was 



722 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



niurtally wuunded at the battle of h'rank- 
lin, and only lived for six days afterward, 
while Mrs. Munson passed away Sep- 
tember 20, 1865, and now sleeps beside 
her patriot sons. ]Mr. Munson also passed 
away. Both were people of the highest 
respectability and genuine worth, es- 
teemed for their many good qualities. 
They had a family of seven children : 
Abigail Parmeter, who is now the wife 
of William Reymikls; Francis; Henry 
Clay, of this review; Sarah I'herona, the 
wife of Dr. H. E. Elliott; Proctor Peter, 
who married Nancy Compton, and lives in 
Augusta, Illinois; Wilbur Fisk, who mar- 
ried Fannie \\'. Gordon ; William Lan- 
don ; and John Locke. The son Wilbur 
enlisted August 10, 1862, in Company C, 
Seventy-second Illinois Wilunteer In- 
fantry and at the assault at X'ickshurg im 
the 22d of May, 1863, was mortally 
wounded in the head and died on the 31st 
of Ma_\'. His remains were disinterred 
by his brother. Pmctor P., and his broth- 
er-in-law. Dr. Elliott, and brought home, 
being laid to rest within sight of his birth- 
place. W. L. also enlisted at the same 
time of his brother and in the same regi- 
ment and was mortally wounded at the 
battle of Franklin, Tennessee, Xo\emljer 
30, i8C)4. He \\-as lirought home Janu- 
ary 6, 1865, and dieil on the i4t]i of the 
same month, so that his remains were in- 
terred by his brother's side in Augusta 
cemetery. 

F. H. C. Newconib was a \erv \'oung 
lad when he accom])anied his parents on 
their removal to Illinois. Fie was reared 
111 Pulaski and accpiired his education in 
the public scIk.joIs. On the 21st of Feb- 
ruarv, i860, he married Miss Sarah Eliza- 



beth Cordon, who was born in the city 
of New York in 1839, a daughter of Eil- 
win and Martha Ann Gordon, both na- 
tives of New York. The father was a 
farmer by occupation and settled in 
Adams county, Illinois, at an early day. 
In their family were ten children, of 
A\hom eig'ht are living; William, now of 
Iowa ; Anna, the wife of Rodman Foster, 
of Augusta: Fannie, the wife of Joe 
Smith, of Augusta; Xeallv, the widow 
of Samuel Fisher, of .Vugusta ; ]Mahla, 
the widow of Frank FJacon, also 
a resident of Augusta ; Charles and 
Ed, who are li\-ing in the same place; 
anil .Sarah E., now Mrs. Newcomb. 
'1 he marriage of Mr. and ]\Irs. New- 
comb has been blessed with six chil- 
dren; John Elliott, born March 29, 
:86i, is at home. Wilbur Fisk, born .Au- 
gust 21, 1863, died September 16, 1864. 
Fannie, twin sister of Wilbur, died Octo- 
Ijcr 7, 1864. Sarah A., born January 6, 

1865, is the wife of Morris Grain, of 
Washington, ami the\- have one child, 
Helen. Susan, born November 30, 

1866, is the wife of Frank ^^'illiams, of 
Pulaski, and they have five children, 
rirace, Lela, Roy, Carl, and Abbie. Mar- 
tha, l)orn December 29, 1871, is the wife 
of Fred Grain, li\-ing near Pulaski, and 
they have two children, Donald and 
Dorothy. 

Mr. Newcomb is a republican and has 
ser\ed as tax collector. He is one of the 
earl}- representatives of the Odd Fellows 
and Masons lodges in this locality and 
his wife is a member of the Methodist 
church. Their home is a farm of two 
hundred and fort}- acres on section 36, 
Augusta township, and their residence 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



7-^3 



was erected thereon in 1893. Mr. New- 
comb has added to the property until 
he now owns five hundred and twenty- 
five acres in Augusta township, the great- 
er part of which is under a high state of 
cultivation. He has made all of the im- 
provements upon the farm and it is now 
one of the attractive features of the land- 
scape.. He has carried on the general 
Vv'ork of tilling the soil and has also en- 
gaged in stock-raising, formerly dealing 
quite extensively in horses. He never in- 
herited a dollar in his life but is now com- 
fortably situated, his land having in- 
creased in value owing to the rapid settle- 
ment of the county and also due to the 
manv improvements he has placed upon 
it until he is now comfortably situated. 
There was no home between this place 
and Huntsville when his father arrived 
and there were no fences or other evi- 
dences to show that the work of civiliza- 
tion had been begun. The entire coun- 
try-side was covered with the native prai- 
rie grasses and Mr. Newcomb has seen it 
developed from such a stage to its present 
advanced condition of improvement. He 
is thoroughly familiar with pioneer life 
and its experiences in this portion of the 
country and he relates many interesting 
incidents of the earlv davs. 



T. A. HALLAM. 



T. A. Hallam, who for almost a half 
century has resided in this section of Illi- 
nois, is one of the esteemed residents of 



Pulaski — a man whom to know is to re- 
spect and honor. He has now passed the 
seventy-eighth milestone on life's jour- 
ney, and looking back over the past he 
finds little occasion for regret over lost 
opportunities. On the contrary his 
friends know him to be a man worthy 
of their confidence and regard because of 
the active, upright life he has lived. He 
was born in Allenton, Lincolnshire. Eng- 
land, in 1828, and is a son of Thomas 
Allen and Elizabeth (Bell) Hallam. The 
father was born in Eden, Lancastershire, 
England, and in that country was en- 
gaged in the clothing business. He spent 
his entire life in his native land as did 
his wife, who was born in Allenton, 
Lincolnshire. In their family were nine 
children. 

T. A. Hallam was educated in the 
schools of his native countrv and remained 
upon the farm until eighteen years of age, 
when he left home and was employed in 
various ways in order to earn an honest 
living. He spent three years in France 
as a civil engineer, being for two years 
of that time in Paris, and then having 
carefully considered the matter of emi- 
grating to America he became convinced 
that he would have better opportunities 
iji the new world and accordingly made 
arrangements to seek a home beyond the 
Atlantic. 

Before he sailed, however, Mr, Hallam 
was married in 1857 to Miss Anna Cook, 
who was born in Lincolnshire, England, 
in 1832. a daughter of ^Ir. and Mrs. 
Samuel Cook. Her father died when she 
was a child. He was foreman of a large 
estate in his native country and there 
reared his familv of seven children but 



724 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJIEW 



on\\ three are now lixing-: ^Mrs. Hallam ; 
Jabez ; and Joseph. wIki has lieeii cnii- 
iiected with the pulilic hl)rary at Ouincy, 
JlHnois, since its i}])ening. 

InimeiUately after his marriage Mr. 
Hallam and his bride sailed for the new 
world and came tn Ilinois. Since that 
time they have resided in Ouincy. in Au- 
gusta, and in Nebraska, at different 
periods, and in 1881 Mr. Hallam pur- 
chased ten acres of land in Pulaski, where 
he now makes his home. For many 
years he was actively engaged in farm- 
ing but has now retired from business 
cares and enjoys a well earned rest. He 
\\\&\ a life of acti\ity and enterprise, and 
his well directed labors brought him a 
measure of success which is most cred 
itable and gratifying and which now sup- 
plies him with all of the comforts and 
some of the lu.vuries of life. On becom- 
ing a naturalizetl American citizen he 
gave his political allegiance to the Repub- 
lican ])art}-. of which he has ever been 
a stalwart ad\-ocate. He and his wife are 
now pleasantly located in Pula.ski and in 
addition to their home here Mr. Hallam 
owns a house and lot in .\ugusta. which 
he rents. They are people who are es- 
teemed by young and old, rich and poor. 
and claim many friends among the chil- 
dren, all of whom delight to visit at their 
home. They are both well read upon cur- 
rent topics and though Mr. Hallam has 
passed the psalmist's alloted span of three 
score years and ten. in spirit and inter- 
ests he seems yet in his prime. His 
ready adaptability and stning purpose en- 
abled him to make stead}- advancement in 
business life after coming to the new 
world. 



W ILLIAM MILLER SPANGLER. 

William ^Miller Spangler, one of the 
oldest pioneer settlers of Hancock county, 
now living in Carthage at the age of 
eighty-four years, has not only Ijeen a wit- 
ness of many changes that have occurred 
in the city and county but has also been 
;. ]iarticipant in many events which have 
left their impress upon the annals of the 
county. His name is inseparably inter- 
woven with the history of this part of the 
state and this \-()lume would be incom- 
plete without mention of him. His natal 
year was 1822 and the place of his birth 
Cumberland county, Pennsylvania. His 
father. Samuel Spangler. was Ijorn in 
Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, .\pril 1, 
T787, and on the 15th of October, 1812, 
was maried to Miss Rebecca Trego, who 
was born in the same state April 27, 1788. 
The father was an expert mechanic and 
engaged in manufacturing wagons, plows 
and farm implements. He cast in his 
lot with the early settlers of Hancock 
count}'. Illinois, in 1838, and shared in 
the hardships and trials incident to fron- 
tier life. He served as a soldier ><\ the 
war of 1812 and at all times was progres- 
sive and loyal in citizenship. He served 
as school director and was interested in 
the movements relating to the county's 
development and upbuilding. He died in 
Hancock township over thirtv vears ago 
and his wife had passed a\\a^' a number 
of }'ears ])re\ious. the remains being in- 
terred in Hancock township. In their 
family were nine children, Margaret 
Eleanor, Mar}- Matilda, Joseph Trego, 
Samuel Lewis. William Miller, Rebecca 
Skiles. Emeline Hannah. John Skiles and 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



725 



Elizabeth Venlelia. Of thi^ numl)er John 
was a soldier of tlie Ci\il war, serving 
for three years. He enHsted in the 
One Hundred and Eighteenth Illinois 
Infantry. 

William AI. Spangler, the only sur\iv- 
ing member of the family, was educated 
in the" public schools of Pennsylvania and 
at the age of sixteen years came to Han- 
cock county, where he arriveil to find a. 
district that was but sparsely settled and 
in which the work of civilization and 
progress seemed scarcely begun. He can 
well remember the important incidents 
of the early da^'s, including the troubles 
which arose o\er the settlement of the 
Mormons in this part of the state. He 
has a vivid recollection of the time when 
Joseph and Hiram Smith, the leaders of 
the Mormon church were killed. As the 
years went by he watched with interest 
the settlements that were made and the 
progress that was carried on as wild lands 
were converted intu productive farms and 
as towns and cities were built, bringing" 
with them all of the industrial and com- 
mercial interests of the older east. In his 
youth he aided in the arduous task of 
developing the new land at a time when 
one had to walk in the furrows after the 
plow and when much of the farm labor 
was done bv hand. He continued with 
his parents until 1844, in which year he 
was married to Aliss Emily Renshaw. a 
native of Sangamon county, Illinois, and 
a daughter of James and Xancy Renshaw, 
natives of Xorth Carolina, the former 
born September 30, 1803, and the latter 
September i, 1805. They were married 
June 17, 1824, and had a family of five 
children, all of whom have now passed 



away. Sarah Emih-, who became Mrs. 
Spangler, was born July 1. 1825, in Ken- 
tucky, antl died July 20, 1899. Matilda 
Renshaw was born December 12, 1826. 
Martha Avalene, born October 22, 1828, 
died March 7, 1856. Elizabeth, born 
March 2, 183 1, died September 2/. 1854. 
Elijah, twin brother of Elizabeth, died 
May 16, 1 83 1, aged tw<i months and 
fourteen days. The father died May 22. 
1885. and his wife at the age of eighty-six 
vears. This aged couple were devout 
members of the Methodist church and 
were exceedingly active in religious work. 
Their home was for many years the place 
of entertainment for visiting preachers to 
their neighborhood and church services 
were frequently held in their house. 
The\' were kind and charitable people, 
gi\ing freely to assist the poor and needy 
and doing much to help their fellowinen. 
Following his marriage Mr. Spangler 
was given a farm in l-'ountain Green 
t<iwnship, w here he li\ed until 1856. This 
was go\ernment land entered by his fa- 
ther and (in it a log cabin had been liuilt. 
In this Mr. Spangler lived until a new 
house could be erected. Afterward he 
removed to Carthage, where he li\'ed for 
a few years but in i860 returned to Foun- 
tain (ireen township. Later he again lo- 
cated in Carthage, where he and his broth- 
er owned a drv groods store and for a 
tune he also clerked for Jesse \\'illiams, 
w ho conducted a store there. It w-as sub- 
sequent to this time that Mr. Spangler 
embarked in business on his own account. 
Later he engaged in dealing in wagons 
and subsequently his attention was again 
given to farming interests until 1886, 
since which time he has lived retired. In 



726 



BIOGRAPHICAL RE J 'IE I V 



]865 lie purchased his present home, 
which he has occupied continuously. In 
his business career he has ever been founil 
straightforward and honorable, treating 
all men in a fair and impartial manner 
and his Inisiness integrity and enterprise 
constitute the strong element in his 
success. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Spangler were born 
eight children, all born in Hancock coun- 
ty. Matilda, the eldest, l)orn April 18, 
1845. was married November 10, 1869. 
to William Henry and lives in Emmetts- 
burg, Iowa. They had five children, 
namely; Claud M., of Redfield, South 
Dakota, who wedded L. Genevieve Show- 
er and has a daughter, Claudia Maxine 
Henry ; Frank Edmunds Henry, who is 
a Congregational preacher of Garner, 
Iowa, who wedded Anna Cameron and 
has one child, Glenn Cameron Henry ; 
Mrs. Mabel Armstrong, wd:o is living in 
Dakota and has one child ; Glenn, who 
was the twin brother of Frank and died 
at the age of six months ; and Lena. 
Evelyn Verdelia, the second daughter of 
Mr. Spangler, was born December 19, 
1847, \vas married in 1896 to William C. 
Taylor and lives in Brown county, Kan- 
sas. Virginia Rebecca, now of Enderlin, 
North Dakota, bom June 7, 1850, became 
the wife of William CrufT, wdio died Oc- 
tober 23, 1904. They had been married 
in March, 187 1, and had five children: 
James R. ; William, w ho is married and 
has five children, his home being in Lucca, 
North Dakota ; Arthur Cruff, whij died 
in 1900; Frank Cruff, who is li\'ing with 
his parents: and Mary Cruff, deceased. 
Josephine Emily Spangler, the fourth 
member of the Spangler family, was born 



April 24, 1853, 'ii'^'i ^^'is married Decem- 
ber 26, 1872, to Oliver Miller, their home 
being now in Beaconsfield, Ringgold coun- 
ty, Iowa. They have five living children : 
Madge, the wife of Dr. A. R. Mulcahy, 
of Beaconsfield, Iowa, by whom she has a 
son, Rex : Fred Miller, at home ; Nellie, 
who married and lives in Beaconsfield ; 
Coyle and Thomas, both at home. Mary 
Susan Spangler, the fifth member of the 
family, born January 29, 1857, is the 
wife of W. A. Symonds, of Carthage, to 
whom she was married November 26, 
1878. She was one of the first graduates 
of the Carthage high school, completing 
lier course there about thirty years ago. 
She has six children, Frederick W.. 
Emil}' Clare, James Spangler, Raymond 
Hyde, Mary Evelyn and John Hawley. 
James Renshaw .Spangler, the sixth mem- 
ber of the family, born May 20, 1861, 
died March 6, 1886. Nellie Skile Span- 
gler, born April 1 1, 1863, has acted as her 
father's housekeeper since her mother's 
death. 

Mr. Spangler is a prominent member 
of the Presbyterian church, to which his 
wife also belonged. He is now its oldest 
member and for the past twentyrthree 
years has served as one of its elders. He 
has always taken a very active part in 
church work and his wife was his associate 
in all his christian labors. She served as 
treasurer for man}- }'ears of the Ladies' 
Missionary Society and their daughter 
Nellie is now secretary of the literature 
C(_)mnn'ttee of the Missionary Society, in 
which capacity she has acted for several 
years and was also treasurer of the Chris- 
tian Endeavor Society for ten years. Her 
maternal grandmother, Mrs. Renshaw, 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



727 



took several shares in a Bible tract so- 
ciety. Mrs. Spangler was a verj^ active 
and earnest church worker, was a home 
loving woman and did everything in her 
power to promote the happiness of her 
husband and children. She and her son 
were laid to rest in Moss Ridge cemetery 
at Carthage, while her memory remains 
as a blessed lienediction to many who 
knew her and came within the influence nf 
her noble character, her gentle spirit and 
Christian life. Mr. Spangler has always 
been a republican since the organization 
of the party and was tax collector of Han- 
cock township but has never sought to 
become prominent in public affairs. His 
wife inherited some property from her 
father and b}' econoni)- and industry Mr. 
Spangler has accumulated a competence. 
He is a well preser\ed man, possessing a 
retentive memory and few citizens of 
Hancock cminty have more intimate or 
accurate knowledge of the events which 
mark its history. He is highly respected 
in the city and county and his good quali- 
ties makes his example one well worthy 
of emulation. 

Since the above was written Mr. 
Spangler passed away October 9, 1906, 
and was buried in Moss Ridge cemetery 
at Carthage, Illinois. 



JOHN E. JOHNSTONE. 

John E. Johnstone, deceased, was born 
near Belfast, Ireland, July 12, 1812, a son 
of Robert and Eliza (Mathews) John- 
stone, and came to America with his par- 
46 



ents when only ten years of age. His 
parents located at Elkton, Maryland. 
The father was a contractor and builder 
of railways and followed this line of work 
as long as he was in active business life. 
The grandfather of our subject had been 
proprietor i)f extensive cotton mills in 
Ireland. 

John E. Johnstone at tlie age of eight- 
een went to Baltimore and for a time was 
a clerk in a mercantile establishment, and 
later he engaged in a retail mercantile 
business for himself. He became ac- 
quainted with a prominent attorney, Bev- 
erly Johnson, who took a great liking for 
him and made him a member of his fam- 
ily, and throughout his young manhood, 
was a warm personal friend and adviser. 
Eater John Johnstone went to Hercu- 
laneum, Missouri, and there engaged in 
business with a Dr. Johnsiin. later engag- 
ing in the mercantile business in St. E(.)uis, 
for a short time. 

In 1839 he came to \Varsaw and estab- 
lished himself in the same line in this city. 
In the same year a Miss Catherine Bald- 
win, daughter of Epiphras Bull and Hebe 
(Brown) Baldwin, of Carthage, Illinois, 
came to Warsaw to visit an aunt, and 
v.diile here all her girl friends were anx- 
ious to introduce her to the new merchant, 
Mr. Johnstone, from Baltimore. He was 
very popular, but little <li(l his lady friends 
think they were introducing some one who 
would pro\e a successful rival. They 
were married at her home in Carthage 
December 15, 1840. They made their 
home in Warsaw and Mr. Johnstone con- 
tinued in business for man)- years. 

Of the nine children born unto them, 
five grew to j-ears of maturity. Ann 



728 



BIOGRAPHICAL RFAIEIV 



Lliza, became the wife of Gen Oliver Ed- 
wards, whose sketch appears in tliis work; 
Emily Jeanette married Horace A. Scott, 
and departed this life at Osceola, Ne- 
braska ; James E. married Clara Black 
and died in \\'ichita, Kansas, leaving four 
children : Frances Ellen married Alonzo 
H. McGregor, and spent the last few years 
of her life and died in W'arsaw ; John 
Charles married Anna Kreipkie and lives 
in St. Louis. 

John E. Johnstone was a whig and latei; 
a very stanch republican. He took an 
active part in the Mormon war and re- 
ceived a commission from the governor 
of the state as cjuarter-master. dm-ing 
those troublous times. He retired from 
the mercantile business and served as post- 
master several years, being appointed by 
President Grant, and served until after 
Cleveland went into office. He became 
identified with the Presbyterian church 
and served as a trustee in that body. He 
was closely identified with the growth of 
Warsaw from its infancy doing all that 
came ti; his notice to aid in the progress 
and upbuilding of the community. He 
w^as a member of the Masonic fraternity 
and took great interest in the work of 
that order. His death occurred August 
5, 1887. His widow is still active at the 
advanced age of eightv-seven years. 



STEPHEN H. I'ERRIS. 

Stephen H. Ferris, who.se activity has 
largelv touched the general interests of 



city and of muncipality, is well known in 
Carthage as cashier of the Hancock Coun- 
ty National Bank, as a friend and pro- 
moter of Carthage College and as one 
of the factors of the Building and Loan 
Association, which has proven of value 
in the upbuilding of the city and also as 
a valued mayor. He was born here Sep- 
tember 13, 1862. a son of H. G. Ferris, 
and in the public schools of Carthage he 
began his education, passing through suc- 
cessi\'e grades until he became a high 
school student. Later he entered Car- 
thage College, from wdiich he was grad- 
uated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts 
in the class of 1882, wdiile subsequently 
the degree of Master of Arts was con- 
ferred upon him. He also attended East- 
man's Business College, of Poughkeepsie. 
New York, where he was graduated, and 
soon after his return h(jme he entered 
actively upon business life in connection 
with the Hancock County National Bank, 
becoming bookkeeper of the institution in 
Januar}', 1884. He so continued until 
elected director on the 23d of Jul_\-. 1884. 
and at the annual meeting held January 
iQ. 1884. he was chosen assistant cashier. 
He also held the office of vice president 
from the nth of January. 1898. until the 
14th of January. 1002, when he was 
chosen cashier, in which capacit}' he has 
since ser\-e(l, and in connection with his 
brother. J. C. h'erris. be has the acti\"e 
management of the bank which is largely 
known throughout the count}' as the Fer- 
ris i'.ank. 

A democrat in his political affiliation. 
Mr. Ferris has never been an aspirant for 
political honors and yet his fellow towns- 
men have called upon him to serve in some 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



729 



positions of public trust. From May, 
1903, until May, 1905, he was mayor of 
the city, being elected on the street paving- 
issue. Mr. Ferris was in favor of perma- 
nent impro\ements and under his admin- 
istration the first real work in street pav- 
ing was done, including the laying of the 
pavement around the public square and 
to the depot, at an (>ntla_\- of Ijetween 
thirty and forty thousand dollars. His 
fellow citizens recognizing his stand in 
support of improvements of this character, 
he was nominated for the office and ac- 
cepted it in order that he might put into 
practice his views regarding municipal 
impnivements. He placed the affairs of 
the city upon a strictly business basis and 
while working for an economical adminis- 
tration he also labored effectiveU' fiir 
progress. W liile not an active politician 
he has always been interested in anything 
for the public benefit and his labors have 
been of far-reaching importance. He has 
been one of the active members in school 
affairs, has served as a member of the 
school board from April, 1897, and dur- 
ing this time labored effectively and suc- 
cessfully for the erection of the high 
school building. He believes in the em- 
ployment of competent teachers and the 
utilization of advanced ideas in regard tri 
public education and this has been mani- 
fest in many tangible results. He has 
likewise been treasurer of Carthage Col- 
lege since 1884 and is still acting in that 
capacity. He was largely instrumental 
in organizing the Carthage Building and 
Liian Association in 1883, in which move- 
ment he was associated with W. H. 
Davidson, who did the first preliminary 
work in brin£ring matters aliout. -\t the 



first meeting the following officers were 
elected : A. W. O'Harra, Thomas F. 
Dunn, Edward Cherrill, E. C. Ouimby, 
\y. C. Hooker, M. P. Berry, George W. 
Payne, Frank Halbower and H. G. Ferris. 
Mr. Ferris was elected secretary and has 
since filled the position. Splendid success 
has attended the organization and a large 
local business has been conducted. Nine- 
teen series have matured and the associa- 
tion has been the means of bringing about 
much substantial improvements and build- 
ing in Carthage. His fraternal relations 
are with Hancock lodge, Xo. 20, Ancient 
Free and Accepted Masons, of which he 
has been master and he is also president 
of the Citizens Association. Wherever 
there is a public-spirited attempt to do 
away with misrule in municipal affairs 
he is to be found working with the leaders 
of the movement and he furthermore 
knows how to utilize the practical methods 
at hand in working for the ideal. 

Mr. Ferris was maried to Miss Helen 
B. Durkes, of ^^'arsa\v, on the 28th of 
October, 1885, and they have become the 
jjarents of seven children, Dorothy T.., 
Ellen D., Adelaide A.. Stephen Hunt. 
Julia. Phoebe and John D. The family 
attend and support the Episcopal church 
of which Mr. Ferris is a trustee and they 
occupy a fine home cmi Fayette street. 
The life record of him whose name intro- 
duces this review stands in contradistinc- 
tion to the old adage that "a prophet is 
never without' honor save in his own 
country," for in the city where his entire 
life has been passed Mr. Ferris is accorded 
leadership in recognition of a public 
spirit which places the general good be- 
fore personal aggrandizement and which 



730 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'lEW 



labors unselfishly for the best interests 
of the community at large. 



HIRAM G. FERRIS. 

Hiram G. Ferris, coming to Hancock 
county when it contained a population of 
less than two hundred, engaged actively 
upon the work of upbuilding and prog- 
ress and left the impress of his individual- 
ity upon many historic events and upon 
the material development of this portion 
of the state. He figured for a long period 
as one of the leading attorneys and later 
as a prominent banker of Carthage, and 
he aided in laying broad and deep the 
foundation for the present development, 
progress and prosperity of the city. His 
birth occurred near Howard, Steuben 
county, New York, May 13, 1822, his 
parents being Stephen G. and Emma 
(Beebe) Ferris. The first authentic in- 
formation obtainable concerning the Fer- 
ris family in America shows that they 
were residents of Connecticut, living, 
however, not far from New York city, 
during an early period in the settlement 
of that part of the country. Representa- 
tives of the name participated in the 
Colonial wars and the war for inde- 
pendence. 

Stephen Gano Ferris, grandfather of 
our subject, was born in Hillsdale, Colum- 
bia county, New Y'ork, in August, 1788, 
and was there reared. He afterward be- 
came a resident of North Norwich. 
Chenango county, New York, w hen it was 



;i frontier district, and there learned the 
tanner's and furrier's trade, which he fol- 
lowed until his father's removal to Yates 
county, New York, about 1810 or 1812. 
In the latter county Stephen (i. Ferris 
devoted his time and energies to farm- 
ing. On the nth of August, 1814, the 
twenty-third anniversary of his birth, he 
was married to Miss Emma Beebe, a na- 
tive of Chenango county. New York. 
He retained his residence in Yates coun- 
ty until 1820, when he removed to How- 
artl. New Y^ork, where he resided until 
1832, when, through the persuasion of 
his brother-in-law, Jabez A. Beebe, he 
made his way to Illinois. Mr. Beebe had 
come to this state and taken up his abode 
where Fountain Green now stands. 
Stephen (\. Ferris purchased land in this 
state and with his family, consisting of 
wife and six children, started westward 
by way of the river route, proceeding 
down the Allegheny river to Pittsburg on 
a flatboat, it requiring nine weeks to make 
that trip. He then took passage on the 
steamer Niagara bound for St. Louis, 
wliere he arrived about the ist of Decem- 
l;er. The lateness of the year made it 
almost impossible for him to get a flat- 
boat to convey himself and family north- 
ward Ijut they eventually reached Trad- 
ers' Point, now Keokuk, Iowa, where 
the}- arrived about the loth or 1 ith of 
December. The place at that time con- 
sisted of only three or four log cabins at 
the base of the hill. These were occu- 
pieil by three or four traders and their 
families and there were about one hun- 
dred Indians camped in the neighborhood. 
There were no houses at Hamilton, and 
Fort Edwards, now ^^'arsaw■, contained 



HAXCOCK COUNTY, ILLIXOIS. 



731 



but one dwelling — the home of Abraham 
Smith. It cost Mr. Ferris si.xteen dollars 
to have himself and family ferried across 
the river on the 13th of December, 1832. 
Accompanied by his son, John M. Ferris, 
he afterward walked to Horseback Grove, 
now Fountain (ireen, a distance nf twen- 
ty-two miles. There he enipli)yed a mar, 
to go for his family and goods, the jour- 
ney being made with a one-horse wagon 
and ox team. Fountain Green being 
reached on the 15th of December, 1832. 

The brother-in-law, Mr. Beebe. and his 
family having arrived the year before had 
a comfortable double log house, which he 
shared with Mr. Ferris until spring. The 
latter then purchased one hundred and 
ten acres of land of Mr. Beebe. on which 
he erected a good, substantial pioneer 
residence. In 1833 he began opening up 
his farm and also built a small tannery 
but the latter enterprise was not a success 
on account of the lack of bark. He also 
built a sawmill but that did not prove a 
profitable venture and in 1836 he sold his 
farm. 

On the 14th of September, i860, his 
wife died at Fountain Green, and he after- 
ward came to Carthage, where he made 
his home with his son, Hiram O. I'erris. 
residing there almost continuously until 
his death, which occurred, however, or 
the evening of November 29, 1876, while 
on a visit to his son. Dr. L. T. Ferris, at 
Fountain Green. He was then over 
eighty-eight years of age, and his grave 
was made by the side of his wife in Foun- 
tain Green cemetery. He was one of the 
early Baptists of the county and did much 
for that denomination, while in other 
wavs be contributed to the substantial im- 



provement and moral advancement of his 
community. 

Hiram G. Ferris, whose name intro- 
duces this record, was a lad of about ten 
years when he came to this county. Here 
he was reared amid the wild scenes and 
environment of pioneer life, and shared 
with the family in the task of reclaiming 
a tract of wild land for the purposes of 
civilization. His early education was ac- 
quired in the public schools and he after- 
ward entered Kno.x College, at Galesburg. 
where he completed the work of the junior 
year. Afterward in company with David 
D. Holton he made an overland trip to 
California in 1 850, driving a team of 
horses. He first engaged in placer min- 
ing in northern California, following that 
pursuit for a year or two. after which he 
was appointed one of the commissioners 
who organized Siskiyou countv. Later 
he was elected and served for two years 
as county clerk, which office then also em- 
braced the duties of county register. At 
the same time General Colton was sheriff 
of the county, which at tliat time harbored 
many rough characters attracted by the 
opportunities of lawlessness up(.>n the 
frontier. About that time a niol) tried to 
rescue a member of their gang from jail 
but General Colton and Mr. Ferris kept 
them back with drawn revolvers. 

After a number of years spent on the 
coast Hiram G. Ferris, in 1856, returned 
to Hancock county. Having previously 
read and studied law he made application 
to the supreme court of Illinois and was 
admitted to the bar. Not long afterward 
he formed a partnership with W'illiam C. 
Hooker, George Edmunds, Jr., under the 
firm name of Hooker, Ferris & Edmunds, 



712 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IEJV 



which rehilion was continued until 187,:,. 
when the partnersliip was dissolved. The 
firm of Ferris & Hooker then practiced 
until 1864, when Mr. Ferris became as- 
sociated with Francis M. Corby and or- 
ganized a banking institution under the 
firm name of Ferris & Corby. They were 
also interested in large real estate transac- 
tions, operating extensively in land and 
improved property. The bank was con- 
tinued as a pri\ate institution until it was 
incorporated under the name of the Han- 
cock County National Bank, on the i8th 
of May. 1865. At that time the firm of 
I'erris & Corbv passed out of existence 
and the bank took its place with the fol- 
lowing directors, who also had signed the 
application : Francis M. Corby. Hiram 
G. Ferris, Bryant T. Scofield, Andrew J. 
(jriiTith and Edward Cherrill. The hoard 
elected the following officers : H. G. Fer- 
ris, president: F. ]\1. Corby, vice presi- 
dent : and Edward Cherrill. cashier. On 
the 16th of January, 1863, Mr. Corby re- 
tired and Dr. Griffith was elected vice 
president, retaining the ofiice until his 
death in 1S84, after which he was suc- 
ceeded by David Mack. Mr. h>rris con- 
tinued as president until his demise on the 
20th of August, 1893. Tlie first state- 
nicnt issued b}' the Hancock County Na- 
tional Bank in 1865 sh(jwed a business of 
about one hundred and seventy-five thou- 
sand dollars, and the last statement issued 
by this institution showed half a millii_in. 
Its growth therefore has been steady and 
healthy and it is safe to say that in its 
forty years e.xistence it has handled be- 
tween twelve and fifteen million dollars 
of the people's money and not a cent has 
been lost by a depositor and not a mo- 



ment has the bank closed its doors on ac- 
count of financial stringencies which in 
that period temporarily embarrassed many 
very good banking institutions. Tlie 
bank was first incorporated with a capital 
stock of fifty thousand dollars, which was 
afterward increased to sevt.ity-five thou- 
sand dollars. Later, however, it was re- 
duced again to fifty thousand dollars but 
recently has once more been raised to sev- 
entv-five thousand dollars. It is now the 
oldest banking instituti(_>n in the county 
and was the first national bank in 
Carthage. 

Mr. Ferris continued as president U[) to 
the time of his death and was also the 
owner of extensive real estate interests. 
The bank built a fine two-story brick 
structure on the corner of Main and Madi- 
son streets and occupy the ground floor. 
This was in 1871. and individually Mr. 
Ferris also had extensive realty holdings. 

In his political \-iews a stalwart demo- 
crat. Mr. Ferris was for a number of 
terms a member of the board of super- 
visors and for many years served on the 
school board, taking a great interest in 
the cause of public education in Carthage. 
He was also president of the town council 
and his aid and co-operation could be 
Counted upon to further e\'er\- progressi\'e 
measure for the good of the community. 
He was always a stalwart advocate of the 
temperance cause and strongly opp(Ksed 
licensed saloons in Carthage. In fact he 
stood for all that promotes honorable, up- 
right manhood. He was made a Mason 
in 1850 and later became a member of 
Hancock lodge. No. 20, Ancient Free and 
Accepted Masons, serving as master for 
a number of terms. He was likewise a 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



733 



member of the chapter and council and 
Almoner commandery. Knight Templar, 
at Augusta. \\'hile in California he 
served as senior grand deacon of the 
grand lodge of the state for one year. 

On the 2oth of August, 1857, Air. Fer- 
ris was married to i\Iiss Julia E. Helton, 
at Hill's Grove, McDonough county, a 
daughter of Isaac and I'hoebe (Arnold) 
Holton. They became the parents of nine 
children, all of whom are yet li\ing, 
namely: Junius C. now president of the 
Hancock County National Bank : Esther 
Maude, the wife of Frank H. Graves, one 
of the leading attorneys of Spokane, 
^^'ashingto^ ; Stephen H.. cashier of the 
Hancock County National Bank; Julia, 
the wife of L. P. Hobbs, of Oregon; 
Ellen, the wife of Ralph E. Scofield, an 
attorney-at-law. at Kansas City. Mis- 
souri ; Phoebe, the wife of George \V. 
Worcester, of Grand Forks, British 
Columbia ; Hiram B., of Spokane, ^^'ash- 
ington; Joel E., of St. Louis, Missouri; 
and Harold G., of Chicago. 

Mr. Ferris has left worthy successors 
in his sons, who are prominent business 
men of various localities. He was a 
tvpical citizen of pioneer times and kept 
in touch with the general progress as man- 
ifest in business development and in pub- 
lic thought and action. He was particu- 
larly active in the support of Carthage 
College, was for several years a member 
of its board of trustees, acted as treas- 
urer for a time and was one of its stanch 
supporters, taking a most helpful interest 
in its welfare. No movement for the 
benefit of the city or county sought his 
aid in vain. He was also the president 
of the ]\Iasonic fraternal order for a num- 



ber of years and while his attention was 
mainly given to his business interests, 
^vhich became extensi\e and important, 
making him one of the prosperous resi- 
dents of the community, he allowed the 
accumulation to in no wise affect his re- 
lations with those less fortunate and re- 
garded his prosperity merely as a means to 
and end. delighting in the opportunities 
which it gave him for providing for his 
family and for assisting in matters of pub- 
lic moment. His name has thus become 
inseparably interwoven with the history 
of Carthage and Hancock county, where 
lor more than sixty years he made his 
home, passing away August 20. 1893. 
His widow still occupies the old home- 
stead, which he had greatly beautified as 
the years went b}'. It was one of the 
early fine homes of the city and is located 
at the southeast corner of Madison and 
Locust streets. 



JUNIUS C. FERRIS. 

Junius C. Ferris, president of the Han- 
cock County National Bank, and the eld- 
est son of the late Hiram G. Ferris, pio- 
neer, attorney and banker, whose enter- 
prise was a dominant factor in the early 
development of the city, was born in Car- 
thage, June 24, 1858. The public schools 
afforded him his preliminary educational 
advantages and he was graduated from 
Carthage College in 1878 with the degree 
of Bachelor of Arts. He afterward pur- 
sued a course in the School of Mines of 



734 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



tlie Columbia College, of New York city, 
;'.iid was graduated as mining engineer in 
1883. Returning to his home, he became 
associated with his father in the conduct 
of the Hancock County National Bank, 
and in 1887 was elected assistant cashier, 
while in 1894 he was chosen vice presi- 
dent and in i8g8 was elected president 
of the institution. I'rior to this time 
he had lieen a member of the boartl 
of directors and with his brother has 
had the active management of the bank 
since iS(;4. This is now 1 me of the larger 
and more conservative financial institu- 
tions of the county and Mr. Ferris has 
devoted his time almost exclusi\-ely to its 
conduct. Tiie charter of the bank was 
extended February 13, iC)o6. and the caj)- 
ital stock was raised to seventv-five 
thousand dollars, with the following of- 
ficers in charge : Junius C. Ferris, pres- 
ident; Charles S. Dehart, vice president: 
and S. H. Ferris, cashier. These three 
gentlemen are also on the board of di- 
rectors, together with David E. ]\Iack and 
A. W . O'Harra. The deposits now 
amount to three millii^n, fi\e hundred 
thousand flollars. They do a strictly 
commercial business and also have a sav- 
ings department in connection. The bank 
has had an unusually successful existence. 
Tl has stood firm in times of financial 
storm and a safe conservati\'e policy was 
iiistituted at its foundation by H. G. Fer- 
ris and his partner, Mr. Corby. The 
same straightforward policy has ever been 
maintained and the business has been con- 
ducted along practical lines broadening 
the sphere of usefulness as the business 
has increased and modern conditions have 
demanded. Mr. Ferris of this review 



was one of the incorporators of the Elec- 
tric Light Company, which was estalj- 
lished in 1888. He became one of its 
first directors and has been treasurer 
since its organization. This has been one 
of the successful public utility concerns. 
On the 27th of June, 1899, ^^i'- Ferris 
was united in marriage to Miss Adelaide 
lUaine, i.>f Moinnouth, Illinois, and they 
have one child, Mary B. The family at- 
tend and support the Pre.sbyterian church, 
of which Mrs. Ferris is a member. j\Ir. 
Ferris belongs to Hancock lodge. No. 20, 
.Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of 
which he is a past master and he belongs 
to Carthage chapter. No. 13, Royal Arch 
Masons, and formerly to Carthage coun- 
cil. No. 47, Royal and Select Masons, 
which. howe\-er, has surrendered its char- 
ter. He was at one time a member of .\1- 
moner commander}'. Knights Templar, at 
Augusta, but has demitted. He votes 
with the democracy and was at one time 
a member of the city council but the hon- 
ors of office have little attraction for him. 
However, he is a most public-spirited citi- 
zen, and the name of Ferris has been a 
potent one in connection with municipal 
impro\ement and development. 



HON. M. P. BERRY. 

Hon. M. P. Berry is a reognized leader 
in all public afifairs in Carthage and has 
l)een specially strong in his advocacy of 
those interests which are matters of civic 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



735 



pride. He is well known as a lawyer, 
having for many years been a practitioner 
at the bar, while at this writing he is 
cashier of the Dime Savings Bank. Born 
m McDonough count}-, Illinois, May 25. 
1853, he is a son of Lee and ]\Iartha ( Mc- 
Connell) Berry and a brother of Senator 
O. F. Berry, now representing this dis- 
trict in the upper house of the general as- 
sembly. His literary education was com- 
l)leted in Carthage College after leaving 
the public schools and for four years he 
engaged in teaching in Hancock county at 
Webster and Burnside. Following his 
{•reparation for the bar he practiced law 
with his brother, O. F. Berry, their i)ri)- 
fessional interests being continuously in 
common until the retirement of M. P. 
Berrv from the bar. The court records 
show the standing of the firm. In no pn>- 
fession is there a career more open to tal- 
ent than in that of the law and in no field 
of endeavor is there demanded a more 
areful preparation, more thorough ap- 
preciation of the absolute ethics of life 
or of the underlying principles which 
form the basis of all human rights ami 
privileges. Possessing the requisite qual- 
ities of the able lawyer, Mr. Berry stead- 
iiv advanced until, leaving the ranks of 
the manv, he stood among the successful 
few as a practitioner. Associated with 
his brother, he established the Dime Sav- 
ings Bank of Carthage and has since been 
active in its management as the cashier, 
while his brother is serving as president. 
In 1874, was celebrated the marriage 
of M. P. Berry and Miss Harriet Camp- 
bell, a native of AIcDonough county. Illi- 
nois, and a daughter of ^^'. S. Campbell, 
D. D., who was a Cumberland Presbv- 



terian minister, spending many years in 
McDonough county, where his death oc- 
curred. His wife bore the maiden name 
of Virginia Kirkpatrick. Mr. and Mrs. 
Berry had one daughter. Leota R., wdio 
was born in Hancock county and later 
passed away. Mrs. Berry passed away 
in Xovember, 1902. and mother and 
daughter were laid to rest in Moss Ridge 
cemetery. She possessed innate culture 
and refinement, which made her always 
thoughtful and considerate of others and 
she was avery active and helpful member 
in the church, holding all of the different 
offices in various societies with which she 
was connected. She was also deeply 
interested in the public library and was 
president of the Library Club at the time 
of her demise. Her influence was ever 
an ele\ating force, never aggressively 
exerted but always quietly and modestly 
[JUt forth. Her many good deeds and 
commendable characteristics won her the 
love and esteem of all with whom she was 
brought in contact. In Xovember. 1904, 
Mr. Berry wedded Miss Lillian Black- 
niore. wlm was Iiorn in Hamilton. Illinois, 
the only daughter of Mark and Fred- 
ericka Blackmore, both of whom are now 
deceased. 

In politics Mr. Berry is a stalwart re- 
publican, who has made a close and dis- 
criminating studv of the questions and 
issues of the day. He has several times 
been mayor of the city and for fifteen 
years has served on the school board, act- 
ing as a part of that time as its president. 
He was also a member of the Library 
Club for several years and it will thus 
lie seen that his co-operation has been an 
acti\'e factor in manv of the movements 



73(^ 



BIOGRAPHICAL REl'IEJl' 



which are of direct benefit to the city. He 
is a i)roininent Odd Fellow and has 
served as grandmaster of his lodge. He 
and his wife hold membership in the 
Presbyterian church, in which he has filled 
all of the church offices and has frequently 
addressed audiences from the pulpit in the 
absence of a pastor. He is chairman of 
the de\-otional committee and has labored 
zealously and untiringly for the growth 
and the extension of its influence. His 
wife is a teacher in the Sunday-school 
and shares with him in all of his labors 
for the church and for benevolent and 
charitable interests. She is eligible to 
membership with the Daughters of the 
American Revolution and is a member of 
P. E. O., in which she has been vice presi- 
dent and president. In 1905. Mr. Berry 
Iniilt an elegant residence at Xo. 405 
Cherr}- street at the corner of Marian 
street and he also owns much other valu- 
able property in Carthage. Theirs is one 
of the beautiful homes of the city in its 
exterior adornments and interi<;)r furnish- 
ings, displaying an artistic taste that 
argues well for the culture of its posses- 
sors. Its hospitality, too, is one of its 
most attracti\'e features and is cordialh' 
extended tn their many friends. 'I'lie 
consensus of public opinion is unanimous 
regarding Mr. Berry's worth as a citizen 
and business man. All acknowledge the 
indebtedness of the public to him for his 
co-operation in measures for the general 
good, his labors at all times being of a 
practical nature and at the same time of a 
character that makes steady advance to- 
ward high ideals in civic virtue, in the 
adornment of the city and in intellectual 
progress. He is justly accorded promi- 



nence }et wears his honors with becoming 
modesty. Few residents of Carthage 
have done as much for mankind as has 
Mr. Berry but it u'ould never be known 
were it left for him to tell. 



PROF, CYRUS B. NEWCOMER 

While the disposition to do honor to 
those who have ser\'ed well their race or 
their nation is prevalent among all en- 
lightened people and is of great value 
everywhere and under all fonns of gov- 
ernment, it is particularly appropriate to 
and to be fostered in this country, where 
no man is born to public office or to public 
honor, or comes to either by inheritance, 
but where all men are equal before the 
law, where the race for distinction is over 
the road of public usefulness and is open 
to every one who chooses to enter and 
where the advantageous circumstances of 
family or wealth count in the vast ma- 
jority of cases for but little or naught. 
Under our system, whose ver\- existence 
depends upon the virtue of the people 
themselves, those who ha\-e distinguished 
themselves in public seiwice, whether in 
citizenship or in anns or in the path of 
civil usefulness, should not fail of recog- 
nition, and in this regard Professor New- 
comer deserves mention, his life in its 
professional connections being of great 
value to his fellowmen. He is now prin- 
cipal of the normal department of Car- 
thage College and since 1902 has been 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



'37 



professor of ancient languages in tiiat in- 
stitution. 

A native son of Illinois. Professor 
Newcomer was born in ]\Iount Morris, 
Ogle county, October 28, 1866, a son of 
Cyrus Barr and Elizabeth (Hause) New- 
comer. The father was born September 
2, 1829, in Greene county, Pennsylvania, 
and the mother's birth occurred in Chews- 
ville. Washington county. Maryland, in 
Februar}', 1835. He was a cooper b\' 
trade and for thirteen years he taught 
school, most of the time in Pennsylvania. 
In the spring of 1861, however, he came 
to Illinois, settling in Ogle county, where 
he engaged to some extent in teaching. 
Much of his life, however, in this state 
was devoted to fanning and he remained 
a resident of Ogle county until his death. 
In politics he was earnest in his advocacy 
of republican principles but never soug'ht 
office as a reward for party fealty. He 
lived a consistent Christian life and in 
early days was connected with the River 
Brethren, but afterward became a mem- 
ber of the Church of God. He died in 
Upper Alton, in 1896, his remains being 
interred in Mount Morris. His widow 
still survives him and now resides with 
her children, spending much of her time, 
hmvever. in I'pper Alton. There were 
eight children in the family: Daniel 
Hause, a farmer residing near Alonnt 
Morris; Samuel ^Martin, who resides at 
Polo, in Ogle county; William Tell, de- 
ceased; Barbara Ellen, the wife of Lewis 
Leak, of Polo; Cyrus B. ; William Tell, 
the second of the family, also deceased ; 
John David, of Mount Morris, Illinois ; 
and Mary Almeda, the wife of Alvin 
Finney, of Forest, Illinois. 



Professor Newcomer began his edu- 
cation in Coon Creek schoolhouse in his 
home district in Ogle county and after- 
ward spent one year as a student in the 
public schools of Alount Morris, contin- 
uing his education in Mount Morris Col- 
lege, from which he was graduated in 
1885. He then entered Carthage Col- 
lege and was graduated with the class of 
1889. while later he matriculated in the 
State Lhiiversity of Michigan at Ann Ar- 
bor, from which he won his Master's de- 
gree in 1895. He pursued two post- 
graduate courses of study in the Chicago 
University in 1899. During the interval 
between the attendance at Mount Morris 
College and Carthage College he taught 
scho( )1 f<.ir a year, being a part of the time 
in the \\'est Branch school, and the re- 
mainder of the time in the Coon Creek 
school in Ogle county. After his gradu- 
ation from Carthage College he went to 
Peabody, Kansas, where he was located 
for three years as principal of the high 
school, and in the fall of 1892 he entered 
the Michigan L^niversitj^ Early in the 
year 1895 he became principal of the high 
school of Belleville. Kansas, and it was 
in the same year that he received his 
Master's degree at .Vnn Arbor. In the 
fall of that >ear he was elected to a pro- 
fessorship in Carthage College and also 
made principal of the normal department 
in this institution, which is under the aus- 
pices of a general synod of the Lutheran 
church. In 1902 he was elected asso- 
ciate professor of ancient languages and 
still fills that position and in the summer 
months he frequently teaches privately. 
He is recognized as one of the strong and 
able educators of this part of the state 



738 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



ami iluriiii;' the ele\en years of his cini- 
nection with Carthage Colleg-e lias done 
much to ath'aiice its standard of pro- 
ficiency and scholarship. Professor New- 
comer finds an interesting and pleasant 
occupation in raising ginseng, called the 
gold miner from the fact that the root is 
somewhat the shape of a man. It is re- 
garded as a panacea for many ills by the 
Chinese and when properly raised sells 
for ten or twelve dollars per pound and 
in China brings its weight in gold. Pro- 
fessor Newcomer has made a study of the 
plant for three years and is now devoting 
an entire lot to the raising of ginseng'. 
He has purchased seed and hopes to have 
his first crop for sale in 1906. This plant 
requires shade like a forest and is very- 
difficult to produce. 

Professor Newcomer was married De- 
cember 19, 1895, to ]\Iiss Mary Loretta 
Tressler, who was born in New Bloom- 
field. Pennsylvania. November 9, 1867, 
and is a daughter of Professor David L. 
and Ada Josephine ( Mclntire) Tress- 
ler, who are mentioned on another page 
of this work. Airs. Newcomer is a grad- 
uate of Carthage Ct)llege and taught for 
one temi at Chili, Hancock county, while 
for five years she was a teacher in the 
public schools of this cit}-. .She was also 
a competent stenographer in the law office 
of Scofield, O'Hara & Scofield in Car- 
thage. She is connected with the Daugh- 
ters of the American Revolution, being- 
regent of the chapter in Carthage, being- 
entitled to membership in this order from 
the fact that her maternal grandfather, 
John Mclntire, was a soldier of the 
American army in the war for independ- 
ence. She has in her possession a piece 



<if Reviilutionai-}- money which came to 
her from her grandfather Mclntire and 
which is now worth four dollars. It 
was issued in 1774. She is a lady of su- 
perior intelligence and culture and of in- 
nate refinement. 

Professor Newcomer is a republican in 
his political views. Both he and his wife 
are devoted members of the Trinity Lu- 
theran church antl he has ser^-ed as dea- 
con, as financial secretary- in the council, 
as superintendent of the Sunday-school 
and director of the choir. He possesses 
a fine vc-)ice and also plays the cornet, hav- 
ing two superior instrui-nents of that 
kind. In 1900 he built a beautiful mod- 
ern residence on College avenue, having 
one of the finest homes in the city. It 
contains an extensive library and all the 
furnishings that go to make a beautiful 
and attractive home. Professor New- 
comer is pleasant, genial and affable in 
manner, is popular with his students as 
well as with the general public and is 
splendid]}- i|ualified for the important po- 
sition which he is occupying in educa- 
tional circles of w-estern Illinois. At this 
point it would be almost tautological to 
enter into any series of statements as 
showing him to be a man of broad in- 
telligence and genuine public spirit, for 
these have been shadowed forth between 
the lines of this review. Strong in his 
individuality he never lacks the courage 
of his convictions but there are as deter- 
mining elements in this individuality a 
lively human syiiipathy and an abiding 
charity which, as taken in connection 
with the sterling integrity and honor of 
his character, have naturally gained for 
him the respect and good will of men. 



H.-iXCOCK COUXTY. ILLIXOIS. 



yyj 



\MLLIAM R. PHELPS. 

\\'illiani R. Phelps is living retired in 
Plymouth but for many years was actively 
associated with farming interests in Han- 
cock county, and devoted his time and 
energies to the improvement of a good 
property, which he brought under a high 
state of cultivation. He was born in 
Dutchess county, Xew York, in 1830, a 
son of Elijah B. and Jane (\\' right) 
Phelps, the former a native of Xew Mil- 
ford, Connecticut, and the latter of Fish- 
kill, Putnam county, Xew York. The 
father engaged in school teaching in early 
manhood and for fourteen years devoted 
his energies to the task of grinding 
scythes. He died in his native county 
in 1855, while his wife passed away Janu- 
ary I, 1866, and was buried near Bum- 
side, Illinois, after making her home with 
her son ^^'ilIiam for some years prior to 
her deatli. In the family were fourteen 
children, of whom seven are now living: 
Eliza, the widow of Arthur McArthur, 
and a resident of Massachusetts ; Charles, 
of Augusta, Illinois; Tamar, the wife of 
William Scott, who resides near Hunts- 
ville in Schuyler county, Illinois ; Carrie, 
the wife of Joseph Bailey, living near 
Burnside, this state ; and John, of Cali- 
fornia. Four sons of the family were 
soldiers of the Civil war. James and 
John were members of the Sixteenth Illi- 
nois Volunteer Infantry, and the former 
was killed in battle, while the latter served 
throughout the period of hostilities. 
Chauncey and Robert both enlisted for 
service from Massachusetts. 

William R. Phelps was educated in 
Dutchess county, Xew York, to the age of 



fourteen }'ears, when necessit}' demanded 
that he provide for his own support, and 
he began work as a farm hand, being em- 
ployed upon various farms in that section 
of the country until twenty-four years 
of age. He then determined to seek a 
home in the middle west and c m the 4th of 
December, 1854, arrived in Wisconsin. 
Soon afterward he made his way to Free- 
port, Illinois, and for three years he was 
engaged in peddling stoves for a Wiscon- 
sin firm. He then settled upon a rented 
farm near Huntsville, Illinois, where he 
lived for three years, after wdiich he came 
to Hancock county and invested his sav- 
ings in a farm of one hundred and sixty 
acres, upon which he also lived for three 
vears. He then sold that property and 
purchased two hundred and furty acres 
on sections 5 and 8, Schuyler county, Illi- 
nois. He built thereon a residence and 
added many other substantial improve- 
ments, carrying on general farm work 
until about seventeen years ago, when he 
located in Plymouth, where he has since 
lived retired, building a pretty and at- 
tractive home on Sumner street. \Miile 
on the farm he also engaged in stock- 
raising and both branches of his business 
proved a good source of revenue. 

In 1863 occurred the marriage of Mr. 
Phelps and Miss Harriet Atkins, who 
vras born in Schuyler county, Illinois, on 
a farm which Mr. Phelps still owns there. 
The year of her birth was 1839, and her 
parents were David and Asenath (Kent) 
Atkins, natives of Connecticut. The fa- 
ther, a carpenter and farmer, came to 
Illinois in 1844, and three of the brothers 
of Mrs. Phelps were in the Mormon war. 
Both Mr. and Mrs. Atkins died in Schuy- 



740 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEIV 



ler count}', where they were buried. 
They had seven children, four sons and 
three daughters but ijnly two are now 
living, the elder daughter being Cornelia, 
the wife of George Fitch, a resident of 
Iowa. j\Ir. and Mrs. I'helps have IkkI 
three children, the eldest born in Hancock- 
county and the other two in Schuyler 
county. Mary became the wife of Albert 
Walter and lived in Colchester, Illinois, 
where she died June 8, iqo6, leaving 
three sons, Ralph. Elmer anil Glenn. 
Fred W. married Fillie Wade, lives at 
Pl}-mouth and has tWM children, Hattie 
and Leona. L. R. is living on his father's 
old farm, and married Miss Alice War- 
wick, who died in 1889, lea\ing two chil- 
dren, Harry, fifteen years of age. who is 
now with his father, and Eva, ele\'en years 
of age. who is living with her grandfather 
Phelps. For his secoud wife L. R. Phelps 
chose Vesta Cooper. 

Politically a republican, ^Nlr. Phelps has 
alwa}'s kept well informed nn the ques- 
tions and issues of the day but has never 
sought or desired office. He belongs to 
the Congregational church and is a mem- 
ber of the finance committee, while in the 
various departments of church work he 
is interested. 

I^^Tim the age of fourteen years he has 
been dependent entirely upon his nwn 
resources and started out in life on his 
own account at a salary- of five dollars 
per month, while the highest wage which 
he ever recei\'e(l for his farm labor was 
fifteen dollars per month. As the result 
of his energy and ambition, together with 
the assistance of his estimable wife, he has 
accumulated a goodly share of the com- 
forts of life and in the evening of his davs 



is now enabled to Vwt without recourse 
to further labor, occupying a pleasant and 
attractive home in Plymouth. He has 
passed the seventy-sixth milestone on life's 
journey and warm regard is extended to 
him b}' all with whom he has come in 
contact. 



JOHN M. 0\\'EX. 

John ^I. Owen, who is conducting a 
li\'ery stable in Carthage on Wabash 
avenue and is also one of the "citv fa- 
thers," ser\'ing at the present writing, in 
igo6. as alderman, was born in Chili 
township, this county, in 1852, his parents 
being Archibald and Elizabeth (Mustain) , 
Owen, the former a- native of Paris, Ken- 
tucky, and the latter of Virginia. The 
grandfather, John Stephen Owen, came to 
Illinois in 1832, at which time there was 
no city of Carthage and Init few houses in 
the county. The Indians were far more 
numeriius than the white settlers and wild 
deer roamed evervwhere. The Owen 
family thus became closely associated with 
the pioneer development of the county and 
the name has ever stood as a synonym 
for progress and improvement as the 
}ears have gone by. The father, when 
eight vears of age, came to Illinois with 
his parents who settled in Chili township 
where he lived on a farm until 1867, 
when he was called to his final rest. He 
was a democrat in his political \'iews and 
was honored with a number of township 
offices. Both he and his wife were faith- 
ful members of the Methodist church, in 



HANCOCK COUNTY. ILLINOIS. 



741 



which he served as trustee and elder. 
His wife died in 1879 and they were laid 
to rest in the old cemetery in Chih town- 
ship. In their family were eight chil- 
dren : Nancy, now the wife of Charles 
B. Griffith, of Carthage, Illinois ; Stephen 
Owen, who was drowned in 1872, when 
out fishing; John M. ; Thomas, who is 
hving in Iowa; Laura, the wife of \\i\- 
liam Williams, of Chili township ; Eliza- 
beth, the wife of Christopher Williams 
and a resident of Chili township ; Loretta, 
the wife of James Conley, of West Point, 
Iowa ; and Anna, of Chili township. 
Peter La Grande, a maternal uncle of our 
subject, served in the Revolutionary war. 

John M. Owen was educated in the 
public schools of Chili township, after 
which he operated a farm there for some 
years. On selling that property he es- 
tablished a general store in Stillwell, Han- 
cock county, which lie conducted until 
1899, when he dis]:>osed of his store and 
removed to Carthage, uhere for t\\o years 
he was engaged in dealing in agricultural 
implements and farm niachiner}-. In 
1903, however, he turned his attention 
to the conduct of a liver}- barn and sales 
stable in connection with Homer C. John- 
son and they now have an office and stable 
on Jefferson street, buying and selling 
horses all through the county and state. 

In 1884 John yi. Owen w;is married to 
Miss Wealthy M. Gay. who was born in 
Adams count}'. Illinois, a daughter of 
Vickson and Axie (Davis) Gay. the lat- 
ter a nati\-e of the state of Xew York^ 
The father came to Hancock county at 
an early day and followed farming until 
his death, which occurred in 1880. His 
wife passed away in 1887 and both were 



buried in the Camp Point cemetery. Mr. 
Gay was a republican in his political views 
and allegiance and capably served in va- 
roius township offices, to which he was 
called by the vote of his fellow townsmen, 
who recognized his worth and ability. 
Both he and his wife were members of 
the INIethodist church. He had three chil- 
dren by his first wife and two liy his 
second wife and with the exception of one 
child of the second m.irriage all are }'et 
living, these being Charles \''., a banker 
at Camp Point. Illinois: Albert, of Camp 
Point, who is interested in a farm in 
Adams county, Illinois; Sophronia. the 
widow of Clayton McGill, of Bowen. this 
county; and Mrs. Owen. L'nto Mr. and 
Mrs. Owen have been born two sons, both 
natives of Hancock county : Gay, who 
will graduate from the high school in 
1907, at the age of eighteen years; and 
Archibald, who at the age of sixteen years 
is a high school student in Carthage. 
The parents are members of the Presby- 
terian church, in which Mr. Owen is serv- 
ing as trustee and in the church work they 
take an active and helpful part, being iden- 
tified with its various societies and the 
plans which it has instituted for the up- 
lifting of humanity. In his social rela- 
tions i\Ir. Owen is an Odd Fellow, ha? 
passed all of the chairs of the lodge and 
i:- the honored treasurer of the Masonic 
lodge of Carthage. Prominent in local 
democratic circles he has held various po- 
sitions of public trust, serving as collector, 
as a member of the school board and now 
as alderman from the first ward of Car- 
thage. He and his family live at the cor- 
ner of Wabash and Scofield streets, where 
he has purchased a pretty home and in 



742 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



addition to this property he and his part- 
ner own a building ninety-five feet front 
in which they carry on their Hvery ))usi- 
ness. He also has three hundred and 
twenty acres of farm land in Kansas and 
one hundred acres of farm land in Han- 
cock county and his real estate interest;. 
are thus valuable. He is largely a self- 
made man and has been very active and 
energetic since he left school, his limited 
financial resources and his enterprise lie- 
ing the stimulus to a business career that 
has now been crowned with a gratifying 
measure of success. He is a large, portly 
man, of warm heart and kindly disposi- 
tion and he is held in high esteem in Car- 
thage, where he is now comfortably sit- 
uated in life. 



SAMUEL RUSSEL. 

Samuel Russel, deceased, was one (jf 
the substantial farmers and respected cit- 
izens of Hancock county. He was earlv 
left an orphan and had no inheritance but 
possessed an energetic nature and by up- 
right living, careful management and the 
assistance of his good wife, was enabled 
to make steady progress in business, and 
at the time of his death gave to each of 
his children a good farm of eighty acres 
or more. He was born on the Emerald 
Isle in 1816, and when a lad of fourteen 
years came to America. Here he was 
bound out to a farmer who reared him. 
as his parents had both died on the Em- 



erald Isle. He acquired a taste for house- 
building and learned the carpenter's 
trade, which he followed for many years. 
He afterward, however, concentrated his 
energies upon general farming, which he 
conducted in Bear Creek township for 
fifty years or more. 

Mr. Russel was united in marriage to 
Miss Jemima A. Hickman, who .was born 
in New Jersey in 1823. Daniel and Jo- 
seph Hickman, brothers of Mrs. Russel, 
were soldiers in the Civil war, entering 
the aniiy from Illinois and remaining at 
the front throughout the period of hos- 
tilities. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Russel were 
bom ten children, but only four are now 
living : James, a resident of Kansas ; 
Nancy, the widow of Isaac A. O'Haver; 
Mary Jane, the wife of John O'Haver, a 
resident of Harmony township; and Jo- 
seph, who married Miss Belle Clampet, 
and has five children, three daughters and 
two sons. Their home is in Bear Creek 
township. The death of Mr. Russel oc- 
curred October 17, 1895, when he was 
about seventy-nine years of age, and he 
was laid to rest in Graham cemetery. He 
left a valuable farm as well as an untar- 
nished name to his wife and children. He 
had started out in life empty-handed and 
was always dependent upon his own la- 
bors and business abilit}' for the success 
he achie\'ed. He worked persistently and 
earnestly year after year until he had 
gained a good start and was enabled to 
purchase a farm. He then devoted a half 
century to general agricultural pursuits 
and his work was attended with a gratify- 
ing measure of success. His name became 
an honored one anil he well deserved the 
praise and confidence that were given him. 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



743 



Mrs. Russel, though eighty-three years of 
age, is still very active and accomplishes 
a great deal. She is extremely neat in 
appearance and in all that she does 
is a most intelligent and interesting lady. 
She still owns ninety acres of good land 
in Bear Creek township, which she rents, 
while she makes her home with her chil- 
dren, now living with her daughter. Mrs. 
O'Haver. 

This daughter, Xancy Russel, was b(jrn 
in St. Albans township, Hancock cunntv, 
in 1855, and in 1879 gave her hand in 
marriage to Isaac A. O'Haver. who was 
born in Montro.se. Iowa, in 1855. He 
was educated in Missouri, and in 1872 
became a resident of Bear Creek township. 
Hancock county. Illinois, where he fol- 
lowed the occupation of farming. After 
coming to Illinois, Isaac A. O'Haver de- 
voted his time and energies to general 
farming and stock-raising and had one 
liundred and sixty acres of land on section 
27, Bear Creek township, where were to 
be seen good and substantial improve- 
ments. His political \iews accorded with 
democratic principles and he held several 
township offices. He and his wife were 
devoted and faithful members of the 
Methodist Episcopal church, to the sup- 
port of which they contributed liberally. 
Mr. O'Haver died and was laid to rest in 
Graham cemetery. Of the six children 
born of this marriage five are now living, 
namely : Josie, who is engaged in teach- 
ing in the public schools of this county : 
Mary, the wife of Frank Swain, of Car- 
thage, and the mother of two children. 
Merle and Leonore: Joseph, who is op- 
erating the home farm : James, who is as- 
sociated with his brother Joseph in the 
47 



work: and Esther, now twehe years of 
age. The families of Russel and 
O'Haver have always commanded respect 
in this county and both Mr. Russel and 
Mr. O'Haver were business men of enter- 
prise and integrity. 



JOSEPH YARXELL. 

Joseph Yarnell, who passed away on 
the 8th of August, 1893, left behind a 
most creditable record because of a life 
of honesty antl industry crowned with 
success and the esteem of his fellowmen. 
He was born in Uniontown, Lancaster 
county, Pennsylvania, January 4, 1841. 
his parents being David and Margaret 
( Xeal ) Yarnell. The father was reared 
in the faith of the Society of Friends, or 
Quakers, and represented an old family 
of the Keystone state. In T850 he re- 
moved westward to Illinois, settling in St. 
Albans township, Hancock county. In 
the familv were seven children, of whom 
four are living: William, who resides in 
]Milan. Kansas, and was a soldier of the 
Civil war: Edward Lotiisa, the wife of 
James Lamont, living in the west ; and 
Hattie, the wife of James Wirtz, of Colo- 
rado. The parents are now deceased and 
were laiil to rest in Chili township. 

Joseph Yarnell was a }-outh of eleven 
\-ears when he came to Illinois with his 
]iarents. He was educated in the iniblic 
schools and remained under the parental 
roof until 1861, when, at the age of twen- 
tv vears he responded to the country's 
call for troops and joined the army. He 



744 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



afterward re-enlisted as a member of 
Company B, Seventy-eighth IHinois \'ol- 
unteers and was discharged in 1865 at 
the close of hostihties. He served with 
an engineer corps and was a most loyal 
defender of the Union cause. When the 
country no longer needed his aid he re- 
turned to his home and remained with his 
parents until he reached the age of thirty- 
one years, caring for the farm. 

In 1872, however, Mr. Yarnell left 
home to establish a home of his own, be- 
ing married in that year to Miss ^lary 
E. Boeshenz, who was born in Peoria, 
Illinois, October 18, 1849, a daughter of 
Mathew and Magdalena (Yoerger) 
Boeshenz. The father was born in (Ger- 
many, March 8, 1821. and the mother's 
birth occurred in France. July 14, 1827. 
Mr. Boeshenz came to America when fif- 
teen years of age with his father, the 
family home being established in Ohio, 
whence he afterward removed to Peoria, 
Illinois, where he learned the blacksmith's 
trade. In 1854 he became a resident of 
Chili township, Hancock county, where 
he conducted the village smithy. In his 
family were twelve children but only 
three are now living : Mrs. Yarnell ; Ma- 
tilda, the wife of Charles Graham, a resi- 
dent of St. Albans township; and Alfretl, 
of Chili township. The parents were 
meml:)ers of the Presbyterian church and 
in its work took an active interest, Mr. 
Boeshenz serving as superintendent of 
the Sunday-school. His political support 
was given to the Republican party. He 
died in 1874, while his wife passed away 
in 1873, and their graves were made in 
Chili cemetery. 

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. 



Yarnell purchased furty-nine acres of land 
on section 28, Chili township, and later 
he purchased the interest of the other 
heirs in his father's home property and 
erected thereon a nice residence, together 
with substantial barns and outbuildings, 
thus furnishing ample shelter for grain 
and stock. In his business interests he 
became very prosperous and was widely 
known as an able and successful farmer 
and stock-raiser. His political views 
were in accord with republican principles 
and he served as school director but other- 
wise neither sought nor held public ofifice. 
In all his business transaction he was 
strictly fair and reliable and his ad\-ance- 
nient in the business world was due to his 
unfaltering energy and laudable ambition. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Yarnell were born 
ten children : Margaret, who was former- 
]}• a teacher in Chili township, is now the 
wife of Mark Parsons, a farmer of that 
township. Mathew, who was also a 
teacher in the tdwnship. is now operating 
his mother's farm. Benjamin, who died 
in Chili township, married Margaret 
King and lives in Wenona, Illinois. Lena 
is a graduate of the Woman's College, at 
Jacksonville, Illinois, and now teaches in 
Auburn, this state. Lizzie was formerly 
a student in the'high school in Bowen and 
is now teaching in that city. Jacob 
Henry, a graduate o fthe Bowen high 
school, is attending the State University. 
a1 Champaign. Illinois, ^lary, who 
taught in Hancock county in 1906, is 
also a student in the university at Cham- 
paign. Bessie, Archibald and Jeseph, are 
all at home. 

Fraternally Mr. Yarnell was connected 
with the Grand Army of the Republic and 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



745 



had the warm regard of his brethren of 
the post. He Hved a Hfe of business ac- 
tivity and enterprise, and although he 
started out on his own account a poor 
boy he worked his way upward and at the 
time of his demise was well-to-do. He 
was a man most highly respected, for in 
all life's relations he was honorable and 
upright. He thus left to his family the 
priceless heritage of an untarnished name. 
In his home he was a devoted husband 
and father and his neighbors found him a 
faithful friend and the commvinity a val- 
ued citizen. Airs, Yarnell is a member of 
the Methodist church and a most esti- 
mable lady. In addition to the home 
property she owns eighty acres adjoining 
this place, which is operated .by her son 
and also thirty-six acres of timber land. 
Her children have all been carefully and 
liberally educated and all of the elder 
members of the family have taught in the 
[jublic schools. She has every reason to 
lie proud of her family of sons and daugh- 
ters as thev are a credit to her name. 



W, T. HUFF. 



\\". T. Huff, who is engaged in the 
hvery business in Carthage, was born in 
I'asco, Hancock county, in 1864, a son of 
'. E. and Rebecca (Bryant) Huff, the 
former born in 1837 and the latter in 
1840. His grandfather, who came from 
North Carolina, settled on the first farm 
which was developed between Carthage 
snd Basco, known as the old Huff place 



and J. E. Huff has been an active farmer 
of Hancock county for many years and 
now conducts a livery and hoted business 
in Basco. The Huffs have always been 
advocates of the democracy but have 
never been aspirants for office and both 
Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Huff are devoted 
members of the Methodist church. In 
their family were three sons : Lymon, 
who is living in Basco; Charles, who was 
telegraph operator at Golden, Illinois, for 
.1 number of years but is now deceased; 
and W. T. 

In the public schools of Basco, \V. T. 
Huff" acquired his education, remaining 
upon the home farm with his father until 
the time of his marriage, on the 17th of 
February, 1887. The lady of his choice 
was Miss Florey Foster, who was born 
in Hancock county in 1869, a daughter 
of Mr. and Mrs. John M. Foster. Her 
parents were natives of Ohio and came 
to this state at an early day. The father 
first engaged in teaching school at Ply- 
mouth, Illinois, and afterward settled up- 
on a farm in Hancock county. Later he 
was a teacher in the high school of Can- 
ton, Missouri, for a number of years and 
after another period devoted to farming 
he retired from business life and removed 
to Basco. At the time of the Civil war 
he enlisted in the Union army and be- 
came a general of the Illinois Volunteers. 
His political support is given to the Re- 
publican party and he is an exemplary rep- 
resentative of the Masonic fraternity, hav- 
ing passed all of the chairs in the local 
lodge, while frequently he is a delegate 
to the conventions of the organization. 
Both he and his wife are members of the 
Methodist church and he has frequently 



746 



BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW 



filletl tlie pulpit in the absence of the regu- 
lar pastor. In the Foster family were 
four children : Ida. the wife of Gilbert 
Kirkpatrick, who died fifteen years ago, 
while her death occurred eighteen years 
ago ; Mrs. HufT ; Belle, the wfie of W. O. 
Fisher, of Basco, .Illinois ; and Roy, who 
died at the age of five years. 

After his marriage Mr. Huff began his 
domestic life on a farm near Bentley. 
where he remained one year and then 
purchased a tract of land near Basco, 
where he followed farming for two years. 
He paid ten dollars per acre for that prop- 
erty, cleared the timber away and trans- 
formed the land into productive fields. 
Later he sold the property to good ad- 
vantage and in 1890 removed to Carthage, 
where he established a livery business. 
For the last ten years he has been located 
on Main street. He has horses and car- 
riages to rent and he also buys and sells 
horses. He is in fact conducting a gen- 
eral livery business and has been a repre- 
sentative of this line of activity for a 
longer period than any other liveryman of 
Carthage. He now has a good business, 
wdiich has grown in extent until he derives 
therefrom a gratifying annual income. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Huff have been 
born seven children, all of whom were 
born in Hancock county, namely : 
Vernon, deceased ; Roy, who will grad- 
uate from the Carthage high school in 
the class of n)o6; Jessie, Minnie and 
Leslie, all in school ; Leona : and Harold. 

Mr. Huff belongs to the Modern Wood- 
men camp and he and his wife hold mem- 
bership in the Methodist church, to the 
support of which they have contributed 
liberally and in the work of which thev 



take an active and helpful part. In 
politics Mr. Huff' is a democrat but has no 
desire for office. In connection with his 
father-in-law he owns the building in 
which he is now carrying on the livery 
business. He is an intelligent gentleman, 
and has a retentive memory and as his 
entire life has been passed in this county 
he is familiar with its histoiy through 
more than foiu' decades. He can well 
remember the tornado which occurred on 
the 3d of July. 1871. Although he was 
but seven years of age at the time. The 
storm came up about si.x o'clock in the 
afternoon, his father being away from 
home at the village at the time. His 
mother and two cousins were ironing on 
the east porch and his two brothers were 
plowing in the field. Seeing the ap- 
proaching storm they came to the house 
to inform their mother and slhui the wind 
was blowing a terrific gale. The barn 
was blown down and the family had bare- 
ly gotten the doors and windows fastened 
when the roof was lifted off of the kitchen 
and the top taken off the stove. The 
nidther at once emptied the teakettle of 
water in the stove to prevent fire. Then 
the family proceeded to the cellar, for in a 
few moments the whole house, a large 
two-story frame structure, was lifted en- 
tirel}- nff the foundation and hurled to 
jiieces. as were also twelve or fifteen other 
houses in the neighborhood, while the 
greater numl)er of the youn.g trees in 
the orchard were torn up b}- the 
roots, or broken up and piled in 
a heap in the cellar doorway. The 
memliers of the Huff family were 
unhurt, much to the jo}- of the husband 
and father on his return. Neighbors 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



747 



nearby were killed, however, and members 
of other families were injured and Mr. 
Huff had to rebuild his home. W. T. 
Huff of this review has never had a dollar 
given him in his life. He started out in 
verv limited financial circumstances but 



by ambition, energy and upright dealing 
has succeeded in building up a good busi- 
ness and secured many of the comforts 
of life. He is a pleasant, genial gentle- 
man and one highly respected in the 
communitv. 



Index to Biographical Sketches. 



Albers, Charles 201 

Albers, Claus 197 

Albers, William Edward 201 

Aldridge. S. H 591 

Alvord, Rudolph W 665 

Antoine, John F 376 

Argast, Edward 320 

Ash, William J 141 

Athey, Samuel H 639 

Ayers, David 241 

Babcock, James 25 

Bagby, William 567 

Bailey, George W 545 

Bailey, Joel 563 

Bainter, John H 703 

Bainter, Thomas J 636 

Baker, Seth M 432 

Balsley, Jacob C 145 

Barr. G«orge W 21 

Barr, Robert A 94 

Bascow, Alex W 4S 

Baumert, Michael. Sr 535 

Baxter, Cecil J. S 717 

Baxter, Emil J 33S 

Beard, William S 350 

Bell, Joslah C 629 

Benner, Benjamin F 500 

Bennington, Asa L 262 

Berry, John M 66S 

Berry, Hon. M. P 734 

Berry, Hon. O. F 53 

Bertschi, Albert 313 

Bertschl, Carl 337 

Bertschi, John W 306 

Bideaux, William A 171 

Black, Benjamin F 462 

Black, Henry F 577 

Boddeker, John J 494 

Bolinger, James W 280 

Bollin, Gottlieb 294 

Bolton, .Alexander 543 

Boston. Charles W 225 



Botts, Joseph W 569 

Bowen. Kinzy H 713 

BradfieU. James L 27)s 

Bradfield. William F 329 

Bradshaw. James M 574 

Bradsh.iw. William D 491 

Brant. George M 347 

Bricker, Henry 662 

Bride. James 397 

Bridges. Jcel W 211 

Bridges. Wesley C 205 

Brines, Edward 622 

Brown, Edwin 653 

Brown, Homer D 82 

Brunton. Collins 386 

Bryan. Smith F 405 

Buckert, John H 474 

Buell. Loverett W 86 

Burr. Oicar H 101 

Butler. Ur. William 256 

Byers, Andrew W 498 

Byler. Henry C 55 

Cabet. Etienne 692 

Campbell. John A 555 

Carlton, Robert L 416 

Carnes. Henry 70S 

Carter, Charles 551 

Casburn, Floyd N 434 

Cassell, Isaac W 558 

Cassingham, James W 263 

Chandler, Guy B 296 

Chapman, Samuel S 136 

Charpentier, Julius 547 

Chenow'jth, Marcellus T... 213 

Cherrill, Edward 32 

Chevillon. Leon 372 

Clark, Charles E 96 

Clark, Charles G 228 

Clark, .fames H 134 

Clere. George 493 

Cochran. John £ 418 

Cochran. .lohn S 184 



Cochran, Joshua 681 

Conner, Benjamin F 138 

Cooke, Hon. Charles 607 

Coulson, George 435 

Coulson. James C 539 

Crabill. John H 252 

Cravens. Lucian W 677 

Crawford. C. C 401 

Crawford, James F 630 

Crawford, Thomas 601 

Cruise. Linus 411 

Crum, Charles E 712 

Cummiags, George M 40 

Cutler, Francis M 226 

Cutler, Clinton 285 . 

Cutler, Oelcs L 695 

Cutler, Lwight C 706 

Cutler. larkhurst W 114 

Dadant, Camille P 91 

Dallam. Phillip 410 

Davier, Antone 714 

Davis, Amos, Jr 532 

Davis, Dick H 663 

Denton, Edmond F 66 

DeGroot, John E 437 

Deitrich, Joseph F 289 

Dickinson, Henry R 243 

Disselhorst, August H 554 

Diver, Wallace 687 

Dickson, J. E 651 

Doolittle, Charles B 297 

Downing, Charles A 355 

Dorsey, Joseph 512 

Dye. William T 89 

Echbohm. Martir. C 112 

Eckles, C. A 448 

Edwards. Maj. Gen. Oliver. 301 

Ellefritz. Thaddeus J 81 

Ellison. Ralph 120 

Elsea. Dr. Homer J 229 

Essley. J. L 640 

Ewiug. John P 476 



750 



BIOGRAPHICAL REJIEIV 



Pairchild, William R 675 

Paught, Verrieus R 107 

Faulkner, John 270 

Ferguson. William M 315 

Ferris, Hiram G 730 

Ferris, Junius C 733 

Ferris, Leonard T 246 

Ferris, Stephen H 72}s 

Fletcher, John A 102 

Folckemer, Dr. Harry R 28,S 

Prazee, Dr. D. L 573 

Prazer, J. 1 374 

Prazer, LaPayette 311 

Prazer, George. ...'.... 274 

French, Thomas G 46S 

Fuller, Dr. Briggs J 185 

Galbraith, John R 239 

Garner, John H 565 

Garnett, Charles H 196 

Garwood. T. J 550 

George, Lewis F 660 

Gibson, James P 293 

Gibson, Robert C 254 

Giese, Bernhard 664 

Gilchrist, Gen. Charles A.. 523 

Gillham, ElklTr.'^ . .-. . fifS 

Gillham, Henry 209 

Gillham, R. E 156 

Gnann, Samuel D 384 

Goddertz, Mathew 330 

Goehring, John C 403 

Gordon, Robert S 223 

Gordon, Samuel 128 

Grant, John W 363 

Griffith, Andrew 615 

Gross. Jacob M 366 

Grove, Jacob 452 

Grove, Joseph N 453 

Haase, Hemian 552 

Habben, John M 291 

Haigh, John 422 

Haigh, Lewis D 541 

Hallam. T. A 723 

Hamilton, William R 683 

Hanson, Henry C 119 

Harnest, S. E 97 

Harris, Andrew J 360 

Harris, Andrew Jackson... 556 

Harris, Francis M 336 

Harris, W. R 676 

Harrison, Edward 521 

Hart, Selah G 528 

,Hartzell, William H 299 

Hastings, John B 282 



Hawley, Mrs. Jane L 640 

Hay, Dr. Charles 11 

Hay. Hon. John 159 

Hay, Maj. Leonard A 242 

Hazen. Erastus A 174 

Heberer, William L 514 

Hecox, S W 341 

Heisler, John 1 36 

Helfrich, Joseph E 486 

Henry, Martin A 249 

Herbert, John 631 

Hewitt, Cyrus M 122 

Hill, Prof. William K 19 

Hobart, Isaac N 84 

Honce, William H 233 

Hooker, Chellis E 562 

Hooker, William C 560 

Horney, John H 194 

Hostord, Edwin W 517 

Huff, Francis M 357 

Huff, W. T 745 

Hughes, W. W 371 

Humphrey, G. M 503 

Hurdle, John N 515 

Jackson, Hugh 272 

Jackson, Peter 137 

Jenkins. Henry 105 

Jones, Emmanuel 48 1 

Jones, Judge George W. . . . 478 

Jones. Samuel R 158 

Johnson, Benjamin F 580 

Johnson, James G 326 

Johnson, John B 488 

.Johnson, Matthew M ISO 

Johnston. Dr. James E 586 

Johnstone, John E 727 

Kaser, John D 679 

Kelly, Dr. Blair 362 

Ketchum, Andrew J 571 

Kimbrough, Robert M 79 

Kimbrough, William L 147 

Kimbrough, William R 148 

Kinkade, George W 646 

Kinkade. Hiram B 214 

Kirby. Andrew 456 

Kizer, John M 312 

Klinefelter. George 623 

Knox. Harrison 235 

Koontz. Hiram 589 

Kropp, Adam 280 

LaCroix, George C 415 

Lamet, Louis 212 

La Monte, Jacob P 169 

Landis, Isaac F 459 



Laubersheimer, Max 624 

Layton, Anthony P 402 

Leach, James B 458 

Lee. Morris J 696 

Library. Carthage Public... 593 

Linnenburger, Henry G.... 413 

Lionberger, Scott G 658 

Little, Franklin C 23 

Little, Lorenzo D 68 

.Locke, George 324 

Lofton, Charles B 152 

Loop, J E 151 

Lord. Joseph E 529 

Lung, Jacob G 153 

Lyon, William E 380 

Mack, David 396 

Maire, Frederick 287 

Manifold. Arthur R 290 

Manussier, Joseph V 657 

Marsh, Col. Benjamin P. . . 61 

Marsh, Hon. John W 610 

Marsh. Dr. John W 650 

Marshall. William H 444 

Martin, Charles T 314 

Martin, Dr. Isaac McCoy... 614 

Matthews, Robert D 470 

McBride. S. G 526 

McCarty, James 433 

McCollom. Charles M 465 

McCord. George C 392 

McCord. Noah 655 

McCormick. Dr. Franklin L. 308 

McCrory, John 649 

McParland, Thomas 603 

McGaw, Samuel P 688 

McKee, Albert N 187 

McKee, James W 1S6 

McNeall. Arthur 537 

Meyer, Frederick W 189 

Milborn, William G., Jr 496 

Milby, Fred N 190 

Miller, D. H 42 

Miller. Lewis P 585 

Miller, Joseph M o33 

Millikin, Don C. S 648 

Mizner, Robert H 705 

Moffltt. James J 265 

Morrison. James E 51 

Monroe, J. B 684 

Moore. William H 441 

Murphy, Abner 600 

Myers, Lewis M 60 

Nelson, Reason A 419 

Nethery, , Robert 583 



HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



Newcomli, F. H. C 721 

Xewcomber, Prof. Cyrus B. TSS 

Newton, Lewis L 11!^ 

Newell. Josephus 443 

Noriis. John H 475 

Noyes. Dr. William H. D. . 215 

Nudd, Parmer 454 

Ogden, James 6S5 

O'Harra, A. W 28 

Outhier, Theophilus 377 

Owen, John M 740 

Paul, James A 502 

Payne, George W 125 

Pence, Philip 697 

Perrin, William 446 

Pershing, Dr. Francis O... 34 

Phelps, William R 739 

Phillippi. Alex 497 

Pitt, Henry T 316 

Pitt, John 71.5 

Plantz, Truman 592 

Plumb, J A 251 

Plumb. W. H 251 

Porth, Charles 510 

Perth, Fred 322 

Puntenney, Ahimaaz 143 

Quick, Alfred 203 

Rand, EJ H 710 

Randall, M. E 581 

Ray, Daniel T 27 

Reed, Dayton W 222 

Reid, Lucien S 20V 

Reimbold, William C 634 

Reiselt, Jacob oS 

Reyer, Fred 690 

Rice. Clark H 310 

Rice, Henry 69 

Richardson, George L 509 

Richart, Oscar E 399 

Riggins, William J 620 

Ritchey, Josiah 73 

Ritter, Joseph D 467 

Roasa, William 37S 

Roberts, Dr. Roy i, 637 

Robinson, C. J 595 

Robinson. Barzillai S7 

Robinson. David A 40S 

Roseberry, James A 634 



Roskamp, Lewis Gotlieb. . . . 201 
Rosensten<;el, Rev. William. 52J 

Rowe, Edwin P 124 

Rucker, Ezekiel 50 

Ruggles, Thomas 426 

Russel, Samuel 742 

Sack, Lewis 155 

Salisbury. Solomoi. J 430 

Sanford, William 423 

Schafer, Burnett 349 

Scofield, Charles J 275 

Sharp, Judge Thomas C lO.S 

Sharp, W. O.. 506 ^ 

Shipman, Charles S IJ' 

Shindel, Jacob E 702 

Shipton, John S 43 

Shutwell, John 439 

Siegrist, Adolph 5SS 

Sights, David R 31S 

Sights, Thomas J 319 

Simpson, Silvanus E 504 

Slingerland, George H 599 

Smith, George 633 

Smith, Lee 178 

Smith, Dr. William K 26S 

Spangler, William M 724 

Spence. Charles P 489 

Stahl, Rev. John 693 

Stewart, Robert P 116 

Stidum, William C 451 

Stone, Samuel T 231 

Sturm, Henry 540 

Sweeney, Samuel 626 

Symonds, William A 192 

Thatcher, Benjamin F 654 

Thomas, L. Thaddeus 382 

Thomas. William H 234 

Thompson, George H 331 

Thornber, John T 388 

Thornber. Henry 3.59 

Timasheske, Lawrence 576 

Tomlinson, William J 450 

Trautvetter. George A 172 

Traverse, William F 666 

Tressler. Dr. David L 719 

Van Aernam, Chai-les H. . . . 616 
Van Aernam, Ransom D... 617 
Vaughn. Luke M 39 



Vincent, Samuel C 264 

Walker, Frank W 132 

Walker, George 258 

Walker, Thomas 1 46 

Wallace, Eugene A 167 

Walton, Fred M 353 

Ward, Zebdiah 176 

Warner, Dr. Charles A . . . . 204 

Waterman, August 325 

Watt, Lyman W 126 

Weathers. Mrs. Joshua S.. 699 

Webb, George \V 472 

Webb, William C 597 

Weber. Henry 165 

Weber, William 346 

Weisenborn, Otto F 644 

Weiser, Simon D 237 

Wellner. John 343 

Westfall, James W 425 

Whitcomb, John D 344 

Whitcomb, Wyman T 342 

White, Zimri 71 

Wilke, August C 619 

Wilke, William J 701 

Wilkens, Charles 385 

Wilkens, John. ...» 365 

Wilkinson. Fred A 519 

Willey, Jonathon C 77 

Williams, Henry C 484 

Williams, Prof. James E 220 

Williams, Hon. Jesse C 333 

Williams, John R 641 

Williams, Jchn Wesley 671 

Williams, Wesley 669 

Williams, Wesley C 670 

Wood, De Witt C 596 

Woodside, William L 268 

Woolfolk, Austin C 426 

Worthen, Amos h 367 

Worthen, Amos H 391 

Worthen, Charles 391 

Worthen, George B 394 

Worthen, John B 390 

Yarnell, Joseph 743 

Yeager, James P 354 

Yetter, George W 606 

Yetter, Samuel P. 130 

Young, Lorenzo 507 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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